Moore, J. (2012). Strategic Influence in College Sports Public Relations. Cosida Digest, 47-54.
Joe Moore explains how there has been a decrease in the persistence and level of achievement in the past twenty years in regards to collegiate public relations. Directors in this field have swayed away from the influencing factor and are more traditionally based, meaning they assume success over and over again. Influence is defined by Webster’s New World Dictionary as having the power to influence others or the power to produce effects because of wealth or having an authoritative position. Role orientation is a strength every public relations group needs. People involved need to have a task and a role to focus on a put on focus on. It makes it harder and more likely for flawed results if many employees are working on several different tasks.
For the City of Springfield, MA the roles will be easy to differentiate amongst each other but the tasks alone will be more than challenging. Some of the roles will include being in charge of demographics, financial difficulties, common interest in the public, and the above average unemployment rate. In order to attain successful role orientation we must understand the necessity and the power of influencing others. We have to stand out; we cannot go by the book, especially with the clearly noticeable negativities that this city already holds.
Kodrzycki, Y. K., Muñoz, A., Browne, L., Green, D., Benton, M., Chakrabarti, P., & ... Bo, Z. (2009). Jobs in Springfield, Massachusetts: Understanding and Remedying the Causes of Low Resident Employment Rates. Research Review, (12), 25-27.
In this article Kodrzycki displays the economical statuses of Springfield, MA. As of 2007, Springfield had an employment rate of just 51%, at least 6% lower than all of it’s neighboring cities in the New England region. The issue is not due to a lack of job density. Springfield has a surplus amount of available jobs in departments such as finance and healthcare. This is due to the profound changes in demographics over the recent years. As of 2007, 29% of Springfield’s working population was Hispanic and 20% were black. The low employment is due to that fact that disadvantaged groups are put in an unfortunate scenario and are less likely to get a job. In addition, the level of education for each citizen is very below average, which leads to more job openings because many are not qualified for the position.
A way to improve the unemployment rate and level of education in Springfield is again a challenging task but can be handled. We have to push companies to create more job openings that have a job description more in terms of an average educated citizen. Also, in terms of education we must have the city push for academic excellence for students taking part in school now and in the future.
SPORT MANAGEMENT DIGEST. (2013). Journal of Sport Management,27(1), 88-91.
In my push for an agreed proposal for Springfield, MA hosting the NCAA II Basketball Championships, the arguably hardest task will be to attract tourists and prove to the NCAA that tourists will come for this event. The Sports Management Digest elaborates on the fact that tourists are the most important sector worldwide in all of sports. A big way to improve tourism in Springfield is through fan identification through many realms. This could be done through social media, surveys, or word of mouth from the general public. By doing this a trusted relationship is developed between the fans/public with in this case the city of Springfield.
Another way to gain more fans or tourists is by implementing factors that will attract them. For example, getting high quality and respected media members (i.e. espn reporters, fox sports). In addition, factors such as celebrity appearances can attract fans to the event. Even if they’re coming for the celebrity and not the event they are still there buying tickets and merchandise.
Marie Provine, D. (2009). Review of 'The perils of federalism: Race, poverty, and the politics of crime control'. Law & Society Review,43(3), 714-716. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5893.2009.00386_6.xMarie Provine gives an understanding of how crime and poverty affect a specific area and the dangerous impacts it can have on a society as a whole. The first issue that she observes is that there are too many entry points for crimes to be made. Once so many crimes are committed there is little people of authority can do or say to slow down the crime rate, at least in the short term. Provine goes on to explain how a start could be made to tame gun laws and gun control.
In Springfield a start has to be made somewhere. We have to understand though that no immediate impact will be made. All we can do is start a process that will at some point in time have a successful outcome.
Patel, A., Balmer, N. J., & Pleasence, P. (2012). Debt and disadvantage: The experience of unmanageable debt and financial difficulty in England and Wales. International Journal Of Consumer Studies, 36(5), 556-565. doi:10.1111/j.1470-6431.2012.01121.x
Financial difficulties come across more often than anyone would like. It all starts with the lack of employment, education and knowledge of how to manage the many forms of money. People often go in debt due to impulsiveness and not understanding budgeting. Many other factors contribute to financial difficulties. A big one is a lone parent. They have to be accountable for there child(s) and only have themselves to rely on. Patel especially hits on the fact of lack of employment because many are not educated, they are unemployed which more importantly means that they do not get the many benefits that come along with a profession which makes life for the employed easier than most.
