IJSM Contents & Abstracts Volume 24, (2023)
NUMBER 1, MARCH, 2023
ISBN 978-0-89641-631-4
Early COVID-19 Pandemic Social Media Strategy: A Case Study of Major League Baseball and Brand Engagement — Natalie N. Bunch, Beth A. Cianfrone — The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic created many challenges for social media staff to maintain brand presence, without the core game product. This case study investigated the social media strategy employed by a Major League Baseball team at the onset of the pandemic. We explored the frequency of brand attributes audience interaction rates, general thematic observations of the team posts with audience reactions, and the changes in strategy over time using the team’s Facebook posts (N = 258) and audience comments from March 2020 to July 2020. Although not statistically different, non-product brand attributes were emphasized more than product brand attributes, while non-product attribute posts yielded statistically higher interaction. Content analyses revealed three main themes of team social content (reliance on nostalgia, new content ideas/COVID-19 specific, and community/philanthropic focus), and general thematic responses by fans are described. Comparison of results to past non-pandemic literature and best practices for sport organizations to employ during general crises for the future are discussed. Keywords: brand attributes, social media, crisis communication, nostalgia, sport organizations (1-23)
A Content Analysis of Mission Statements of Sport for Development Organizations — Incheol Jang, Wonjun Choi, Mina Woo, Jon Welty Peachey — Over the past decades, sport-for-development (SFD) organizations have emerged as newer concepts in the nonprofit/voluntary sector to serve various social missions. An effective mission statement can play a crucial role for these newer organizations in establishing their raison d'etre, clear strategic directions, and efficient communication channels. However, there has been little research on SFD mission statements. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate if current SFD organizations' mission statements were effectively constructed based on David et al. (2014)'s mission statement components. Data were collected from 262 SFD organizations’ websites. Findings revealed that while SFD organizations' mission statements described essential information such as their philosophies, target populations, programs, and responsibilities, some important content, such as concern for employees and concern for survival, growth, and profitability, was not illuminated. Drawn from the findings, important theoretical and practical implications for SFD and nonprofit management are advanced. Keywords: sport for development; sport-for-development organization; mission statement components; strategic management (24-47)
Talent Identification and Talent Development in the Sports Industry: A Systematic Review with Bibliometric Analysis — Stacy Menezes, Vinit Ghosh — The proliferation of talent management literature in the sports domain has resulted in a lack of clarity surrounding its major themes. There is a dearth of theoretical underpinning in the literature development. This study aims to explore, provide insights and future directions in talent management specific to the sports domain. We provide a comprehensive and integrated systematic review with bibliometric analysis spanning two decades (2000-2022). The unique role of talent management in the sports domain is revealed through several bibliometric indicators. The various clusters: factors leading to talent identification and development, the interaction of the athlete and environmental constraints, the impact of relative age, talent as dynamic and multidimensional, the models, holistic process, anthropometric and physiological predispositions, and theories emerging are explained. The insights from the analysis will help researchers and practitioners gain a deeper understanding of talent management. The review highlights the gaps in the literature, presents a holistic picture of the extant literature and the way forward. Keywords: Talent identification, talent development, sports sector, systematic review, bibliometric analysis (48-86)
Multidimensional Innovations of Mega Sport Events Organizing Committee: A Pre-Event Analysis — Kristina J. Hoff, Becca Leopkey — Mega-sport event organizers are experiencing pressure to innovate due to technological advancements, increased competition for consumers, and the need to reduce costs. Yet, little is known about innovation in the mega-sport event context. When exploring innovation in an understudied area, it is imperative to understand the types of innovations being implemented (Crossan & Apaydin, 2010). To fill this gap, this paper assesses the types of innovations mega-sport event organizing committees are implementing (i.e., Paris 2024, Los Angeles 2028, and United 26) in the pre-event phase. Analysis of archives and interviews suggests that such committees pursue six multidimensional types of innovations, revealing similar and different innovative practices among committees. This study thus advances understanding of the multidimensional nature of innovation, and how context influences innovation outcomes. Findings from this study help mega-sport event organizers better understand and explain the types of innovations they are looking to implement, including where innovation is lacking. Keywords: innovation types; multidimensional innovations; 3D model of innovation; organizing committees; Olympics; FIFA World Cup (87-114)
