Sports Management Commons^™

The South Has Not Risen In Nhl Attendance Numbers Compared To The North, Kyle Stich

Sport Management Undergraduate

This research looked at attendance capacity for traditional and non-traditional hockey markets. The aim was to attempt to determine the extent the attendance capacities differed between the two markets. Previously, there had not been any quantitative analyses done comparing traditional and non-traditional hockey markets so this study aimed to add new knowledge to that area. The National Hockey League (NHL) grapples with the validity of some of the current markets, with many observers calling for some teams to relocate to new markets. This research aimed to attempt to determine how justified those criticisms were.

Kim, Trail, & Magnusen (2013) have …

Syracuse University Basketball: To Renovate The Carrier Dome Or Build A New Arena, William P. Commisso

Sport Management Undergraduate

This study looked at how Syracuse University basketball fans’ spectator motives impacted their preference on whether to renovate the Carrier Dome or to build a new arena. The purpose of this research was to find out if these Syracuse University basketball fans differed from prior knowledge regarding sport spectator motivation. It was known that fan enjoyment is influenced by convenience of concessions and restrooms (Wakefield, 1995). However, it was also known that fans’ team identification affected resistance to change (Wu, 2012) and sense of home had a positive impact on stadium satisfaction (Lee, 2012). The sample for this study consisted …

How Does Retention Rates Of Division Iii Football Programs Differ Based On The Type Of Institution?, Adam Hausfelder

Sport Management Undergraduate

Abstract The focus of this research was to take a look at the retention rates of Division III football programs over a four year period. The purpose of this study was to show how some schools are struggling to keep their retention rate up year to year. A second reason was to see which type of institution had a higher retention rate and to see if there is a connection between retention and the type of institute. At the Division I level there many articles about retention rates and student athlete adjustment, while at the Division III level there is …

Job Satisfaction In Minor League Baseball, Justice L. Hoyt

Sport Management Undergraduate

Every individual in the sport industry spends a substantial amount of time at work. Hence the satisfaction of an individual’s job is important. The purpose of this study was to look at the satisfaction levels of full time minor league baseball employees in the International League. This study was the first study in the field of minor league baseball which tried to determine if the satisfaction levels were worth the demand of the work. It is known across the workforce that the more time demanding a job is the less freedom you have for family and leisure. This study was …

The Objectification Of Professional Female Athletes In Print Advertisements And The Consumers' Response, Angela L. Wallin

Sport Management Undergraduate

Abstract

As female athletes gain more recognition in the sports world, researchers continuously debate on whether the reason behind this is due to their athletic performance or their hyper sexualized appearance in media outlets such as print advertisements (Fink, Cunningham, & Kensicki, 2004). This raises the question on how consumers interpret advertisements that contain female athletes promoting both sport and non-sport products. Since this research is the first examine how consumers view and react to the use of professional female athletes in advertisements, this research further develops the literature of women’s role in both the advertising and sport world. Both …

Fantasy Football: The Relationship Between A Participants Financial Investment And Time On Task For Team Management, Brendon L. Lamphear

Sport Management Undergraduate

Within the past decade since the use of the Internet came bout about, the sports gambling industry, specifically fantasy football, has become a multi-million dollar industry. In particular, the increase of all factors in fantasy sports such as the amount of money, number of hours and amount of leagues are increasing at a rapid rate. Due to this intriguing circumstance, this study investigates the relationship between a participant’s financial investment and time on task for team management. This study was given to participants via email and Facebook, which consisted of an online survey. In addition, this study looked at factors …

Special Olympics’ Employee Response To Organizational Change, Katelyn Disbrow

Sport Management Undergraduate

The purpose of the research study was to explore how Special Olympics’ staff groups differ in response to organizational change. The study was conducted in order to determine if there was a relationship between employees holding various positions within Special Olympics and their level of job satisfaction, specifically during times of change in the organization. Previously, there has been minimal research conducted in the non-profit sector, and Special Olympics exclusively, in terms of linking job satisfaction and organizational change. Thus very little was known on this particular topic. A survey was used in order to collect primary, quantitative data based …

Ncaa Division I Lacrosse Expansion: Has It Changed Recruiting?, Michael Widay

Sport Management Undergraduate

In liue of an abstract, here is the paper's first paragraph:

Lacrosse was one of the least popular sports in the United States. As time has gone on Lacrosse grew to be one of America’s fastest growing sports in the entire country, grow was seen throughout all levels from the professional and collegiate, and especially at the high school and youth levels (Vivirito 2012). As the game grew at the collegiate level their started to be more competition within recruiting as more teams expanded into the collegiate ranks. Previous research had examined what the factors that student athletes in lacrosse …

The Perceptions Of Marijuana From College Athletes, Michael A. Magnarelli

Sport Management Undergraduate

The study that was conducted examined the perceptions and the relationship college athletes have towards marijuana. As time progresses and more people become used to the idea of marijuana being fully legalized in the United States, institutions like the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) will have to deal with the fact that a vast majority of their college athletes use marijuana regardless of it being on the banned substance list. A survey that featured 14 questions was sent out to over 200 male and female student athletes at St. John Fisher College which 60 of the 200 agreed to partake …

Fans Use Of Twitter In College Athletics, Clayton V. Stanley

Sport Management Undergraduate

Abstract

Fans use of social media to follow athletes is becoming more and more popular these days and fans often use this as a way to attempt to get recruits to attend schools that they themselves are a fan of. The reasoning behind the research is that not a lot has been done on this topic and with social media becoming more and more popular looking into the fans usage of social media towards recruits is worth looking into. The fact that professional leagues and the NCAA have attempted to implement and enforce a policy against the illegal tweeting practices …

Managing The Brand: Administrative Structure Of The Hidden Profession Of Collegiate Trademark Licensing, Katrina M. Phelps

Masters Theses

This study analyzes the current state of collegiate trademark licensing departments through first-hand accounts from current or past licensing professionals. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to understand current issues that are facing the licensing industry, particularly focusing on internal organizational structure of collegiate trademark licensing departments at institutes of higher education. Eleven participants, including licensing agents, licensees, licensing directors, and licensing experts were interviewed and the following themes emerged. Trademark licensing is a hidden profession, with little education available about the industry. Programs have greatly evolved over recent decades, but institutional infrastructure still lags in the appropriate assets and resources to …

Drug Use And Abuse In Sport, Mike Moran

Sport Management Undergraduate

Performance enhancing and prescription drugs were a growing issue in professional football, as more players in recent years have fallen victim to drug testing; resulting in lengthy suspensions and fines. This research aimed to show that the culture of using performance enhancing and prescription drugs in order to play football starts at the college level or even earlier. Past research had laid the foundation for this study and through the use of a random sampling method; colleges and universities from across the country were asked to take a survey. From their responses, some patterns had started to develop. Results from …

Youth Sport Specialization: Study Of Athletic Directors, Connor Morris

Sport Management Undergraduate

This study is focusing on the topic of youth sport participation, specifically the perceptions of high school athletic directors. The reasoning behind this study is to expand on the research that has already been done by studying subjects that have not been looked at before. Prior research has shown that there are many different effects of sport specialization on the youth athlete. Some may be positive and but also can be negative or hindering in nature. The results of this study refute and support previous findings as well as add new and credible information to the topic at hand. The …

College Athletics Recruitment: A Deeper Analysis, André Remillard

Sport Management Undergraduate

The college athletics recruiting landscape is one littered with many different factors. While previous studies have analyzed institutional and social factors as impacting a prospective student-athletes’ recruitment process, there’s a gap in understanding the role an athletes’ demographics play in how athletes make their college decision. Previous literature has indicated that the impact social and institutional factors play during the recruitment process varies based on individual demographics. This research uncovers any correlations between athlete demographics and how they weigh the importance of recruitment components. Surveys were administered to 1,029 randomly selected Division I student athletes. One team from each conference …

Fan Response To League Playoff Structure And Consecutive Season Competitive Balance In Professional Sports, Ryan L. Spalding

Doctoral Dissertations

Competitive balance (the level of equality of playing talent across teams) is presumed to be a necessary element for league success due to the unique inter-dependent economic nature of professional sports which requires teams to have financially healthy rivals in order to field games (Rottenberg 1956). Underlying this notion is the uncertainty of outcome hypothesis, which suggests that a fan’s interest in professional sports is dependent on various levels of uncertainty of outcome: individual game uncertainty (who will win the game), individual season uncertainty (who will win the championship), and consecutive season uncertainty (does the same team win the championship …

Sociotechnical Consumption: A Digital Story Of Empowerment And Social Consumer Experiences, Mujde Yuksel

