Sports Management Commons^™

Reflection, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

As I prepare to leave England and return to Florida and as the end of the year approaches, I have thought about writing an end of the year summary piece. Thinking about that I decided that what I only would reflect upon the last six or seven weeks of this year, weeks that have turned out to be most remarkable in content and emblematic of the past year.

Similarities In Fan Preferences For Minor-League Baseball Across The American Southeast, Tyler Anthony, Tim Kahn, Briana Madison, Rodney Paul, Andrew Weinbach

Rodney J. Paul

Three Minor League Baseball leagues across the Southeastern United States are studied in order to determine what drives fan attendance. Individual game attendance and game characteristics are examined for three leagues located in the American southeast, the Florida State League, the Southern League, and the South Atlantic League. Despite the three leagues encompassing different levels of play (from A to AA), the determinants of attendance are similar across leagues. Factors affecting attendance such as winning percentage, weather conditions, local income and population, and individual game promotions, such as fireworks, are explored.

Similarities In Fan Preferences For Minor-League Baseball Across The American Southeast, Tyler Anthony, Tim Kahn, Briana Madison, Rodney Paul, Andrew Weinbach

Falk College Research Center

Three Minor League Baseball leagues across the Southeastern United States are studied in order to determine what drives fan attendance. Individual game attendance and game characteristics are examined for three leagues located in the American southeast, the Florida State League, the Southern League, and the South Atlantic League. Despite the three leagues encompassing different levels of play (from A to AA), the determinants of attendance are similar across leagues. Factors affecting attendance such as winning percentage, weather conditions, local income and population, and individual game promotions, such as fireworks, are explored.

Thanksgiving, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

(As with all American traditions if it happened once or twice it is one. Therefore I present my traditional Thanksgiving piece) The History of Thanksgiving and of Football both go back into the Middle Ages, and so it may not be so strange that the two would become intertwined in modern America.

Ua12/2/1 Topper Extra - Basketball Season Preview, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Archives Records

Topper Extra magazine, includes articles:

• Claybourn, Cole. This Season’s Toppers a Young Defensive-minded Team – Basketball
• Claybourn, Cole. Upperclassmen Ready to Teach Newcomers
• Preseason Sun Belt Conference Men’s Basketball Poll
• Preseason Sun Belt Conference Women’s Basketball Poll
• Stephens, Brad. Mary Cowles Hopes Young, Old Take WKU Back to NCAA Tournament
• Stephens, Brad. LaTiera Owens Becoming Vocal Leader for Lady Toppers
• Stephens, Brad. Micah Jones, Jalynn McClain Link with WKU Women

Al Davis, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

Over the past weekend news came of the death of Al Davis at the age of 82. It did not make the nightly news in France or the newspapers that I saw. It was not until returning to England on Monday that I, really by chance, stumbled across the news of Davis’ death. I can say I was surprised and somewhat taken aback by the possibility that I might have missed the death of such an important figure in the history of sport in America, particularly the history of the National Football League.

Volunteer Satisfaction And Intent To Remain: An Analysis Of Contributing Factors Among Professional Golf Event Volunteers, Gina Pauline

Gina Pauline

Sport events are increasingly reliant on episodic volunteers for the successful delivery of an event. As there continues to exist a surge in the organization of sporting events coupled with the demand for volunteers, event organizers must concern themselves with utilizing the appropriate recruitment and retention strategies. In an effort to do this, one must understand the points of satisfaction for volunteers as well as factors influencing their future intentions to volunteer. While there exists a plethora of research to understand the motivation of volunteers, exploring the antecedents of volunteer satisfaction as well as intent to remain has been limited. …

Volunteer Satisfaction And Intent To Remain: An Analysis Of Contributing Factors Among Professional Golf Event Volunteers, Gina Pauline

Falk College Research Center

Sport events are increasingly reliant on episodic volunteers for the successful delivery of an event. As there continues to exist a surge in the organization of sporting events coupled with the demand for volunteers, event organizers must concern themselves with utilizing the appropriate recruitment and retention strategies. In an effort to do this, one must understand the points of satisfaction for volunteers as well as factors influencing their future intentions to volunteer. While there exists a plethora of research to understand the motivation of volunteers, exploring the antecedents of volunteer satisfaction as well as intent to remain has been limited. …

Regional Differences In Fan Preferences For Minor League Hockey: The Ahl, Rodney Paul, Robert Chatt

Falk College Research Center

Regional differences in fan preferences for minor league hockey in the United States are explored using simple linear regression models. The top-level minor league for the NHL, the American Hockey League (AHL), was studied for the 2008-09 season. Key attributes with respect to attendance are studied for hockey including population, income per capita, promotions, scoring, and winning percentage. In addition, a key socio-economic variable, fighting is also investigated. Major differences are found for fan preferences across geographic regions in relation to population, income per capita, a variety of promotions, and team success. In addition, fan reaction to fighting tends to …

Women In Top Management Positions In The Sport Industry: Breaking Down The Barriers And Stereotypes, Katie Simmons

