Hype or opportunity? Tokenization as engagement platform in sport marketing

Purpose Novel technologies such as tokenization have the potential to disrupt value co-creation in sport marketing. Tokenization in particular has generated a hype in sport marketing by facilitating engagement behavior. However, it remains unclear to what extent tokenization can serve as an engagement platform to enable new and innovative interactions between sport organizations and its network of actors. Design/methodology/approach The study investigated a tokenized governance platform of a professional sport club as engagement platform by means of a case study applying a multi-method approach combining document analyses and semi-structured interviews with sport management, sport club fans and blockchain experts. Findings Governance tokens indeed foster fan engagement by including fans in decision-making processes. The engagement platform is meant to enable two-way communication between fans and professional sport clubs. However, benefits could be overrated, and fans describe concerns about increasing commercialization due to the application of governance tokens. Thus, opportunities must be balanced out to foster engagement of sport club fans. Originality/value The findings contribute to extending the phenomenon of tokenization as a financing model and engagement platform in sport marketing. The results show how tokenized governance platforms can be applied in sport marketing and how they contribute to value co-creation in the digital world of sport clubs

Categorizing engagement behavior in sport brand communities – an empirical study informed by social practice theory

This study ventures into uncharted territory by focusing exclusively on digital platforms to scrutinize engagement practices within sport clubs and their pivotal role in nurturing vibrant brand communities. By employing a multifaceted methodological framework that blends netnography, document analysis, and semi-structured interviews, it delves into the nuanced ways clubs employ digital strategies to foster active participation and cultivate a sense of belonging among community members. A novel aspect of this research is its consideration of digital engagement platforms as the social context, analyzing how the surrounding social environment influences and enhances digital engagement practices. Furthermore, the study breaks new ground by extending its analysis beyond dyadic relationships to explore the network effects on engagement practices. Therefore, it offers a comprehensive understanding of how these dynamics contribute to the development and sustainability of sport brand communities. The findings reveal the critical importance of diverse engagement practices in fostering meaningful interactions that strengthen a sport brand community fabric. This research enriches the field by presenting actionable insights for sport clubs to refine their digital engagement strategies in the context of broader social networks and effects. This paper makes a significant contribution to the literature by illuminating the complex interplay between digital engagement, social context, and network dynamics in the cultivation of sport brand communities

Rare mutations in SQSTM1 modify susceptibility to frontotemporal lobar degeneration

Mutations in the gene coding for Sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1) have been genetically associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Paget disease of bone. In the present study, we analyzed the SQSTM1 coding sequence for mutations in an extended cohort of 1,808 patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), ascertained within the European Early-Onset Dementia consortium. As control dataset, we sequenced 1,625 European control individuals and analyzed whole-exome sequence data of 2,274 German individuals (total n = 3,899). Association of rare SQSTM1 mutations was calculated in a meta-analysis of 4,332 FTLD and 10,240 control alleles. We identified 25 coding variants in FTLD patients of which 10 have not been described. Fifteen mutations were absent in the control individuals (carrier frequency < 0.00026) whilst the others were rare in both patients and control individuals. When pooling all variants with a minor allele frequency < 0.01, an overall frequency of 3.2 % was calculated in patients. Rare variant association analysis between patients and controls showed no difference over the whole protein, but suggested that rare mutations clustering in the UBA domain of SQSTM1 may influence disease susceptibility by doubling the risk for FTLD (RR = 2.18 [95 % CI 1.24-3.85]; corrected p value = 0.042). Detailed histopathology demonstrated that mutations in SQSTM1 associate with widespread neuronal and glial phospho-TDP-43 pathology. With this study, we provide further evidence for a putative role of rare mutations in SQSTM1 in the genetic etiology of FTLD and showed that, comparable to other FTLD/ALS genes, SQSTM1 mutations are associated with TDP-43 pathology

Is it really all about money? A study on incentives in elite team sports

Research question: A key task for sports managers of elite sports clubs is to create an ideal environment that enables athletes to perform at their best. Therefore, we investigate the relationship among monetary incentives, organizational support, and athletic performance in elite team sports. Research methods: This study is the first in sports management to calculate the relative effects of non-monetary incentives of organizational support and monetary incentives on individual performance through job satisfaction. Furthermore, we apply an innovative measurement approach of player performance by using individual performance ratings of coaches. We collect questionnaires from 315 athletes and 34 coaches of 19 professional football, ice hockey, and handball clubs in Germany. Results and findings: Two variables of organizational support—namely, integration of family and private problem support—show strong positive effects on athletes’ job satisfaction. Whereas prior studies have focused mainly on monetary incentives, this study reveals a strong relevance of organizational support. Furthermore, the results confirm a strong relationship between player satisfaction and individual performance. Implications: Sports managers need to recognize the relevance of non-monetary incentives of organizational support and integrate them into their management repertoire to improve job satisfaction and, consequently, facilitate top performance of their players. Further research should focus on the effects of non-monetary incentives and other aspects of organizational support. In addition, researchers should use individual performance ratings of coaches, rather than other measures, to evaluate player performance because of their expertise and superior background information

Funktionalität oder Nachhaltigkeit? Eine Bestandsaufnahme im Schweizer Bergsportmarkt

Die zunehmende Sensibilisierung für nachhaltiges Konsumverhalten spielt über verschiedene Branchen hinweg eine grosse Rolle. Die vorliegende Studie untersucht die Bedeutung einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung im Schweizer Bergsportmarkt sowie deren Wahrnehmung durch die Kunden. Ein spezielles Augenmerk wird dabei auf den Einsatz von Nachhaltigkeitslabels gelegt

Sportmarken – Von traditionellen Ansätzen der Markenführung hin zum vernetzten Branding

Traditionelle Ansätze der Markenführung reichen aufgrund der zunehmenden Komplexität und Dynamik im Sportmanagement für eine erfolgreiche Markenführung nicht mehr aus. Sie folgen der Logik der Sportgüter, die sich zunehmend als eine Logik des Misslingens herausstellt. Das Vernetzte Branding folgt der Logik der Wert-Kokreation, die eine Logik des Gelingens darstellt. Das Vernetzte Branding besteht aus zwei Teilprozessen, die iterativ zur Anwendung kommen, dem Aufbau der Markenidentität und der Kokreation der Markenbedeutung. Insbesondere die Kokreation der Markenbedeutung stellt besondere Herausforderungen an den modernen Sportmanager, weil neben den fachlichen Kompetenzen auch überdurchschnittliche Fähigkeiten zum Lernen, zur Kommunikation und zum Ausgleich divergierender Interessen erforderlich sind. Vernetztes Branding ist ein Rezept für erfolgreiche Sportmarken