The National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Digital Transformation: An Explanatory Case Study

Purpose. Digital transformation in the global sport industry has resulted in digitally focused business strategies, innovative business models, targeted social media marketing strategies, increased consumer, and sponsor demand, accelerated growth in women’s sports, and streaming media (OTT) worldwide. This paper aims to study the case of the U.S.-based National Basketball Association’s (NBA) digital transformation, including multiple interactions of actors in the digital transformation process. A key aim is understanding the synergies resulting from the league’s integration of digital technologies, its business strategy, the evolution of its hybrid business model and the increase in revenue and global branding.   Design/methodology/approach. An explanatory case study design was selected to examine the NBA’s integration of digital technologies, digital and social media marketing strategies, business model innovation, multimedia partnerships, and strategic sponsorships. Data was derived from: (1) academic journals; (2) research based white papers; (3) sport industry reports and periodicals; (4) selected sport industry websites; and (5) recorded interviews with selected NBA officials. Gleaned content was analysed with a theory-oriented triangulation approach. The study period was from 2000 to 2023.    Findings. The NBA’s digital transformation, led by an entrepreneurial management team contributed to a successful business strategy aimed at engaging with digitally focused consumers across multiple media channels. The NBA developed an ecosystem-based consumer-focused hybrid business model, content-focused digital assets, and partnerships with media, brands, and cultural events. Its media partnerships and strategic sponsorships are synergistic with its business and marketing objectives, digital initiatives, and acquisitions. By the 2017-2018 season, the NBA had validated its position as a successful global entertainment property.   Originality/value. This paper examined the NBA’s digital transformation, including how the league integrated digital technologies with its business strategy and model to increase revenue and create a global brand. The analysis examined how the NBA’s digital transformation facilitated the league’s business strategy, enhanced the NBA fan experience, generated revenue from innovative digital products and services, and transformed its business model. The NBA’s business strategy and hybrid business model provide an exemplar for professional teams, leagues, and federations worldwide seeking to digitally transform their enterprises

The National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Digital Transformation: An Explanatory Case Study

Purpose. Digital transformation in the global sport industry has resulted in digitally focused business strategies, innovative business models, targeted social media marketing strategies, increased consumer, and sponsor demand, accelerated growth in women’s sports, and streaming media (OTT) worldwide. This paper aims to study the case of the U.S.-based National Basketball Association’s (NBA) digital transformation, including multiple interactions of actors in the digital transformation process. A key aim is understanding the synergies resulting from the league’s integration of digital technologies, its business strategy, the evolution of its hybrid business model and the increase in revenue and global branding. Design/methodology/approach. An explanatory case study design was selected to examine the NBA’s integration of digital technologies, digital and social media marketing strategies, business model innovation, multimedia partnerships, and strategic sponsorships. Data was derived from: (1) academic journals; (2) research based white papers; (3) sport industry reports and periodicals; (4) selected sport industry websites; and (5) recorded interviews with selected NBA officials. Gleaned content was analysed with a theory-oriented triangulation approach. The study period was from 2000 to 2023. Findings. The NBA’s digital transformation, led by an entrepreneurial management team contributed to a successful business strategy aimed at engaging with digitally focused consumers across multiple media channels. The NBA developed an ecosystem-based consumer-focused hybrid business model, content-focused digital assets, and partnerships with media, brands, and cultural events. Its media partnerships and strategic sponsorships are synergistic with its business and marketing objectives, digital initiatives, and acquisitions. By the 2017-2018 season, the NBA had validated its position as a successful global entertainment property. Originality/value. This paper examined the NBA’s digital transformation, including how the league integrated digital technologies with its business strategy and model to increase revenue and create a global brand. The analysis examined how the NBA’s digital transformation facilitated the league’s business strategy, enhanced the NBA fan experience, generated revenue from innovative digital products and services, and transformed its business model. The NBA’s business strategy and hybrid business model provide an exemplar for professional teams, leagues, and federations worldwide seeking to digitally transform their enterprises

The Janus-faced relationship value of professional sports clubs : a study of Molde Football Club, Norway