Doctoral Dissertations

Digital technologies have become a ubiquitous element in contemporary consumption practices. Consumers shop online, take online classes, play fantasy sports, date online, have virtual personal trainers in their phones and even live virtual lives. How do such digital experiences integrate into and reflect upon consumption experiences in the material world? In this dissertation, I propose a theory of sociotechnical consumption that explores this relationship through the digital empowerment (technical) and social interaction (social) elements embedded in consumer products and services in digital spaces. Accordingly, I extend the concept of sociotechnical to the study of consumer behavior, advocating the perspective that …

Female Athletes And Their Journey, Emily Youngs

Sport Management Undergraduate

Female athletes have gained their role in sports, and now female athletes are expressing their journey as a female athlete. Looking at female athletes and their journey of becoming a college athlete, researchers can find motivation, self-efficacy, and early specialization. Past research on the 3 factors has been done prior to this research. The relationship between self-efficacy, motivation and early specialization was examined. The data was obtained through interviews from 5 college student athletes using qualitative research. The findings showed a significantly positive relationship between self-efficacy and these athletes, however there was a considerably negative finding in athletes and early …

Pressure Kicks: The Effects Of Distracting Variables On The Outcome Of A Pressure Kick In Division-I College Football, Karen Moede

All Theses

A field goal kicker in NCAA Division-I college football experiences high amounts of pressure when placed in a game-winning situation. A pressure kick may result in optimal or less than optimal performance due the influence of various distracting factors, such as the evaluative nature of an audience or the pressure of being iced by the opposing team. Pressure kicks are classified as a field goal kick, during the last minute of game time (or during overtime), which will result in a lead or a tie game for the kicking team (Goldschmied, Nankin, & Cafri, 2010). Conflicting literature surrounding social facilitation, …

International Student-Athletes In Canadian Interuniversity Sport (Cis): Motivations And Experiences, Daniel L. Grbac

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The purpose of this study was to investigate the landscape of international student-athletes participating in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) with respect to number, sport, and gender breakdown, and to determine the motivations of these athletes for migrating to a Canadian academic institution as well as their experiences. Of the over 10,000 CIS student-athletes, approximately 5% are international student-athletes. In addition, the sports with the highest number of international student-athletes were soccer and basketball for males, and basketball and soccer for females. Semi-structured interviews with 16 international student-athletes from the four regional associations determined that the majority of participants were motivated …

Fan Involvement With Regional Or City Affiliated Nfl Teams, Kristopher C. Jones

Sport Management Undergraduate

This research looked at the difference between how involved NFL fans are with their favorite/identified team, based on such team being either regionally or city affiliated. Prior to this study, it was known that sport fandom is positively correlated to a fan’s psychological well being, in addition to knowledge that fans who develop loyal relationships towards their team become increasingly involved with the team, resulting in positive identification with the team. The research conducted in the study was an attempt to uncover new knowledge on how the location affiliation of an NFL team relates to the team’s fans. For this …

Change In Major League Baseball Player Performance After Signing A Long-Term Deal, Matthew J. Cahill

Sport Management Undergraduate

Baseball teams have been trying to understand how player performance changes over the course of their career for decades. Officials have wanted to figure out a better way of determining how much a player should make in their contract by trying to predict how their performance might change in the future. Front office officials need to better understand the importance experience might have when it comes to predicting a player’s future performance. In the previous study by Sturman & Thibodeau (2001), the researchers found that players tended to decline in performance once they signed a long term deal. The current …

Football Head Coaching Evaluations: Perceptions On The Ncaa Division Iii Level, Bryan Schnell

Sport Management Undergraduate

The purpose of this study was to look at the evaluation criteria used during the evaluation of a Division III head football coach. The reasoning behind the subject is because of the lack of knowledge on the criteria used. While some researches have given a short list of reasons why coaches get fired, however none of them have focused on Division III which’s landscape is very different of that in Division I. A survey was sent out to 150 head coaches and athletic directors throughout the country. After looking at the results it showed the perceptions did differ between both …

Impacts Of Collegiate Athletics On A University And Their Potential Benefit To The Overall University, Chad A. Eickhoff

