Matching Items (16)
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- All Subjects: sports
- All Subjects: MLB
- Creators: Mokwa, Michael
- Member of: Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
- Status: Published
Description
We were driven by the question: what is happening to the popularity of Major League Baseball? In order to answer this question we compared the league structure of Major League Baseball with that of the National Football League. We were able to speak with five former or current members of the respective leagues in order to gain some insight into how the two leagues operate. The main focus of our research was around the payroll structures of the two leagues as well as their revenue sharing policies. In the end, we discovered that Major League Baseball is becoming highly regionalized. The sport is still growing in popularity in terms of revenue and fan involvement, but it is becoming less popular on a national stage. The league is benefitting greatly from factors like the increasing importance of "TiVo proof programming" and a lack of competition. Each league is very different in its own right. While the NFL promotes a perception of competitive balance, Major League Baseball can be plagued by the negative perception it creates surrounding some of its smaller market teams.
ContributorsHeath, Cameron (Co-author) / Linamen, John (Co-author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / Mokwa, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / WPC Graduate Programs (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / School of Accountancy (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Entering into my final year of W. P. Carey, I decided I wanted my thesis to combine what I've learned over the course of my undergraduate Marketing degree with my passion for baseball. Furthermore, I wanted my thesis to contain both a research element and creative application. I felt the best way to achieve the integration of these goals was to research and then select an MLB team to relocate to a more attractive American market. After performing research to determine an ideal team and city for relocation, I created a comprehensive marketing strategy to best cater this team for its new market. The first half of my thesis focuses entirely on the research required to select an optimal team and attractive market for relocation. I begin my thesis by performing an external analysis of the current MLB landscape. To elaborate, I gathered W-L records and fan attendance records for all 30 MLB teams between 2000 and 2016. I also collected the most recent team revenues and valuations before putting all of this data in Excel to create visual graphs. Using this data, I determine a list of the top 4 most attractive teams for relocation based on consistently poor performance in the metrics I collected data on. After selecting the Tampa Bay Rays as the ideal team to relocate, I then dive deeper into the organization through an internal analysis. Then, I focus on performing an external analysis of the most attractive markets for relocation before ultimately selecting Charlotte, NC as the best city. My research ends with a comprehensive external analysis of the Charlotte, NC market to help in creating a brand that caters to the makeup and culture of the distinct city. My analysis of Charlotte focuses on the city's demographics, population growth, local economy, political environment and trends that could impact target market segments. After performing extensive research on identifying the best team and city for a relocation, I switch gears to developing a comprehensive marketing strategy to best help the team achieve success in its new market. This begins with creating a unifying segmentation, targeting, and positioning strategy to outline the direction the team will take. These strategies place tremendous emphasis on the need for the Charlotte team to create an "irresistible cultural experience" that expands the traditional MLB mold to attract young Millennial fans to games that normally wouldn't be interested in attending games. Next, I begin by developing key elements of the brand including the team name, logos, uniforms, sponsors, and stadium. With the stadium, I even go as far as determining an ideal location along with unique features, such as lawn seating and even local vendors that have appeared on Food Network to add to the cultural experience of the brand. Then, I focus on a unifying initial marketing campaign through TV/print ads, radio ads, social media, and public relations to help the team seamlessly transition into its new home. My thesis ends with recommendations for future steps to take to ensure the relocated organization achieves lasting success in its new city.
ContributorsSchwartz, Justin David (Author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / Mokwa, Michael (Committee member) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
Las Vegas, Nevada has been considered the "Entertainment Capital of the World" bolstering what seems like endless possibilities and attractions for those who come looking to have a good time. From the many storied casinos that line The Strip, to replicas of wonders of the world, and the countless attractions the city hosts such as the world-renowned shows and other blockbuster events, Vegas seems to have it all. However, one thing seems to be missing \u2014 professional sports. This project highlights the introduction of Las Vegas' first ever professional sports franchise, the Golden Knights, along with the journey it took to get there. Beginning with origins of professional hockey and the foundation of the NHL in 1927, the League has grown substantially in size that spans over 19 states, from coast to coast, across the country. From the NHL's first expansion in 1967, the league has witnessed immense growth through the influence of broadcasting rights and seen through increased television ratings, in-game attendance numbers, and youth hockey registration numbers in markets throughout the United States. The growth and promotion of hockey culture in regions outside the North and Northeastern part of the nation have led to the recent expansion of hockey into Las Vegas. This thesis covers the steps in which the new Vegas franchise was formed, in addition to the key factors that led to the team's incredible inaugural season success which has marked them the most successful expansion team ALL North American sports history. Finally, after displaying the contributions the Golden Knights have had on the ice, this thesis illustrates the impact the team has made off the ice both for the Las Vegas economy and the local community. Through the construction of Vegas' state of the art arena, the franchise's ticket and merchandise sales, the media value and attention the team has brought to Las Vegas, and the increase in jobs created for the city, the Golden Knights have been generating hundreds of millions of dollars for Las Vegas. As the city's first professional sports franchise, the Golden Knights have truly become a successful addition to the "Entertainment Capital of the World," and to the NHL itself.