NUMBER 2, JUNE, 2023
ISBN 978-0-89641-632-1
Understanding Sources of Support for Career Development: Lived Experiences of NCAA Division I Female Intercollegiate Athletes in Higher Education —Jin Park, Antonio Williams, Jiyoung Park — While intercollegiate athletes’ overall growth and development have captured much scholarly attention, their perceptions and experiences in the current institutional support system for career development have not been fully examined. To fill this research gap, the current study qualitatively explored female intercollegiate athletes’ experiences and perceptions relating to various sources of support for successful career development. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were performed with nine female intercollegiate athletes at a Division I university. Our qualitative analysis revealed several themes including career aspirations aligning with the major, psychosocial support from mentoring relationship, career fair in the athletic department, and conflict between internship opportunities and athletic commitment. These findings provide a salient foundation for intercollegiate scholars to further examine each aspect of support. Furthermore, the information and insight obtained from the participants will be useful for practitioners seeking to enhance the career preparation of female intercollegiate athletes. Keywords: female intercollegiate athlete, career development, career support, mentoring relationship, intercollegiate athletics (115-140)
Reciprocity of Good Will: Deontological and Existential Tenets in Sport Management History — Nicholas P. Smith, Michael S. Carroll — Existentialism and social contract deontology can serve as a philosophical lens to understand past sport management ethical decisions. Human existence, meaning, and societal standing are examined in the ethical theory of existentialism. In layman’s terms, the theory of deontology is grounded in the overall act of doing the right thing. Existentialism is behavior based on what is authentic and original to oneself (Malloy et. al, 2003). This theory in practice article examines existential and deontological based decisions in recent sport management history and in the early 20th century. Specifically, the article analyzes the 1932 Olympics, 2017 NBA All Star Game, 2021 MLB All Star game, and regular season college football games that were significantly affected by natural disasters. The moral significance for individuals and society is also addressed in the analysis of the cases for all persons will make ethical decisions. Keywords: existentialism, deontology, sport management, Hurricane Katrina, Great Depression, LSU, Arizona State, NBA All Star Game, MLB All Star Game, House Bill 2(141-150)
Prioritizing Environmental Impacts in Venues: The Manager’s Perspective — Walker J. Ross, Haylee Uecker Mercado — This study explored how managers evaluate various demands in decision-making—particularly in the context of environmental sustainability in sport venue management. Previous research considered how managers prioritize environmental sustainability compared to other demands, but it was not understood where the various environmental impacts of sustainable venue operations compare to one another. A best-worst scaling survey of sport venue managers was used to gather data on prioritization of environmental impacts in decision-making. Findings suggest that managers prioritize environmental impacts mainly based on financial cost and environmental harm with those impacts falling into the following priority order from highest to lowest: waste, electricity, disposable product use, water, food, emissions, gas, chemicals, and oil. This study provides insight into the environmental impacts venue managers must weigh in operational decision-making and challenges the Sport Event Environmental Performance Measurement tool’s inputs and outputs. Keywords: sport ecology, sustainability, facilities, decision-making, measurement (151-170)
Measuring Identification with a Sport Team: An Empirical Comparison of the Sport Team Identification Scale with the Sport Spectator Identification Scale — Nikolaos Tsigilis, Yannis Lianopoulos, Nicholas D. Theodorakis — The Sport Team Identification Scale (STIS) has been recently developed as a response to raising criticism and shortcomings related to most of the existing scales used to measure fans’ identification with sport teams. However, this instrument has been tested only in one study and has not been empirically compared with any of the existing well-established scales. The purpose of the present study was to further examine the STIS within the Item Response Theory framework and to compare it with the Sport Spectator Identification Scale (SSIS), in terms of psychometric properties and predictive ability. Data were collected from a Greek sporting website (n=4,851). Findings showed that not only STIS is a psychometrically sound instrument, but it also outperformed SSIS in all conducted analyses. The implications of the study were discussed. Keywords: sport team identification scale; sport spectator identification scale; item response theory; social identity theory; sport fan behavior (171-195)