Culminating Projects in Kinesiology

Collegiate athletics has long been a part of the American university setting. It is difficult to argue that athletics does not have an impact on the overall university. However, there is much debate as to whether the overall impact of collegiate athletics on a university is beneficial, and to what degree. As universities invest resources toward the betterment of athletic programs, it is important to critically analyze whether this is a worthy investment for a university as a whole. This paper provides an analysis of the impact of collegiate athletics on a university, looking primarily at return on investment both …

How Does The Amount Of Spending On Coaches' Salaries And Recruiting Budgets Affect Win Percentage In College Football?, Ashleigh "Alex" Watson

Honors Theses

College football has become much more than a sport for the athletes who play it and entertainment for the fans who watch it. In college football, especially for Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools, winning has become a way to make money. However, in order to make money, people must spend money. In a college football program money is spent on a multitude of things. This study focuses on two important factors, coaches' salaries and recruiting budgets. Specifically, this study looked to find out how the amount of spending on coaches' salaries and recruiting budgets affected win percentage in college football. …

Pace Of Play In Golf, Dennis O. Leahy

Sport Management Undergraduate

Pace of play in golf is a major problem that is affecting participation rates negatively. A number of issues are compounding the problem, such as technological advancements, length of golf courses, players’ individual needs, and contemporary changes in the value placed on leisure time. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the topic in Upstate New York. Surveys were sent to 167 golf course PGA professionals, asking about pace of play at their courses. The survey collected basic information about the professionals’ courses and moved to items regarding what the courses are doing and not doing concerning pace of …

The Financial Gap Between Athletic Scholarships And Athlete Expenses, Marykate Edmunds

Sport Management Undergraduate

This research examined the financial gap between athletic scholarships and athlete expenditures. The literature shows that several parties feel athletes are being undercompensated for their efforts at their institutions. Therefore, this research was conducted to determine how much money athletes are actually missing out on. The population was DI football players receiving a full ride scholarship at SEC and ACC institutions. Data was collected from the College Board and the US Census Bureau to determine institution financial statistics and athlete expenditures respectively. Results showed a significant financial gap exists for all schools and that there is no significant difference of …

Understanding Season Ticket Holders’ Buying Behaviors, Stephen M. Castro Jr.

Sport Management Undergraduate

Increasing the average dollar spent from fans is important for an organizations’ bottom line. Existing literature focuses on general attendance versus the unique population of season ticket holders. Having already invested fans consume more, due to higher attendance, can increase the bottom line. By having the Rochester Red Wing’s season ticket holders fill out a survey it will uncover their buying behaviors and what affects their attendance. The results show aroma is how fans decide what concessions to buy and new merchandise is how fans decide what merchandise to buy.

Man Games Lost In The Nhl: A Correlation Between Travel, Rest Periods And Injuries In The National Hockey League, Aaron T. Kneeland

Sport Management Undergraduate

Each year in the National Hockey League, teams travel thousands of miles, coast to coast, to play hockey. Each year there are also hundreds of injuries, and thousands of man games lost in the league. While there has been substantial research on how travel can affect Circadian Rhythms, no research has connected this with injury in the NHL. This study used Circadian Rhythm Theory, the amount of travel miles, and back-to-back games played by teams to understand a possible correlation between travel, rest periods, and the amount of man games. After analysis, it was clear there was no consistent correlation …

The Role Of A Player Development System In Major League Baseball, Kyle Conklin

Sport Management Undergraduate

This paper looks at the role of a player development system and the possible paths to success in Major League Baseball (MLB). The study looked at rookie players in the MLB to see if the path of their journey to the major leagues has an influence on their success as a rookie. Two paths were studied, those who played collegiately and those who went through the minor leagues straight from high school. This study used quantitative data to analyze the differences in player’s performance as rookies through statistics such as batting average and on-base percentage for hitters and winning percentage …

Coaching Style Preferences Of Division I College And Professional Softball Players, Megan Diane Langenfeld

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the coaching style and leader behavior preferences of softball players. The Leadership Scale for Sports (LSS; Chelladurai & Saleh, 1980) was administered to Division I college softball players and professional softball players from the National Professional Fastpitch league (NPF). Sixty-four softball players completed the Leadership Scale for Sport questionnaire (preference version), 52 Division I college softball players and 12 professional softball players from the NPF. Descriptive statistics revealed that softball players prefer Training and Instruction, Democratic Behavior, and Positive Feedback; players did not prefer Autocratic Behavior or Social Support. Follow-up univariate ANOVAs …