Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University proudly showcases the work of undergraduate honors students by sharing this collection exclusively with the ASU community.
Barrett accepts high performing, academically engaged undergraduate students and works with them in collaboration with all of the other academic units at Arizona State University. All Barrett students complete a thesis or creative project which is an opportunity to explore an intellectual interest and produce an original piece of scholarly research. The thesis or creative project is supervised and defended in front of a faculty committee. Students are able to engage with professors who are nationally recognized in their fields and committed to working with honors students. Completing a Barrett thesis or creative project is an opportunity for undergraduate honors students to contribute to the ASU academic community in a meaningful way.
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- Creators: Barrett, The Honors College
- Creators: Kearney, Matthew
Description
Home advantage affects the game in almost all team sports across the world. Due to<br/>COVID and all of the precautions being taken to keep games played, more extensive research is able to be conducted about what factors truly go into creating a home advantage. Some common factors of home advantage include the crowd, facility familiarity, and travel. In the English Premier League, there are no fans allowed at any of the games; furthermore, in the NBA, a bubble was created at one neutral venue with no fans in attendance. Even with the NBA being at a neutral site, there was still a “home team” at every game. The sports betting industry struggled due to failing to shift betting lines in accordance with this decreased home advantage. With these leagues removing some of the factors that are frequently associated with home advantage, analysts are able to better see what the results would be of removing these variables. The purpose of this research is to determine if these adjustments made due to COVID had an impact on the home advantage in different leagues around the world, and if they did, to what extent. Individual game data from the past 10 seasons were used for analysis of both the NBA and the Premier League. The results show that there is a significant difference in win percentage between prior seasons and seasons behind closed doors. In addition to win percentage, many other game statistics see a significant shift as well. Overall, the significance of being the home team disappears in games following the COVID-19 break.
ContributorsOsborne, Ashley A (Author) / Sopha, Matthew (Thesis director) / McIntosh, Daniel (Committee member) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / WPC Graduate Programs (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
Who would imagine that playing games is considered as a sport and became one of the most popular sports in the world? Who would imagine that over 100 million people watch someone else playing a game 10 years ago? Maybe even 5 years ago a lot of people did not believe that many people were watching one Esports championship series in the world in 2019. I believe that most people would not believe that fact. Nowadays the gaming industry has become 134 billion dollars industry (Warman), but most of the general public does not even know that Esports is a globally popular sport. The uniqueness of Esports is that fans are located everywhere in the world, unlike American football. This sport’s popularity is borderless and there are not that many sports leagues that have a huge global fan population in the sports industry. The reason Esports was able to capture popularity from everywhere in this world is because the gaming community is often beyond the border. For example, a person who lives in South Korea is teaming up with a man whom he has never met in person before and fighting against the players who are living on the other side of the world in a single match. This is how modern gaming society is. Those players are physically existing in different places, but there is no border that exists in this gaming virtual world and people are playing in the same match with the players who live in different places. This is one thing that we are not able to see in the traditional sports and the biggest strength of the Esports. The uniqueness of Esports is that all the players do not need to physically get together to play a game. If you want to play soccer, obviously all the 22 players need to be in the same field physically. People do not have a sense of local attachment from the beginning in the world of modern Esports because the gaming community is existing in the virtual world and the border does not exist in this virtual community. This unique environment is one of the biggest factors that makes Esports the fastest growing sport in the entire sports industry these days, and this rapid growth is supported by those younger gamers. Esports is still a new sport compared to other traditional sports, so they will follow a similar or different path that traditional sports took and will be part of those popular leagues in the future.
ContributorsSannomiya, Akie (Author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / McIntosh, Daniel (Committee member) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
The purpose of this thesis is to cover the multiple aspects of Major League Baseball Expansion from 30 to 32 teams. The thesis can be divided into two parts with the first being the preparation and consideration for expansion, and the second half is about the execution and implementation of adding two expansion teams to the league.
For years, Commissioner Rob Manfred has hinted and brought about the idea of adding two more teams to Major League Baseball (Mitchell). The growth of the game is of utmost importance, and they have made many changes to try to expand the growth of fans the past few years particularly catered to new and young fans. New rules like a pitch clock and mound visit limitations are examples of in game changes made to speed up the game, but they have also experimented with spring training and regular season games internationally or at new venues. In just the past decade, games have been played or planned (due to COVID-19 cancellations) in Monterrey, Mexico City, London, Tokyo, San Juan, Montreal, Las Vegas, Williamsport, and even Iowa. With the exception of the Williamsport Little League Classic and the Field of Dreams game in Iowa, all these locations had games to see what the atmosphere and logistics would be like with expansion in mind as a possibility in the future. With this in mind, this thesis will analyze and come to a conclusion on the following cities for the best fits for expansion: Monterrey, Mexico City, San Juan, Vancouver, Montreal, Las Vegas, Portland, Nashville, Raleigh, and San Antonio.