Sport Management Undergraduate

Even with the advancements that women have made throughout history, very few women have risen to the top of sports organizations. Previous research cites gender based stereotypes, segregation based on job type, and the “old boys’ network” as causes for this trend. The purpose of this study is to focus on the women currently working in the industry and explore their experiences in the work place. Seven interviews were conducted with women working in leadership positions in the sport industry. Their responses to the interview questions contradict previous findings. The results of this study show that women are overcoming the …

Success Of Black And White Coaches In The Nfl, Mike Donofrio

Sport Management Undergraduate

Black and white coaches in the NFL have been compared since the Rooney Rule was implemented in 2001. Between the years of 1990-2002, it was demonstrated that black coaches in the NFL were more successful than white coaches looking at regular season winning record. Winning record can be attributed to other factors than just coaching. Factors such as leadership and motivational characteristics of a certain coach have an impact on how successful coaches are in the NFL. Looking at post game quotes by head coaches and finding out their frequency helps us better understand the relationship between motivation/leadership styles and …

Exploring Intangibles In Event Design, Ally Pawarski

Sport Management Undergraduate

Event coordinators are constantly faced with the pressures of developing innovative strategies based upon new consumer desires. Because of this, planners need to be aware and receptive of consumer and participant responses. However, it is questionable whether coordinators actually turn these responses into action when planning events. Through an ethnography design with the National Senior Games in Houston, Texas and Rochester, NY, this study seeks to improve the way events are implemented by analyzing data for both intangible and tangible factors. It was found that strong communication between management levels, recruiting the right people to your organization and listening to …

Exploring Relationships Between Academic Progress Rates And Team Success, Jeffrey Lefevre

Sport Management Undergraduate

Academic Progress Rate (APR) was instituted by the NCAA in 2005 to get a real time measure of student’s academic progress. The APR is used to measure athlete’s academic progress at their institution in and out of season. Since the APR was instituted recently, literature and research involving the APR is scarce. Team success (as measured by win/loss record and postseason accomplishments) was correlated with a team’s Academic Progress Rate. Men’s Division I college basketball did not show any significant findings between Academic Progress Rates and team success. Men’s Division I college football showed that as teams have more success …

The Effectiveness Of The Nfl’S Rooney Rule, Matthew Welker

Sport Management Undergraduate

The Rooney Rule in the NFL was created in order to create an atmosphere of racial equality and fairness when relating to hiring practices. The general consensus on the Rooney Rule is that it has been successful so far, but there is still a lot to do in order to counteract racial bias when it comes to hiring employees. After nine years of validation, it is still yet to be seen if the Rooney Rule has made changes to the NFL. This research explores the positions of Offensive Coordinator, Defensive Coordinator, and General Manager in all 32 NFL franchises to …

Online Marketing And New Media Usage In The National Football League, Julia Lauria

Sport Management Undergraduate

As innovations in technology continue to occur at a rapid rate, marketing as once known continues to drastically change as well. This has provided organizations several new and improved marketing tools, while simultaneously presenting numerous challenges. The sport industry has adopted these innovations and uses internet marketing and new media frequently. The National Football League, the most profitable sports league in the United States, has been identified as a leading force in the use of new marketing initiatives. This research critically analyzes each of the 32 NFL organizations official websites to determine the different aspects of new media and internet …

An Examination Of Gender Bias In Print Coverage Of High School Athletics, Kevin English

Sport Management Undergraduate

This study examined the balance of newspaper coverage in regards to male and female high school athletes by way of a content analysis. Using the Messenger Post, a small daily in upstate New York, this study explored whether or not gender biases exist within the publication. 328 photographs were gathered from the 2011 spring sport season (April 1 to June 13) and analyzed with a keen eye towards placement, color, and quantity. Results proved to contradict past research. The sample shows that males have a greater prominence in the newspaper – in each of the factors discussed above – but …

Athletes On Facebook, Kristen Vella

Sport Management Undergraduate

As technology has risen at a rapid rate in recent years, social networking has become a large part of society. Specifically Facebook has become a part of a regular routine and a daily task for many, including athletes. Privacy settings for athletes are important as many activities online are now being monitored by university personnel. This exploratory study uncovered the quantity, content and rationalization of Facebook posts with a select group of Division III athletes. Utilizing survey technology, it was discovered that athletes seem to be more cautious than expected and do take privacy settings into consideration. These findings contradict …

Motivational Differences Among Traditional And Transfer Football Players, Nicholas Adrian

Sport Management Undergraduate

Motivation among football players drives a team to success or failure. Coaches must be able to create a positive environment that allows players to be motivated. It all starts from the top and trickles down. There are many different actions that coaches use to motivate their players on and off the field. Depending on which type of coaching style is used will determine the methods that are used to motivate. Players also have to have self-motivating traits that drive them to become better athletes. This study consisted of surveys of football players in Division III football. Transfer students and 4th …

The Effect Of Recruiting Style On Men’S College Basketball Ticket Sales, Brian Bean

Sport Management Undergraduate

In college athletics fans are attached to the tradition of their favorite school. The tradition of playing college basketball has started to change with the implementation of the 2005 NBA CBA. Players cannot now go directly from high school to the NBA. Players have to go to college for at least one calendar year out high school before entering the NBA rookie draft. The study took a look at the difference in average season ticket, and average single game tickets that were sold for college basketball seasons. With this knowledge the college basketball can now determine that there is no …

Winning Percentage And Attendance In The Nhl, Daniel Peters

Sport Management Undergraduate

This research extends the analysis of winning on attendance, looking specifically at its prevalence in the National Hockey League. Data was collected from 2005-2006 through the 2010-2011 season for the each of the league’s 30 teams. Each club’s winning percentage at the midway point of each year was noted, and attendance at each of the remaining home games was analyzed. Statistical analysis revealed that the only season in which there was a significant relationship between midpoint winning percentage and second half attendance was 2010-2011. This study also explored patterns of attendance across the league over this six-year span.

