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The purpose of the study was fourfold. The first purpose was to determine the degree to which Indiana high school athletic directors consider work to be a central life interest. The second purpose of the study was to determine if there is a significant difference between the proportions of athletic directors of small and large high schools determined to be work oriented as measured by the Central Life Interest Inventory. The third purpose of the study was to determine if there is a significant difference in the leadership effectiveness of athletic directors who are highly interested in their work as compared to athletic directors who are least interested in their work as a central life interest. The fourth purpose of the study was to determine if there is a significant difference between the leadership effectiveness of athletic directors who are intensely interested in being athletic director in either small or large high schools.The Central Life Interest Inventory and the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire – Form XII were utilized to gather data. Three null hypotheses were tested using the Multivariate Analysis of Variance. The .05 level of significance was established as the critical probability level for the non-acceptance of hypotheses.Conclusions1.Thirty-one, or 24%, of the one-hundred and thirty-one athletic directors participating in the study consider their work as a central life interest.2.A statistical analysis showed that there is no statistically significant difference in the central life interest between the proportions of work oriented athletic directors from the small and large high schools.3.A statistical analysis showed that there is no statistically significant difference between the average ratings of Group I (highly interested in work) and Group II (least interested in work) when rated by subordinate head coaches relative to the twelve factors of leadership.4.A statistical analysis showed that there is a statistically significant difference between the average ratings of small and large high school athletic directors by subordinate head coaches relative to the twelve factors of leadership. However, the difference was not interpretable using the Univariate Analysis of Variance statistics.

<p> The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of smart device's interactivity on customer value co-creation in the sports industry through bridging social capital and collective efficacy. A total of 262 students participated in the study, and a structural equation modeling (SEM) was carried out to measures the relationship between variables in the conceptual model. The results revealed that interactivity consisting of user control, responsiveness, and synchronicity had a significant impact on bridging social capital. In addition, both technological interactivity and bridging social capital were positively associated with collective efficacy. Lastly, collective efficacy had a positive influence on co-creation value, but bridging social capital did not appear to directly affect co-creation value. Based on these results, this study suggests the need to take advantage of new platforms that can build value co-creation with customers in the rapidly changing marketing environment. </p>

<p> Government funding shortages are changing the financial landscape of collegiate athletic programs. Athletic administrators struggling to discover alternative financial sources have frequently focused their efforts on increasing home game attendance, which leads to increased concession and licensing revenues. The problem is that schools sporting programs will continue to lose funds if schools do not attract and maintain a larger fan base at athletic events. The purpose of this multiple case study is to identify and explore the factors that motivate fans attendance at NCAA Division II football games using both a survey and interviews at four universities within the Great American Conference, the Lone Star Conference, and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The research study that is employed is based on multiple case study and triangulated data collected from a small sample group at four universities: Northeastern State, Southeastern Oklahoma State, Southwestern Oklahoma State, and West Texas A &amp; M. Data collection methods included the administration of a Sport Fan Motivation Scale survey to fans at a home game for each university, individual interviews of the sample group athletic directors, and review of online sources. Key results of the study yielded significant insight into optimal methodologies athletic administrators can employ to increase program revenues by increasing home game attendance. The findings were evaluated based upon the data collected utilizing four research questions. Economic factors were most likely to affect motivation of fans to attend home football games. Game attractiveness factors have a positive effect on fans at home football games. Demographic factors affect the motivation of fans to attend home football games. Residual factors affect the motivation of fans to attend football games. Many commonalities were found in the collected data that helped to identify themes and connect this information to previous research described in the literature review. A review of economic, team oriented, demographic, and ancillary factors yielded results indicating that integration of promotional activities, ensuring ample parking space for non-tailgaters, and a feeling of commitment or identification with the team are means to increase attendance. </p>

<p> This study purposely examined the types of extrinsic rewards in male youth soccer programs and measures those that are most preferred by players to influence their participation motivation. It also checked if young soccer players skew towards programs that provide more reward opportunities. For this reason, 1000 teenage soccer players were randomized in an online survey administered by a community-based organization. 800 chose programs that provided extrinsic rewards and identified fame, trophies, travel, scholarship, exposure opportunities and money as the six main rewards that influenced their decision to join soccer programs.</p><p> A Participation Motivation Questionnaire (PMQ) was then modified using the identified factors and issued to 400 participants between ages 14-18 years, randomly selected from 20 Las Vegas soccer clubs in another survey to rank extrinsic rewards according to importance. Data was collected and entered into the SPSS 17.0 software for analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate frequencies, percentages, mean, and standard deviation. Cronbach alpha was applied to measure internal consistencies based on the demographics and attitudes towards participation motivation. One way ANOVA sought to determine the extent to which the identified extrinsic rewards affected participation motivation, and regression analysis examined the relationships across all factors.</p><p> Results from data analysis revealed that, exposure opportunities constituted the most important extrinsic reward that influenced young male soccer players' decision to join soccer programs. Scholarship, travel, fame, money and trophies followed suit. One-way ANOVA showed that race had a significant effect on scholarship, exposure opportunities, and fame. Multivariate regressions revealed that young players that are more motivated by scholarship, fame and travel tended to have higher ability levels. These effects were held even after adjusting for grade and age.</p><p> Results from the online survey also concluded that more young players tend to be attracted to soccer programs that provide extrinsic reward opportunities. Thus, extrinsic rewards should be considered and included in programs to enhance motivation.</p>