Professional sport clubs can be analyzed according to the extent their offers affect the community and the individual. The “use value” takes into account the individual benefits of watching a sporting competition, whereas the “non-use” reflects the externalities of a sports club and its sports events towards people not particular interested in the sport in question. Both values are commonly investigated within the local context, however in an explorative study of the Norwegian football club Molde FK, a sample of 29 young people that had taken up residence in a different part of the country from where they grew up was analyzed in order to find out what “relationship” value a sports club from their home town still has in their lives. Despite the fact that the sample turned out to contain very few passionate football fans, it also revealed that Molde FK still is present in the lives of non-football fans. We conclude that the football club functions as a frequent reminder of the hometown for people that have migrated, and thus, the non-use value might extend beyond the individual’s (lack of) interest for football. Further, the football club and its activities serve at the same time as a foundation for conversations that might support migrators to extend and to build up social capital at their new location. Keywords: sports clubs, football, impact studies, use value, non-use value, existence value, option value, bequest value, sport events, fanspublishedVersio

Toppfotballens betydning for vertsregionen : en studie av Molde Fotballklubbs betydning for Molderegionen

- Molde Fotballklubbs korrigerte driftsresultat har i femårsperioden 2008-2012 vært på 67 millioner. Av klubbens inntekter kommer halvparten fra Molderegionen og halvparten fra kilder utenfor regionen. - Et korrigert regionregnskap viser at MFK har bidratt til en netto kapitaltilførsel til Molderegionen på 165 millioner kroner i perioden. - MFKs virksomhet har i perioden direkte bidratt med skatteinntekter på 23 millioner kroner til Molde kommune, 5 millioner kroner til fylkeskommunen og 105 millioner til sentrale myndigheter. - Direkte og indirekte skaper MFK mellom 110-120 arbeidsplasser i Molderegionen. - MFK er svært dominerende når det gjelder å profilere Molde i riks- og regionmediene. Opp til 75 prosent av all «namedropping» av Moldenavnet i disse mediene er knyttet til MFK. På grunn av MFK får Molde en medieomtale som langt overgår det byer med tilsvarende befolkningstall oppnår. Av samme grunn får Molde også mer omtale enn større byer som Haugesund og Ålesund. Dette kan ses på som en merverdi av de 81 millioner kroner lokale sponsorkroner brukte på MFK i perioden 2008-12. - De frivillige i MFK utførte i 2012 en arbeidsinnsats målt til mer enn 59 000 arbeidstimer til en verdi av 14,1 millioner kroner. - Både utflyttede romsdalinger og MFKs tilhengere trekker fram MFK som en av Moldes viktigste merkevarer. Også romsdalinger som ikke er spesielt interessert i fotball og MFK opplever stolthet når MFK gjør det godt, og MFKs prestasjoner og sponsorer blir lagt godt merke til også blant romsdalinger som ikke har fotball som sin primære interesse. - Blant klubbens tilhengere er det tilsynelatende høy betalingsvilje for å berge klubben

The sport value framework - a new fundamental logic for analyses in sport management

Research question: Sports economic theory and management models have frequently been criticised for not sufficiently explaining phenomena in sport management. This article addresses this gap by proposing a conceptual framework that can be used to understand sport management problems and derive appropriate strategies. Research methods: The framework proposed in this conceptual article has been developed through a critical review of existing literature on sport management and theoretical considerations based on the service-dominant logic. Results and findings: The sport value framework (SVF) provides 10 foundational premises on value co-creation in sport management and suggests three levels for its analysis. The main contribution is a new and better theoretical basis for explaining phenomena in sport management compared with traditional sport economic thinking. Moreover, the SVF provides guidance in structuring research in sport management. Implications: The framework encourages researchers and practitioners to rethink their strategies by applying a different logic that captures the complexity of sport management. © 2014 © 2014 European Association for Sport Management

Score a goal for climate: Assessing the carbon footprint of travel patterns of the English Premier League clubs

Football is the most popular sport, globally and in the United Kingdom. However it generates a range of negative environmental impacts, such as climate change, due to an extensive amount of travel involved. The growing contribution of football clubs to the global carbon footprint has been recognised, but never consistently assessed. This study assesses the carbon footprint of the English Premier League (EPL)clubs, using the patterns of their domestic travel in the 2016/2017 season as a proxy for analysis. The study shows that, within the 2016/17 season, the EPL clubs produced circa 1134 tonnes of CO 2- eq. as a result of their travel, where transportation accounts for 61% of the carbon footprint. To reduce this carbon footprint, a careful review of the current corporate travel and procurement practices in the EPL clubs is necessary. This is in order to optimise the travel itineraries, prioritise more climate-benign modes of transport and contract budget accommodation providers with the ‘green’ credentials