For years, Commissioner Rob Manfred has hinted and brought about the idea of adding two more teams to Major League Baseball (Mitchell). The growth of the game is of utmost importance, and they have made many changes to try to expand the growth of fans the past few years particularly catered to new and young fans. New rules like a pitch clock and mound visit limitations are examples of in game changes made to speed up the game, but they have also experimented with spring training and regular season games internationally or at new venues. In just the past decade, games have been played or planned (due to COVID-19 cancellations) in Monterrey, Mexico City, London, Tokyo, San Juan, Montreal, Las Vegas, Williamsport, and even Iowa. With the exception of the Williamsport Little League Classic and the Field of Dreams game in Iowa, all these locations had games to see what the atmosphere and logistics would be like with expansion in mind as a possibility in the future. With this in mind, this thesis will analyze and come to a conclusion on the following cities for the best fits for expansion: Monterrey, Mexico City, San Juan, Vancouver, Montreal, Las Vegas, Portland, Nashville, Raleigh, and San Antonio.
ContributorsLieberman, Jake Robert (Author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / McIntosh, Daniel (Committee member) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
While basketball has been traditionally regarded as an American sport, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has gained substantial traction outside the United States over the past decade. In order to further encourage attention from international fans and increase league profit, I propose that the league adds an expansion team to Mexico City. I believe that through thorough market research and conscientious brand development, the team be successfully integrated into both the local community as well as the league’s current fan base. Local infrastructure, player safety, border customs, and financials were all taken into consideration into this proposal. The purpose of this project is twofold: first, to advocate for league expansion of the NBA into Mexico City through discussion and exploration of both the anticipated opportunities and obstacles, and second, to design three brand concepts and then propose a final brand concept based off of qualitative and quantitative feedback systematically collected via a survey.
ContributorsArd, Dalin Max (Author) / Montoya, Detra (Thesis director) / McIntosh, Daniel (Committee member) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
The first chapter of the Seattle SuperSonics’ story is one full of pride, including a championship run in the 1970s, being one of the most popular teams of the 1990s, along with having an incredibly loyal fan base. The next chapter of that story is one filled with painful memories for those same loyal fans. In 2008, the team was stripped away from Seattle, eventually landing in Oklahoma City, leaving countless people heartbroken and a gaping hole in the professional sports landscape. For some people, that removal was where the story ended; for many, however, that was just the end of another chapter. The movement to bring the SuperSonics back to the city and their beloved fans began the day after the team left town, and has been going strong ever since. While the voices of fans cry out for a return, many critics say that a new team would no longer be able to flourish in Seattle, and that the NBA should stand pat where they are. This project seeks to determine the truth to that statement by investigating one central question: Should the Seattle SuperSonics be brought back to life? The question is viewed through a pair of perspectives over the course of this paper. The first is based in business, where I completed a thorough analysis that covers five major factors that are crucial to determining success. The second is that of the fans, which was accessed through a survey created to figure out what truly was important to them when looking at a new team. After these perspectives have been examined, the project will turn to the debate that asks which form of reentry would be more efficient for a rebuild: league expansion or relocation of a current franchise. I feel as though this topic is one that should be more well known across the realm of sports, and wanted to shine a light on it through this process. No fan would ever want to experience the kind of loss that comes with their favorite team being taken away, and I believe that acknowledging past failures can help leagues make better decisions in the future.
ContributorsKoufidakis, Nicholas (Author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / McIntosh, Daniel (Committee member) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
The Arizona Fall League is a baseball league affiliated with Major League Baseball to provide further development to seven of each MLB team’s top minor league prospects. The games are played at the same stadiums as spring training in Arizona but historically draw a very low attendance in comparison. The marketing strategies currently used to promote and advertise the Arizona Fall League are not sufficient to meet the goal of increased attendance and increased profits as a result. The league currently markets its core product to the customer, meaning the actual baseball game itself along with the highly talented players, rather than the actual product provided to fans, meaning the social utility they gain from their experiences at an Arizona Fall League game along with the game. The league needs to focus mainly on two target markets: men and women ages 18-25 and families with children under 18. In order to shift the focus to the actual product, the league’s marketing staff should run promotions (alongside their current promotions) in association with local sports bars or restaurants and places that provide entertainment, such as Top Golf. They also should revamp their social media accounts to integrate a more fan-focused base for their posts, making fans feel like they are a greater part of the experience. These improvements would drive up attendance and generate more profits for the Arizona Fall League.