ContributorsDickson Darr, Gage (Author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / Mokwa, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Incidents relating to professional/collegiate athletes and their use of social media have been a prominent topic in the news for the last several years. For collegiate athletes, a distasteful, offensive post can have a substantial impact on the rest of their lives, as he/she can have scholarships revoked, legal action taken upon them, and professional offers cut. An athlete's poor actions will affect their brand image and that of the school whose uniform they wear. Outcry over these incidents have caused teams, themselves, to compensate in a variety of ways. The following thesis is a narrative representation of these incidents, resulting outcry, and desperate compensation. The narrative touches upon the impact social media can have on a team, athletic department, and university. It explores the rules/restrictions of social media, marketing concepts such as branding, the right to free speech, and the impact/consequences of bad choices. The narrative is preceded and followed by analysis of real-world examples to provide sound rationale for the actions taken in the narrative.
ContributorsBornhoft, Holly Marie (Author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / Mokwa, Michael (Committee member) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
The changing student demographics of schools in the US offer opportunities to introduce new curriculum. Schools are seeing an increase in the diversity within classrooms, including an increase in the amount of students from other countries. This project discusses the potential benefits of introducing four specific Global Young Adult novels to high school classrooms in hopes of achieving a more culturally-responsive classroom. These novels include: Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Now Is the Time for Running by Michael Williams, Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman, and The Red Umbrella by Christina Gonzalez. As there are many arguments for Global YA Literature, this project focuses on the themes of the novels and the implications for the classroom. From a thematic approach, these four novels offer insight into the fluid nature of culture, as the characters must balance different identities as they move around the world. These themes can be used to create dialogue between students on cultural identity and how cultural surroundings affect their identities. These novels can also give students a more empathetic approach as they encounter cultural differences, creating a better community within the classroom.
ContributorsBurbank, Nicole Lauren (Author) / Durand, Sybil (Thesis director) / Clark-Oakes, Angela (Committee member) / Department of English (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2015-12
Description
In this formative research project, we seek to better understand the general barriers to refugee access to higher education. Using mixed methods research--which included surveys, interviews, and course data--we evaluate the benefits and challenges experienced by refugee students in Israel who are enrolled in Arizona State University's Education for Humanity programs. In the end, this case study resulted in 24 recommend programmatic changes designed to eliminate the barriers that prevent refugee students from accessing and succeeding in higher education.
ContributorsJackman, Julia (Co-author) / Altaf, Amal (Co-author) / DeLargy, Pamela (Thesis director) / Mokwa, Michael (Committee member) / School of Civic & Economic Thought and Leadership (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution & Social Change (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
In this formative research project, we seek to better understand the general barriers to refugee access to higher education. Using mixed methods research--which included surveys, interviews, and course data--we evaluate the benefits and challenges experienced by refugee students in Israel who are enrolled in Arizona State University's Education for Humanity programs. In the end, this case study resulted in 24 recommend programmatic changes designed to eliminate the barriers that prevent refugee students from accessing and succeeding in higher education.
ContributorsAltaf, Amal (Co-author) / Jackman, Julia (Co-author) / DeLargy, Pamela (Thesis director) / Mokwa, Michael (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution & Social Change (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
The goal of my thesis is to discover what fans, specifically students, want to see at the games and what different marketing efforts will encourage them to attend these games more frequently. I will also be analyzing what different factors of the game impact attendance the most to minimize these obstacles for consumers. I look at past research and trends when it comes to attendance, determining which factors and attributes of the game influence the students the most. Students are a portion of the target audience for the Diamondbacks which is the audience I will be focusing on. I conduct research to find the overall interest in sports and find out what influences students to attend games. The student ticket program with the Arizona Diamondbacks is available to all students over the age of 18, and I will find out how knowledgeable students are about this program along with their level of interest. I will then determine what steps the Diamondbacks should take next to combat the decreasing attendance levels.
ContributorsKenny, Carsen (Author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / Mokwa, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor)
Created2023-05
ContributorsKenny, Carsen (Author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / Mokwa, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor)
Created2023-05
ContributorsKenny, Carsen (Author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / Mokwa, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor)
Created2023-05