The Rise In Major League Baseball Salaries: How Salary Arbitration, Free Agency And Personal Performance Statistics Factor Into The Rise In Player Salaries, James Grecco

Sport Management Undergraduate

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the factors supporting the rise in Major League Baseball Player Salaries over the years. In this paper, four “Former Great” players’ personal statistics and salaries were compared to “Modern Era” players that achieved similar records, in an attempt to calculate approximately how much each former player would earn if they played today. Personal statistics used to compare position players were, players’ batting averages (Avg.), slugging percentages (SLG%), and the number of homeruns calculated (HR’s). Pitcher’s figures associated were, strikeouts per innings pitched (K:IP), strikeout to walk ratio (K: BB), and walks and …

The Effect Of Gender On Fitness Motivational Factors: An Examination Of St. John Fisher College Undergraduate Students, Daniel J. Lippa

Sport Management Undergraduate

Gender and the effect it has on physical fitness motivational factors for St. John Fisher undergraduate students was examined, in the context of factors such as reasons for participation (health/functioning, appearance, achievement, social) factors that contribute to commitment (feeling in control, seeing physical changes, social) and qualities important in a fitness facility (location, staff and training aids, extra amenities, operating hours, quality/type of equipment, group classes offered, membership prices/packages). Significant gender differences were found in health and functioning, achievement, social reasons, location, and group classes.

Baseball's Night, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

It was approximately 12:45 a.m. in London when Mark Teixeira’s bases loaded blast reached the seats in The Can, and the Yankees added four runs to the one they were gifted in the first inning. It was 5-0. David Price had very little, and I turned off my computer and went to bed. At the time the Braves were 1-1 with Philadelphia, the Red Sox and O’s were scoreless and that seemed not to matter at that point. The Cardinals and Astros had not yet begun.

Penn State, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

The world of intercollegiate athletics, particularly the world of elite football and basketball programs, is a world unto itself. It has a connection to reality analogous to that of Disney World, and is shrouded in a veil of secrecy rivaling that of the CIA. Those who run these programs live in a paranoid environment that sustains a bunker mentality, while at the same time is invested with a sense that the rules, of any world beyond their offices, do not apply to them. They are vigilant in maintaining their splendid isolation in a vacuum of privilege.

College Football, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

Staged events are seldom convincing and often offensive. About two weeks ago the President of THE Ohio State University, Gordon Gee decided to stage a public apology for his comments several weeks earlier in which he used the Little Sisters of the Poor as a punch line for criticism of scheduling by lesser football teams than his group of tainted national champions.

London, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

As some of you know I am now in London where I will spend the fall semester teaching at the Florida State University London Centre. I am not certain how this will affect my general view of the American sports scene, but I can tell you that the riots of this week have affected my ability to concentrate on sport and the issues that have arisen over the past two weeks.

Nfl, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

Today was Day 129 of America Held Hostage. No, the Ayatollah Komenhi and his band of fanatical hostage takers have not returned. This is not the ABC television news mantra that was featured during the Iranian Hostage crisis and spawned “Nightline” and made a celebrity out of Ted Koppel. This was something far more significant.

World Cup, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

Do you believe in miracles? Since it was first used by Al Michaels on the ABC telecast during the final seconds of the U.S.–Soviet Hockey game at the 1980 Olympics, this line has been quoted countless times by American sports fans. Watching the totally unexpected play or the remarkable outcome to some game, fans have often turned to this phrase to express their wonder.

Addressing Information Needs In Sport Management, An Interdisciplinary Field, Kendra Spahr, Stephanie Wiegand

University Libraries Faculty Publications

Sport management as a scholarly discipline is relatively new, and very few students who earn doctorates in this field go into academia, instead choosing to go into practice where salaries are much higher. Due to these circumstances, literature research in sport management is difficult for students as well as librarians, as very little primary research exists in published journals and books. This poster reviews challenges for librarians, the best information resources to support academic sport management programs, common student questions, and tangential research areas that support research in this discipline.

The Effectiveness Of Random Drug Testing Of School Athletes, Kelly Cann

Honors Theses

Proponents of drug testing would most likely argue that random drug testing could have saved the lives of Len Bias and Taylor Hooton. Those against random drug testing might respond that this testing could be an avenue used to save lives, but before that can happen, a lot more work would need to be done to change the way the current system operates (or fails to operate) in order to make drug testing fair, effective and efficient.