Question 1

Analyze a professional sport team of your choice and evaluate the level of social responsibility they are engaged in. Include what the organization implements in terms of each of the four dimensions of social responsibility.

Accepted Answer

Answers will vary from student to student based on the organization they choose; however each should address the following:
- From an economic standpoint, regardless of social mission or vision, the ultimate goal for any business is to be profitable, and hence the sport marketer must keep the fact that all marketing efforts must consider the end result of profit. 
- Sport marketers often are responsible for implementing such activities in line with the laws, rules, and regulations set forth by governing bodies.
- Sport organization have social obligation to be a good corporate citizen by contributing to the community and improving the quality of life through philanthropy. 
-Sport marketers must also recognize their responsibility to do what is fair, just, right, and without harm to people; hence acting in an ethical manner in all they do.

Question 2

Community relations is often the department responsible for implementing programs of social responsibility. These efforts are usually centered around cause-related marketing efforts, strategic philanthropy, and environmental marketing. Start by defining each of these concepts, then using a professional sport franchise of choice, explain and evaluate how that franchise incorporates each within their community relations efforts.

Accepted Answer

Community relations are the process of the sport organization interacting and connecting with the target population within a specific area. Community relations are an integral part of any sports organization whether the relationship is player, team, or league initiated. Community relations efforts can be initiated in many ways but are usually focuses on associations with public interest groups or the general public. The main goal of community relations and sport organization is to foster goodwill in the community and develop a long-term relationship with individuals and the community as a whole. This type of effort is a monumental and fragile undertaking, as it only takes one negative comment or action to erode years of goodwill.
The individual evaluations will differ based on the franchise chosen; however inclusions within their response should include the following definitions:
Cause-Related Marketing: is the process of creating a relationship between a sport organization and a specific social cause.
Strategic Philanthropy: the social obligation an organization has to be a good corporate citizen by contributing to the improvement of the quality of life of people ranging from an individual or community to society as a whole.
Environmental Marketing: marketing focused on the natural environment, the ecological environment, and the concept of greening in terms of developing products, pricing strategies, promotion activities, and delivery methods that do not damage the natural environment.

Question 3

Over the history of sport marketing, there have been questions about the use of sport personalities as role models in terms of sponsoring or endorsing sport products, services, and extensions. Review the sponsorships of two current athletes - one who you would deem to be a good role model, and one who you would deem a poor role model. Explain why you put this athlete in that category, and then evaluate the ethicality of using these individuals as role models in terms of deceptiveness, trustworthiness, and integrity.

Accepted Answer

Individual answers will vary, but the respondent should have considered the following from the textbook when responding to this question:
Right or wrong, children see the success of professional athletes and equate specific sports talent as someone to emulate. The use of popular athletes in advertising has existed in North America for many years. Baseball players such as Babe Ruth, or Ty Cobb were some of the first to allow their names and likeness to be mass produced for the sale of candy and tobacco products. Many athletes have appeared to represent a higher physical ideal and their superb individual performances, whether as Olympians or as professionals. These accomplishments make athletes commercially attractive to corporations for the purpose of endorsing a product or a brand.
In 1969, Joe Namath shattered the idea of the clean cut speak only when spoken too image. Namath was cocky, opinionated, anti-establishment, but good looking and a winner. Namath ushered in the notion of a young hero who was ready to replace traditional sport icons.
In the last 30 years, a new dimension has been added to the use of sports celebrity role model. Many companies have taken deliberate action to recruit the not so nice athlete. NIKE was the first to promote a non-conventional athlete (Steve Prefontaine) Nike also changed their marketing approach to have athletes who stood out promote their products. Non-traditional, controversial athletes such as tennis players John McEnroe, Andre Agassi and basketball player Charles Barkley became Nike advertising icons.
Celebrity endorsers are influential as role models because of their ability to attract attention to a commercial, product/service or organization. However, the use of sport endorsers benefits the product or brand in many more complex ways.
Role models change with the passing of time. Active sport athletes become retired sport athletes and younger athletes are there to take their place. An active athlete can be viewed in a number of different and unpredictable performance contexts. These contexts include winning, losing, honor, good sportsmanship, dirty play, and or emotional outbursts. Any of these can be used in a commercial format. These athletes are placed on a pedestal made of gold. Children only see the end product and equate this type of promotion with success. If I want to be like Mike, I have to wear Nike shoes, Hanes underwear, eat at McDonald, and drink Gatorade.
Marketing firms and corporations are not focusing on making future leaders of the world or even future Michael Jordan's and LeBron James'. Their focus is on getting children to purchase these products for the rest of their lives. Hopefully there is a true role model in their lives to explain the difference.

Question 4

Assume you are a sport marketing consultant who is hired by hallmark events to work with the local, state, and federal government to come up with plans to impede ambush marketing efforts. You have successfully worked with the cities of London (2012) and Rio de Janeiro (2016) to enact or modify anti-ambush marketing ordinances. In hearing about the work you do, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) contacts you and explains that they would like for you to work with the Tokyo Olympic Committee to ensure that the corporate sponsors are protected from ambush marketing at the 2020 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. What would your plan be to ensure that ambush marketers do not reduce the value of corporate associations with the Olympics through ambush marketing?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Assume you are a sport marketing consultant...

Question 5

You are the new Marketing Director for a minor league baseball team. On your first day of work, you decide you need to fully understand the market by completing a market analysis. What are the three main components (4 C's) of marketing analysis, and what specifically will you be evaluating?

Accepted Answer

The answer of You are the new Marketing Director for...

Question 6

Choose a sport organization of your choice and conduct a SWOT Analysis.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Choose a sport organization of your choice...

Question 7

List and discuss the steps involved in developing a sport marketing plan.

Accepted Answer

The answer of List and discuss the steps involved in...

Question 8

Marketing plans and strategies do not always work, mainly because there is often a lack of vision in these plans. Why do sport marketing professionals tend to focus so much on immediate goals and objectives, and less on vision and the future development of sport marketing efforts?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Marketing plans and strategies do not always...

Quiz 1: Introduction to Sport Marketing ; and Social Responsibility in Sport Marketing

Analyze a professional sport team of your choice and evaluate the level of social responsibility they are engaged in. Include what the organization implements in terms of each of the four dimensions of social responsibility.

You are the new Marketing Director for a minor league baseball team. On your first day of work, you decide you need to fully understand the market by completing a market analysis. What are the three main components (4 C's) of marketing analysis, and what specifically will you be evaluating?

Choose a sport organization of your choice and conduct a SWOT Analysis.

List and discuss the steps involved in developing a sport marketing plan.

Marketing plans and strategies do not always work, mainly because there is often a lack of vision in these plans. Why do sport marketing professionals tend to focus so much on immediate goals and objectives, and less on vision and the future development of sport marketing efforts?