Welfare is also a growing issue. It goes hand and hand with everything stated above. Many people in this world especially in Springfield, MA are not qualified for welfare or even a job with simple tasks that go along with it. Financial difficulties like crime rate are a category of this world that cannot be fixed in a day but have to be a long-term process.
Sallent, O., Palau, R., & Guia, J. (2011). Exploring the Legacy of Sport Events on Sport Tourism Networks. European Sport Management Quarterly, 11(4), 397-421.
Sports effect everyday life and have such a large impact on its viewers and fans without them even knowing; culturally, emotionally, and socially. Increasing tourist attraction can be done by enhancing the already noticeable attractions, while reducing the attempted attractions that do not garner as much interest. Sallent goes on to further explain the importance of the many functions that have to be achieved when running an event to objectively attract tourists (Organization co producers, facilitators, allies and collaborators, regulators, suppliers and venues, the audience and the impacted).
The category with very high importance that Sallent talks about is the importance of networking. “The theory of network lies within the complex world of relationships among people, groups and communities.” Relationships are key in the sports world and must be kept throughout the existence of the event whether it is short term or long term.
Dae Hee, K., Yu Kyoum, K., & Hirt, E. R. (2011). Exploring the Role of Emotions on Sport Consumers' Behavioral and Cognitive Responses to Marketing Stimuli. European Sport Management Quarterly, 11(3), 225-250.
Sports consumers have many roles of emotions that impact the marketing stimuli. For example, Hee talks about the different emotional responses fans will let out from watching a professional game at the stadium in comparison to watching it on a television at home. This is one of the many reasons marketing is key in an attempt to get as many fans as possible to come to the stadium. The thought process is that if more fans come to the game and see how many more positive emotions are shown then they will come back again, generating more revenue and fans.
The above paragraph has further success when there is a fan-team relationship involved. When a fan has a relationship with a brand, in this case a team it develops somewhat of a self-marketing scheme between that fan and the people that they might know. As directors we still have to make sure to get as many fans to the stadium as possible to make this outcome a possibility.
Scheerder, J., Vos, S., & Taks, M. (2011). Expenditures on Sport Apparel: Creating Consumer Profiles through Interval Regression Modelling. European Sport Management Quarterly, 11(3), 251-274.
The growth of the sporting goods industry can be viewed as a global trade of sporting goods. Studies have proven that those with a past of sport participation are more likely to purchase sporting goods or apparel. This improves the marketing stimulus and adds another segment. That segment being a whole range of a target market of those who have past sport participation. But, sport participation is correlated to ones background. There are many variables that determine the amount of sport participation if any; demographic, sociology, socioeconomic, and psychographic. By this theory it has been proven that men spend more money on sports apparel than women. That being said, we should still target both sexes, we just have to be more unique when attempting to attract the female race and make them want to purchase more.
Moreover, sport participation is not the only main variable and contribution to money spent on sporting goods and apparel according to Scheerder. He includes sex, education, attitude towards sports and sport involvement (playing or watching) with sport participation. If someone has a more favorable outlook on the sport industry they will spend more money as opposed to someone who does not have a high appreciation for sports.
Pawlowski, T., & Breuer, C. (2011). The Demand for Sports and Recreational Services: Empirical Evidence from Germany. European Sport Management Quarterly, 11(1), 5-34.
Pawlowski relates the demand for sports and recreational services to consumer income. People are usually constrained in what they want to spend money on based on the income at their disposal. Those who are less fortunate than others in terms of income often do not spend much money on SAR services. The demand is high but the opportunity cost is also too high. Many people have families to take care of and as much as they want their children to have active sport participation the risk in investing money of which is not often obtained is too high.
A way to improve the situation is to lessen the amount of money that has to be put forward for youth and even older athletes to be able to participate in SAR services.
Girginov, V. (2010). Culture and the Study of Sport Management.European Sport Management Quarterly, 10(4), 397-417.
Girginov’s opening sentence in this article is, “the main goal of this special issue is to address sports management from a cultural perspective.” Having that being the opening statement shows how important it is for those organizations in the sport industry to have a hardened and established cultural aspect. Culture is just one single word but it is so much more. It is the tangling of history, politics, economics, religion, language and sociology.
