American Press: Applying Sport Management Concepts by John E. Knorr

Applying Sport Management Concepts
The Middletown College Case Study

by JOHN E. KNORR
1st edition, 184 pages $28.95
ISBN 978-0-89641-538-6

Sport management is one of the fastest growing and most dynamic career fields available to students today. Applying Sport Management Concepts is directed toward third and fourth year undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in pursuing careers in professional, intercollegiate, and interscholastic athletics, as well as recreation and fitness management. To best prepare students for the myriad issues they will encounter in a sport management career it is important that educators provide quality resources to meet professional preparation needs.

The book was written keeping in mind the core competencies identified by the North American Society of Sport Management and the National Association of Sport and Physical Education. The design is not to present individual issues in their entirety but to introduce key concepts and skills that students must have in order to navigate sport management issues. It draws on the experiences of the author gained from three decades of involvement with athletic programs as coach and athletic director. In addition, a recognized professional in their field has contributed chapters on human resources and decision making/strategic planning. The objectives of the book are:

to have students acquire a working knowledge of essential skill areas in sport management;

for students to develop an understanding of the interdependent nature of sport, business and economics, and management;

to provide students the opportunity to apply this knowledge using the case study method; and

to have students complete the case study navigating the intricacies of working within a cooperative group environment.

Applying Sport Management Concepts is a direct result of a decade-long evolution of a graduate course in sport management. As this course progressed it became apparent that students needed to be challenged in a manner that would provide them multiple opportunities to use and apply the knowledge being presented. The primary goal therefore is the application of knowledge to simulated-challenge provided by a semester long case study. The case study is focused management issues in a college athletic program. While not all students will pursue careers in college athletics, most readers will readily and easily connect with the case study in this area.

The ten chapters are organized covering three specific topics. The first topic area (Chapter 1) provides an overview of the book itself and specifics of how the case study will be used during the course. The second topic (Chapters 2 through 4) presents the reader with information on the case study method, and data related to the focus of the case study, the fictional Middletown College, the location of the college, and the Central Valley Conference. The reader is then introduced to the specifics of the seven Strategic Initiatives that make up the semester-long case study. Finally an overview is provided of sport management organizations, publications, and blogs that will aid students in their research efforts as the work through the case study.

The final topic area (Chapters 5 through 10) provides information related to the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in the field of sport management. These chapters are presented in the order required to meet the issues presented in the Strategic Initiatives. Each chapter provides a comprehensive reference list as well as a list of suggested readings and resources.

Unlike many texts where assignments or a case study are specific to a chapter or topic area, this book presents a seven-part interconnected case study. The case study is focused around Middletown College, formerly a two-year community college that is in the process of evolving into a four-year college with the goal of establishing an intercollegiate athletic program. Data and demographics about Middletown College, the town of Middletown, and the Central Valley Conference are provided.

Readers are presented with seven Strategic Initiatives and are asked to apply problem-solving strategies using a cooperative group approach as the athletic department is constructed from the ground up. What is recommended and adopted in each of the seven parts of the case study adds further information for use in succeeding sections. For example, the sports adopted in Strategic Initiative 2 will play a later role when considering athletic facilities, marketing and promotional plans, and fundraising.

Another unique aspect of the case study is the ability to modify various aspects of the case to meet the needs of a particular course or course objective. For the purposes of the case study the Central Valley Conference is a NCAA Division II conference, bringing into consideration all the information relevant to Division II. This fact can be modified and NCAA Division I or III, as well as the NAIA can be substituted, changing the dynamics of athletic association at the national level. While the case study is designed as a semester-long comprehensive case study, many of the individual Strategic Initiatives can be used or modified to become a stand-alone assignment. The end result is a text that provides students the opportunity to not only study sport management, but to apply the knowledge in a simulated real-life scenario.

Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: The Case Study Strategy
Developing Problem Solving Teams
Thinking Skills
Communication Skills
Relationship Skills
Decision Making Skills
Meeting Skills
The Middletown College Case Study
Facts and Demographics
The Chronology and History of Middletown
Institutional Profile of Middletown College
Middletown College Board of Trustees
Middletown College Campus Map
Middletown, Indiana
Central Valley Conference
References

Chapter 3: Strategic Initiatives
Introduction
Strategic Initiative 1—Strategic Planning, Mission, and Program Identity
SWOT Analysis
Athletic Department Mission Statement
Program Identity
Strategic Initiative 2—Athletic Program Development
Selection of Sports and Allocation of Scholarships
Athletic Personnel and Determination of Salaries
Athletic Department Organizational Chart
Strategic Initiative 3—Human Resource Issues
Job Descriptions: Middletown Athletic Department Personnel
The Position Announcement: Middletown College Athletic Director
Strategic Initiative 4—Performance Evaluation system for Head Coaches
A Rationale for the Evaluation Process of Head Coaches
Standards for Evaluation
Creation of Head Coach Evaluation Form
Strategic Initiative 5—Athletic Facility Master Plan: Design and Analysis
Facility List
Facility Description
Projected Construction Costs
Master Plan Site
Facilities Guidelines
Facility Construction Cost Estimates
Strategic Initiative 6—Marketing and Athletic Program
SWOT Analysis
Determining the Product Market
Communication Channels
Marketing and Promotional Event
Middletown College Athletic Web Site
Rubric for the Evaluation of the Marketing Plan
Strategic Initiative 7—Fundraising Program and Revenue Projection
A Comprehensive Strategic Plan for Fundraising
Revenue Projections

Chapter 4: Organizations, Publications, and Blogs for the Sports Management Professional
Professional Organizations
Selected Periodicals Related to Sport Management
Related Scholarly Journals
Sport Blogs

Chapter 5: Ethics and Sport Management
Models for Ethical Decision Making
Mission Statements
Dallas Baptist University
Southwestern University
University of Oklahoma
Midwestern State University
Code of Ethics
Code of Ethics, North American Society for Sport Management
National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) Code of Ethics
References

Chapter 6: Managing and Leading
Managerial Functions
Managerial Skills
Leadership
References

Chapter 7: Decision Making—Solving Organizational Problems
Strategic Planning
Ten-Step Process for Decision Making and Planning
Assignment: Middletown College Strategic Initiatives 1 and 2
Appendix 7-A1—Wilburn and Wilburn’s
Seven-Step Process for Problem Solving
Appendix 7-A2—Ten-Step Model for Decision Making
Appendix 7-A3—Six-Step Model for Decision Making
Appendix 7-B1—Fishbone Diagram—Middletown College
Appendix 7-C—Gantt Charts
References

Chapter 8: Human Resources
Staff Selection
Staff Orientation
Staff Development
Staff Evaluation
Legal Aspects of Human Resource Management
Equal Pay Act of 1963
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Amended 1972
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 Amended 1978 1986
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, 1990, 1996
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
Civil Rights Act of 1991
Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act (USERRA) of 1994
Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (WBPA) of 1990
Assignment—Middletown College Strategic Initiatives 3 and 4
Assignment—Middletown College Strategic Initiative 5
Appendix 8-A1: Sample Job Description
References

Chapter 9: Sport Marketing and Promotions
Unique Characteristics of Sport Marketing
The Marketing Mix
Product
Price
Place
Promotion
Public Relations
The Sports Information Director (SID)
10-Step Process of Developing a Marketing Plan
Identify the Purpose
Analyze the Sport Product
Project the Market Climate
Position the Sport Product
Analyze and Target Consumers
Package the Sport Product
Price the Sport Product
Promote the Sport Product
Place the Sport Product
Evaluate the Sport Marketing Plan
Assignment—Middletown College Strategic Initiative 6
References

Chapter 10: Revenue Sources and Fundraising
Event Revenues
Ticket Sales
Student Fees
Concessions
Advertising
Media
Parking
Fundraising
Corporate Sponsorship
Booster Clubs
Merchandising and Licensing
Construction Related Fundraising
Summer Camps
Facility Rental
Miscellaneous Fundraising Activities
Assignment: Middletown College Strategic Initiative 7
References

About the Author

Dr. John Knorr, professor of Kinesiology at St. Edward’s University teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in the areas of sport management and sport law. He has 28 years of experience in college athletics as athletic director and baseball coach and has served on a variety of NCAA II and NAIA committees at the district and regional levels. In honor of his contributions to the athletic department he was inducted into the St. Edward’s University Athletic Hall of Fame. He holds a doctorate from the University of North Texas.

Dr. Kathleen M. Wilburn and Dr. H. Ralph Wilburn are contributing authors to this text. Both are professors of Management at St. Edward's University.