ContributorsMcCann, Matthew Donald (Author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / McIntosh, Daniel (Committee member) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
The concept of branding has been around for centuries, but personal branding is a relatively new concept that has been defined and executed by many public figures. With the rise of technological advancements like social media, professional athletes have ample opportunities to connect with consumers outside of their respective court. Our thesis team conducted research with Dr. John Eaton and Professor Daniel McIntosh to analyze how athletes’ actions and behaviors affect consumers’ opinions about their brand.
We developed multiple surveys that were distributed to Marketing & Business Performance (MKT 300) students at Arizona State University and AWS Mechanical Turk Workers. The goal of obtaining information from both college students and paid survey-takers was to compile a diverse set of opinions regarding how consumers react to athletes’ social media and public behavior. This led us to analyze how consumers interact with athletes on social media platforms based on the sport they play and consequences of their actions. After examining our consumer research, interviewing executives in the legal background, and talking to some of the university’s top-prospective athletes to gain different viewpoints, we created consumer and athlete categories.
We established six main consumer categories and six main athlete social media strategy personas in order to create social media strategy recommendations. With this information, athletes have the opportunity to develop well-thought out social media strategies that are more tailored to their fan base(s). Athletes must be cognizant of how the content on their social media accounts and their public actions will affect consumers’ perceptions about who they are and their personal brand.
We developed multiple surveys that were distributed to Marketing & Business Performance (MKT 300) students at Arizona State University and AWS Mechanical Turk Workers. The goal of obtaining information from both college students and paid survey-takers was to compile a diverse set of opinions regarding how consumers react to athletes’ social media and public behavior. This led us to analyze how consumers interact with athletes on social media platforms based on the sport they play and consequences of their actions. After examining our consumer research, interviewing executives in the legal background, and talking to some of the university’s top-prospective athletes to gain different viewpoints, we created consumer and athlete categories.
We established six main consumer categories and six main athlete social media strategy personas in order to create social media strategy recommendations. With this information, athletes have the opportunity to develop well-thought out social media strategies that are more tailored to their fan base(s). Athletes must be cognizant of how the content on their social media accounts and their public actions will affect consumers’ perceptions about who they are and their personal brand.
ContributorsRishwain, Demetra Nicole (Co-author) / Delgado, Samantha (Co-author) / Sminkey, Marie (Co-author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / McIntosh, Daniel (Committee member) / Department of Marketing (Contributor, Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
The landscape of professional sporting venues within the United States is changing. From 1990-2018, within the four main American professional sports leagues, 20 new NHL arenas, 24 new NBA arenas, 22 new NFL stadiums, and 26 new MLB stadiums were built. As the industry morphs, a handful of new initiatives are being worked into the construct of these venues including increased commercial areas for shopping and restaurants and sharing of the venues between two organizations in an attempt to increase the overall utilization of the spaces. Additionally, in Detroit, San Francisco and Atlanta, where new stadiums and arenas were just recently introduced, the municipalities are using the venues to catalyze further growth and development within the city. However, these trends, while innovative, are tethered to high prices.
This thesis seeks to analyze the changes in how current stadiums are being funded, the public’s reaction to and perception of those financing plans and what the future might hold. Research showed that tax dollars are increasingly unpopular and teams are moving away from using public money to fund sports venues. Gathered for this report, survey data of 815 Arizona State University students supported anecdotal evidence that people within a community are relatively unhappy with the idea of their money being used to partially subsidize wealthy sports organizations’ infrastructure. Altogether, recent evidence suggests that multi-use facilities funded in majority by private wealth are more popular and generate greater economic impact for the municipality than earlier in history, when heavily subsidized venues allowed teams to take advantage of local government and created fan mistrust.
This thesis seeks to analyze the changes in how current stadiums are being funded, the public’s reaction to and perception of those financing plans and what the future might hold. Research showed that tax dollars are increasingly unpopular and teams are moving away from using public money to fund sports venues. Gathered for this report, survey data of 815 Arizona State University students supported anecdotal evidence that people within a community are relatively unhappy with the idea of their money being used to partially subsidize wealthy sports organizations’ infrastructure. Altogether, recent evidence suggests that multi-use facilities funded in majority by private wealth are more popular and generate greater economic impact for the municipality than earlier in history, when heavily subsidized venues allowed teams to take advantage of local government and created fan mistrust.