The issue with culture is that many find it very controversial. Organizations cannot shape themselves and the way that they approach problems in every which way that each consumer wants. The organizations that cannot please the most groups of customers are the ones that will have the most long-term success. That being said, culture and management go hand in hand and is a must for these two to have a strong relationship.
Li, M. M., & Burden, W. W. (2002). Outsourcing sport marketing operations by NCAA Division I athletic programs: an exploratory study.Sport Marketing Quarterly, 11(4), 226-232.
More than half of all the NCAA Division I programs have used their marketing strategies and rights to national marketing companies. Such strategies include production of radio and broadcasting for the athletics, TV shows about the sports teams, licensing and merchandise, sale of advertising and official sponsorships.
Collegiate programs outsource their marketing to national companies because they have always needed relationships with other firms to strengthen their brand image.
I would not be surprised if in ten years at least 75% of Division I programs outsourced their marketing to national companies. It has grown to be a persuasive and very successful feature. Division I programs already have more than enough on their plate and it helps exponentially, when they can rely on an already prestigiously known company to help assist in marketing their product.
Roy, D. P. (2008). Impact of New Minor League Baseball Stadiums on Game Attendance. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 17(3), 146-153.
Since the 1990s there has been more than 100 minor league stadiums built. These new structures gained large amounts of attendance but studies have proven that it was short lived. The statistics show that after the opening year of the stadium, during years 2-5 the average attendance was only .2% higher. With that being said, constructing a brand new stadium gives an organization to design a facility that has many improvements, is more fan friendly and gives the organization an opportunity to stand out its past, present and future customers.
The downfall of building a new stadium would be the potential level of under achievement by the organization. A repetitive turnout of losing seasons will force a loss of fans over a long period of time.
Stewart, B. B., Nicholson, M. M., & Smith, A. A. (2003). Sport consumer typologies: a critical review. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 12(4), 206-216.
Stewart explains the dualistic fan typologies. There are type 1 fans, which are categorized as old, genuine, traditional, expressive, irrational, symbolic, and die-hard. There are also type 2 fans, which are categorized as new, corporate, modern, submissive, rational, civic and less loyal. In addition, Stewart also displays the theory of tiered typologies. In tier 1 the primary focus of the fan is their emotional connection to the team that they are rooting for. Tier 2 implements the action of excitement and intrigue to the sport and Tier 3 has more to do with the social aspect. These fans prefer to go to an event for social interaction.
Having these typologies, dualistic typologies and tiered typologies puts an emphasis on consumer’s expressions to their teams. It’s not just about going to a game it’s much more complicated. Fans will do what they want whether that be to be expressive and cheer on their team or simply go to be social and that is unchangeable. But, it is very marketable.
Bouchard, N. (2009). What Do Women Want?. Sgb, 42(3), 32-34.
Female consumers are said to make 80% of family purchases. These purchases have always been for the family, whether it be furniture, clothes, electronics but today more and more women are gearing towards implementing sporting goods and apparel into their lists of purchases (i.e. gym wear, shoes, equipment for children) Bouchard explains the difficulty brands have had attracting to female consumer to make purchases on a consistent basis. They have to always have an updated marketing plan.
One particular marketing plan that was made was the advertising of a full outfit instead of just a top or a bottom. Since this implementation some companies have document an 8-12% increase in customer purchases. Women look for a much different product than men, which makes marketing very difficult. You have to really understand your female consumers to market the correct way. Some key points to hit on would be making colorful products, and outfits that could be worn at any part of the day.
Boyle, B. A., & Magnusson, P. (2007). Social Identity and Brand Equity Formation: A Comparative Study of Collegiate Sports Fans. Journal Of Sport Management, 21(4), 497-520.
This journal focuses on the social identity and brandy equity of collegial sports fans. Social identity is a collaboration of personality traits and social experiences. Finding out more about fans social identities is a big advantage to any event or team because fans want to feel a sense of inclusion with their team. Being reached out to there the many marketing strategies will help this cause and be very beneficial in the long run.