NUMBER 3, SEPTEMBER 2023
ISBN 978-0-89641-636-9
A Need for Conceptual Clarity for Employment and Careers in Sport — Michael Odio — In this commentary I offer a critique of the current state of research on employment and careers in sport, particularly the lack of clarity as to what is meant when referring to a job or career in sport. I argue that the current state of the literature has hindered the ability to connect knowledge across studies, which limits the ability to generalize research and build theories related to the people and roles within the sport context. I propose a new direction using the tenants of boundaryless career theory that can have meaningful implications for professional preparation and career counseling, the studying of labor market dynamics, and research on understudied populations in sport. Keywords: Work in sport, sport management, boundaryless career theory. (197-210)
Using Neurophysiological Research Methods to Understand Sport Consumer Emotions — Vinu Selvaratnam, Luke Potwarka — Measuring sport consumers’ emotions is predominately accomplished using self-report measures. To address the limitations of self-report measures and to broaden researchers’ understanding of the role emotion plays in explaining consumers’ decision to buy and use sport-related products, we bring attention to neurophysiological research methods. In doing so, we discuss its application and challenges in neuromarketing and consumer neuroscience research. We also explain why sport consumer behavior research would benefit from its use. Finally, we encourage researchers to apply neurophysiological research methods to potentially advance the field. Keywords: research methods, emotion, sport consumer (211-220)
The Sport Industry Internship Paradigm: Defining the Role of Internships in the Sport Labor Economy — Mandy Barefoot, J. Michael Martinez — This article examines the relationships and forces impacting on and resulting from the prevalence of internships in the sport industry. Many sport management degree programs require internships as key facilitators of experiential learning. Similarly, internships are both valuable resume-builders for students and a source of crucial seasonal labor for sport industry employers. While the outcomes of internship experiences on both employability and student learning are comparatively well-explored, outcomes for employers and the sport labor market represent a gap in the existing sport management literature. This paper presents a conceptual framework of these three relationship actors placed uniquely into the context of the commercialized sport industry. Keywords: sport internships, internship labor, labor economy, professional sports, internship placement (221-236)
The Name of the Game: The Effect of Socio-Political Activism in Sport on Fan Boycott Intention — Caroline S.L. Tan — Taking a stand on socio-political issues has become prevalent in sport, where professional clubs and players convey their support or condemnation on a plethora of issues, such as gender and inclusion. This has garnered polarized opinions from fans and spectators. This paper examines self-brand connection (SBC) of sport fans and the relationship with intention to boycott through socially responsible consumption behaviour (SRCB) stemming from clubs’ participation in brand activism. Data were obtained from 220 adults and analyzed using AMOS 27 and Hayes SPSS PROCESS macro 3.5 accordingly. The findings show that (1) SBC has a positive relationship with SRCB, (2) SRCB mediates the relationship between SBC and intention to boycott, (3) However, conditional indirect effect is not found to be present. Amid the growing importance of brand activism in sport, this study contributes to the growing body of literature regarding brand activism and political consumerism among fans and spectators. Keywords: Sport activism, brand activism, political consumerism, boycott, sport fan, self-brand connection, socially responsible consumption behavior, perceived hypocrisy (237-265)
Invisible Players: A Scoping Review on International Student-Athletes in US College Sports — Becca Grizzard, Melody Alanis, Natasha T. Brison — The recruitment of international student-athletes (ISAs) to participate in intercollegiate athletics in the US has increased exponentially since the 1980s. As ISAs leave their home country to move to the US, they face many obstacles including issues related to ethnicity, race, and cultural practices. This study is a scoping review analyzing literature from 1987-2022. In this review, the authors share the volume of literature, the theories researchers have used, and the major themes that emerged in the existing scholarship. The scoping review highlights areas that have been researched, identifies gaps, and provides insight into future areas requiring attention. The goal is to provide current and future ISAs with tools to combat the challenges they face and improve their experiences. In addition, this review also informs coaches, teammates, and administration of ISAs’ needs to acclimate to the US and the intercollegiate athletic culture. Keywords: Intercollegiate Athletics, International Student-Athletes, NCAA, Culture, Lived Experiences (266-289)
NUMBER 4, DECEMBER 2023
ISBN 978-0-89641-637-6E-mail americanpress@flash.net to order PDFs of any article.