ContributorsKleen, Brendon (Co-author) / Cwiakala, Alec (Co-author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / McIntosh, Daniel (Committee member) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Comm (Contributor, Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
The landscape of professional sporting venues within the United States is changing. From 1990-2018, within the four main American professional sports leagues, 20 new NHL arenas, 24 new NBA arenas, 22 new NFL stadiums, and 26 new MLB stadiums were built. As the industry morphs, a handful of new initiatives are being worked into the construct of these venues including increased commercial areas for shopping and restaurants and sharing of the venues between two organizations in an attempt to increase the overall utilization of the spaces. Additionally, in Detroit, San Francisco and Atlanta, where new stadiums and arenas were just recently introduced, the municipalities are using the venues to catalyze further growth and development within the city. However, these trends, while innovative, are tethered to high prices.
This thesis seeks to analyze the changes in how current stadiums are being funded, the public’s reaction to and perception of those financing plans and what the future might hold. Research showed that tax dollars are increasingly unpopular and that teams are moving away from using public money to fund sports venues. Gathered for this report, survey data of 815 Arizona State University students supported anecdotal evidence that people within a community are relatively unhappy with the idea of their money being used to partially subsidize wealthy sports organizations’ infrastructure. Altogether, recent evidence suggests that multi-use facilities funded in majority by private wealth are more popular and generate greater economic impact for the municipality than earlier in history, when heavily subsidized venues allowed teams to take advantage of local government and created fan mistrust. Additionally, sporting organizations can increase value to their consumer by incorporating additional commercial properties into the venue and by collaborating with the public regarding the financing structure of the venue.
This thesis seeks to analyze the changes in how current stadiums are being funded, the public’s reaction to and perception of those financing plans and what the future might hold. Research showed that tax dollars are increasingly unpopular and that teams are moving away from using public money to fund sports venues. Gathered for this report, survey data of 815 Arizona State University students supported anecdotal evidence that people within a community are relatively unhappy with the idea of their money being used to partially subsidize wealthy sports organizations’ infrastructure. Altogether, recent evidence suggests that multi-use facilities funded in majority by private wealth are more popular and generate greater economic impact for the municipality than earlier in history, when heavily subsidized venues allowed teams to take advantage of local government and created fan mistrust. Additionally, sporting organizations can increase value to their consumer by incorporating additional commercial properties into the venue and by collaborating with the public regarding the financing structure of the venue.
ContributorsCwiakala, Alec (Co-author) / Kleen, Brendon (Co-author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / McIntosh, Daniel (Committee member) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
Sports business is currently among the fastest growing industries in China. The purpose of this project is to investigate the reasons sports business is growing so fast in China. This project will provide insight as to how the Chinese people and its government have ramped up the levels of sports participation and expenditures on sports infrastructure. In the past 10 years, China has developed one of the fastest growing economies in the world. China's sport sector potentially has become the next big growth market in the world. Although it is an emerging and fragile industry, the Chinese government has focused on turning the sports industry into the next big thing in the Chinese business sector. This study identifies and explains five major factors impacting sports in China: 1) the rise of famous Chinese and international athletes, 2), the impact of the 2012 Summer Olympics in Beijing, 3) a focus on business sponsorship partnerships, 4) strong government support, and 5) a changing cultural view of sports and their importance as a nation. Today, there are so many people who are seeing the untapped potential in the Chinese sports industry as a viable and profitable investment opportunity due in large part to the outstanding growth rate of sports business this past decade. The Chinese government is most supportive of this cultural shift as they recognize the impact of seeking new business opportunities as a driver of economic growth. The support of the Chinese government helps to create an environment of developing gold medal athletes as the success of these athlete inspire other people to increase the awareness of sports. Additionally, a large amount of Chinese sponsors like world known companies, Alibaba, Tencent, and WanDa Group, currently invest their money in the largest international sports events such as FIFA, Olympics, and FIBA. Chinese people are interested in playing sports and buying sports related products because they like following the fashion that is created by their favorite athlete or sports brands. Lastly, the thesis will bring you to see the future outlook in Chinese's sport industry.
ContributorsZhao, Chen Xi (Author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / McIntosh, Daniel (Committee member) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05