Turning Insight into Action: A Case Study Assessing the Use of Consumer Behavior Data in Minor League Baseball Marketing and Communication Strategies

As the usage of data-driven decision-making (DDDM) has increased in sport business operations, organizations must refine the ways in which they both obtain and use data to understand and, ideally, meet the needs of their consumers. A qualitative analysis, including eight in-depth interviews with a Minor League Baseball’s (MiLB) front office staff, was conducted. This was done in order to better understand the organization’s decision-making process and how they use various types of data, including the results of quantitative results from an academic study, when determining how best to reach their consumers. After a thematic analysis, three primary and six secondary themes were identified, including Use of Data Analytics (Strategic, Tactical), Application of Data Analytics (Confirmation, New Markets), and Data Sharing (Open Channels, Closed Channels). Practical and theoretical implications, as well as limitations and future research directions, are discussed

Brand Personalities across the Big Four: Positioning Leagues for Differentiation

https://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/9965/8857-thumbnail.jpgThe concept of brand personality (BP) has become a popular topic of study among academicians in the sport management field. The current study moves beyond the construct conceptualization and scale development of BP, and begins to investigate existing BP profiles for various professional sports (BPS). Specifically, this research examines the existing BPS dimensions across various Big Four professional leagues. The study utilized the BPS instrument (Braunstein &amp; Ross, 2009) and MANOVA procedures to determine ratings of BP dimensions and any differences between sports. Results indicated that on the BPS factors that were measured (Success, Sophistication, Sincerity, Rugged, Community-Driven, Classic), sports differed on four of the six factors. For the factors that significantly differed by sport (Success, Sincerity, Rugged, and Classic), the majority of the highest mean scores associated with hockey and baseball. Conceptualizations and scale development of BPS will be discussed along with positioning and segmentation strategies for sport marketers. This paper begins to shift the focus from the concept of BPS to its application. As such, it fills an identified need to determine if there are differences in the “personalities” (i.e., characteristics) of leagues and, ultimately, how these elements can factor into sound and targeted marketing practices.</p

Sport MOMsumers: A Modern Reexamination of the Role That Mothers Play in their Families’ Professional Sport Consumption

As the role of women and, therefore, mothers has changed, so too, has their place in their families’ professional sport consumption experience. This qualitative assessment, including a demographic and consumption snapshot, provides insight into the perspective of mothers in their families’ professional sport consumption habits and intentions. Primary findings fall under the themes of Personal Priorities and Constraints. While Constraints drove the conversation, this group of women was interested in maintaining and sharing the role of sport in their lives. As such, minimal- investment recommendations are made to address the concerns that mothers have with many of these items. Subscribe to JAS