Beyond the Game: Exploring the Enhanced Viewing Experience through Sports Betting — Cindy Lee, Brent D. Oja, Hyejin Bang — With the U.S. professional sports leagues and media increasingly embracing gambling after the 2018 nullification of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act by the Supreme Court, sports fans now encounter gambling content during game broadcasts. From the perspective of sports consumers' viewing experience, augmented stakes from betting might enhance the game-viewing experience making it more engaging and relevant while excessive gambling may have detrimental effects on its participants. Given sports betting’s rising popularity, it becomes essential to delve into the role played by gambling in shaping the game-watching experiences of sports consumers, particularly those who engage in betting, through mechanisms such as sports identification, attitudes, flow experiences, and satisfaction with the game. To this end, our proposed model incorporates five key constructs: sport identification, attitude toward sport gambling, attitude toward broadcasting with gambling content, flow experience, and satisfaction with a game. Of the 400 surveys collected online, 307 respondents identified as sports betting participants, warranting their inclusion in subsequent analyses. Findings suggest that sports consumers engaged in betting report heightened satisfaction with their game-viewing experience. This study illuminates the nuanced relationship between sports viewing and gambling, offering fresh insights into the sports consumer experience. Keywords Sports betting, gambling, flow, satisfaction, game watching, media consumption, enjoyment (291-314)
Same Face Different Uniform: A Case Study of Part-Time In Multi-Purpose Public Assembly Venues — Michael Odio, Kimberly Mahoney — This study explores contextual factors related to key human resource management practices (i.e., hiring, training, staffing, and retention) of part-time and seasonal workers of public assembly venues for the purpose of advancing theory in the study of this population. The city of Cincinnati and its major sporting venues were used as a “bounded context” for this case study. Venue managers, and leaders within a third-party labor provider and labor union contributed interviews on the main topics, while secondary data examining the operating schedules of the venue over a one-year period were used to examine potential conflicts in venue’s demand for labor. The findings present factors relevant for future theory development regarding this population and setting, including the local labor market, the presence and operations of unions and third-party labor providers, and the schedules and practices of other venues. Keywords: Sports facilities, human resources, seasonal employment (315-341)
Evaluating the Evaluation: An Analysis of How High School Athletic Directors Engage in the Performance Appraisal Process to Determine Coaching Success—Tyler Ratts, Paul M. Pedersen —Given the role and influence of head coaches within the student-athlete experience, high school athletic directors must ensure that the most effective individuals are leading the sports in their athletic department. To provide a more thorough understanding of the coaching evaluation process, this study analyzed interscholastic athletic directors’ utilization of the performance appraisal process to evaluate the effectiveness of head coaches. Athletic directors (N=25) across school classification (i.e., 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A) and school type (i.e., public and private) participated in the study, with saturation achieved through this sample size. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and examined through thematic analysis. Three main themes emerged (i.e., elements of the coaching evaluation process, coaching evaluation form, and challenges in maximizing coaching evaluations) that provide deeper context into the key shared elements present within coaching appraisals in high school sports and describe how athletic directors engage in this evaluation process. Keywords: performance appraisal, interscholastic athletics, high school sports, athletic director, head coach (342-375)
Manuscript Guidelines for Authors (376-381)