Boyle explains brand equity as a sports teams advantage to hold on to consumers. Many personas of teams or events consumers are group based. It is very rare for someone to continuously attend sporting events alone. Knowing that, teams target fans knowing they share their particular persona and typology with many others and that they will help attract fans. These personas are all around ranging from all backgrounds, ages and races. It is the organizations job to wean down the groups and see which of these categories are interested and which are not.
Sancihak, L., & Seuna-Chana, L. (2013). The Influence of Sport Sponsorship Communication on Sport Fans' Rating of Retail Service Quality. International Journal Of Sport Communication, 6(3), 312-324.
The importance of sports marketing and sponsorship is a factor that is a necessity for every sports organization. Sancihak defines sport sponsorship as the financial backing from a sponsoring company to a sport, sport team or sport player to create an association between the team, sponsor and fans. This is the exact reason why sports teams spend so much money on sponsors. It is very beneficial to have a company whose job is marketing to help market your product for you and attract more fans.
Going hand and hand with marketing strategies are brand recall and team identification. Brand recall has more to do with a sense of memory to its customers. When a marketing strategy goes out you want your consumers to recall what made them attracted to your product. Team identification has to do with is one’s association with a particular team. For example, if one has low team identification then they are not as passionate about their team.
GLICKSMAN, B. (2013). TO RETURN IS A GOOD INVESTMENT.Sports Illustrated, 72.
In this journal Glicksman hits on how when a collegiate player returns to their particular team for another year, that is a good return on investment. This relates to the sports industry in many ways. Sports teams flow money and more money into anything they can to attract as many fans as possible.
The return on investment for these organizations is when the fans attend games and keep attending games. The growing fan personas are also the return on investments. Fans never attend sporting events and then leave. Fans buy food, parking, merchandise etc. All in all, the return on investment comes from the fans themselves.
http://www.movoto.com/neighborhood/ma/springfield/01108.htm
This link shows the complete demographics and hypothesized attributes of the city of Springfield, MA. Reading from the demographics, Springfield is more female than male (52%) and a growing population of African Americans at 14%. One of the first noticeable issues is the 22% who’s education level was high school or less. 87% make an annual income of less than $74,999 a year. Crime has also grown exponentially over the years in comparison to other areas in Massachusetts.
In terms of marketing to people in the city of Springfield you have to really connect. Due to the level of education make the marketing strategies simple but still get the point across. With more women than men you have to make a strong attempt to attract women whether it be through apparel/merchandise or make a complement to the event such as a formal dinner. Citizens of Springfield are well aware of the dreadful crime rates. You have to ensure safety at this event and maybe even go as far as start a trend for all future events.
http://www.du.se/pagefiles/5054/ottevanger.pdf
This journal elaborates on the belief that sport brings people and nations together. Tourism is a necessity for sports. If you put on an event in an already well-established tourist area then you will benefit. Likewise, if you are a team that has fans that travel to see “their” team, the team or organization again, is benefiting. Sport has grown to be a matter of pleasure for its consumers. Knowing this especially in the city of Springfield, it is important for our PR organization to branch to its target market that they will be pleased if they attend. It is well known of the many flaws this city has so if there is an opportunity for this city to forget about all its issues, if marketed correctly, people will jump on it.
In this journal Ottevanger defines Sport tourism as “Individuals and/or groups of people who actively of passively participate in competitive or recreational sport while travelling. Sport is the prime motivation to travel, although the touristic element may reinforce the overall experience.” He also defines Tourism Sport as
“Active or passive participation in competitive or recreational sport as a secondary activity. The holiday or visit, rather then the sport, is the prime travel motivation.”
These two definitions clearly overlap and it is very important for organizations to understand the importance of marketing to both categories.
http://www.diicommunity.org/resourceDetail.aspx?resourceid=100
Division II collegiate sports revolves around the “life of balance.” This is in reference to higher education having a prolonged importance and existence on an individual’s success. The incorporation of the student-athlete implementation is a fast growing commodity. The media branding for NCAA II sports has grown immensely over the years. Games are covered on CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ABC and local college/university networks.
Since 2000, the NCAA incorporated a financial benefit policy for all NCAA II institutions. This stated that 1/3 of all active members benefits would be distributed equally to all NCAA II institutions. Again, this hits on the importance of student-athletes. Division 1 is more about kids succeeding in professional sport whereas NCAA II relies more on academic success, which attracts a lot of people.