<p> Building upon the Sport Experience Design (SX) framework of Funk (2017), this dissertation investigates consumer experience with activewear in different usage contexts. The intersection of user and context in the SX framework is examined by integrating the means-end chain theory of Gutman (1982) and the situation research of Belk (1975). This theoretical integration creates a conceptual approach to understand how consumers construct and evaluate the sport experience in different contexts. Three research questions were asked about what types of perceptions consumers develop with activewear, how the perceptions form the means-end chain structure, and how the structure varies across fitness and non-fitness contexts. Findings of Study 1 revealed five important attributes (i.e., fashion design, color and pattern, fit, functional design, and fabric), four consequences (i.e., physical appearance, physical comfort, social relationship, and task facilitation), and three end-state values (i.e., fun and enjoyment, self-respect, and sense of accomplishment) that connect and form the means-end chain structure. Informed by findings of Study 1, Study 2 found the direction of means-end chain structure and its specific paths vary across fitness and non-fitness contexts. Findings contribute to the SX framework by using the means-end chain theory as a theoretical approach to examine consumers&rsquo; experience with a sport product while considering the context in which the product is used. Practical implications are provided on how brands can link product attributes with consumers&rsquo; self-concepts to enhance the consumer experience.</p><p>

M.Ed. (Education Management)

<p> Since the introduction of the Functional Movement Screen (FMS), researchers explored how resulting scores related to injury incidence, often by utilizing the sum score of all seven patterns. This study isolated the shoulder mobility screen and upper body injury incidence for collegiate Division II football athletes at a private Midwestern university. The researcher was interested in determining if pain on the screen indicated by a score of 0, too much or too little mobility, left to right asymmetry, and general score of the screen were related to upper body and/or shoulder injuries for football athletes during the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 academic years. Injuries were classified as all reported and recorded and as injuries resulting in three or more days lost from practices or games. Additionally, the head football strength and conditioning coaches and head football athletic trainer were interviewed to provide information related to perceptions of effectiveness of the FMS in identification of injury and barriers to implementation of FMS results. Many significant conditions were identified in the 2014-2015 cohort related to shoulder mobility score and injury likelihood, while only one condition was identified in the 2015-2016 cohort. This lack of transferability from one academic year to the next, in conjunction with the limitations of time and resources identified by the strength and conditioning and athletic training staff, led the researcher to express concern in the utilization of the FMS shoulder mobility screen as a consistent primary tool in the identification of potential injury of the upper body and prescription of individual corrective exercise for this population.</p><p>

The aggregate of a sport team's fans may be viewed as a consumption community that surrounds the team and its brand (Devasagayam & Buff, 2008; Hickman & Ward, 2007). Beneath this larger consumption umbrella, smaller groups of consumers may exist (Dholakia, Bagozzi, & Pearo, 2004), such as specific supporter groups for a team. Individuals thus may identify with multiple layers of the consumption group simultaneously (Brodsky & Marx, 2001; Hornsey & Hogg, 2000). Although past researchers have studied supporter groups (Giulianotti, 1996, 1999a; Parry & Malcolm, 2004) and consumption communities (Kozinets, 2001; Muñiz & O'Guinn, 2001; McAlexander, Schouten, & Koenig, 2002), there has been limited research on the interaction among subgroups within the superordinate group. The current study examines the American Outlaws (AO), a supporter group for the United States men's national soccer team (USMNT). AO members belong to local AO chapters (subgroups) as well the national (superordinate) group. This structure creates multiple levels of identification and is conducive to studying the phenomenon in question. Through employing a grounded theory methodology, data were collected via participant observation and ethnographic interviews over a two year period. The current study identifies six prominent foci of identification among AO members: the USMNT, the United States of America (national identity), the sport of soccer, AO National, AO Local, and one's small social group. These identities are found to be mutually reinforcing and shape members' interactions with the team, the supporter group, and social groups therein. Specifically, the regional subgroups (AO Local chapters) create opportunities for social interaction, which fosters members' sense of community and group identification. In turn, this strengthens group cohesion at the subgroup and superordinate group levels. Further, supporter group members alter their team consumption experiences by creating places of prolonged identity salience at live games and when watching games on television. These events increase identification with the supporter group and its related identities. For practitioners, implications of this study include the understanding of supporter groups' impact on members' frequency and duration of brand-related consumption.

Over the last decade, both academic and business literatures in marketing have emphasized the importance of customer equity that considers customers as most important company assets. In this hyper-competitive business environment, the need to obtain competitive advantage and retain customers has led to an increased attention to relationship equity, which is one of the three drivers of customer equity and theorized to arise from relational marketing efforts. However, relationship equity theory has received minimal attention in the spectator sport setting. Rather, most focus has been given to identifying factors that drive up customer loyalty and positive market outcomes from the value and brand equity aspects. This research provides a framework for understanding relationship equity and its impact on customer retention and loyalty based on customer equity theory (Rust et al., 2001) in a spectator sport setting. This model suggests some antecedent conditions that lead to relationship equity, which eventually results in customer retention and positive behavioral marketplace outcomes. In order to examine the proposed links in the framework, structural equation modeling (SEM) was run using a sample of season ticket holders of a professional sport team. A survey design was used to empirically investigate this proposed phenomenon within a minor league ice hockey context in the northeastern region of the United States of America. The results support the thesis that relationship equity is important to customer retention and desired marketplace consequences. The study found that four antecedents (benevolence, communication, quality of alternatives and personal investment) are significantly related to relationship equity. Relationship equity fully mediates the relationship between antecedents and all dependent constructs. Affective commitment partially mediates the relationship between relationship equity and behavioral loyalty, thus showing double mediation effects. In addition, the results demonstrate that both the proposed structural model and the alternative model have a similar good overall fit. However, this dissertation adopted the alternative model because the chi-square difference test showed significance between the two models and also because the alternative model identified the double mediating role of relationship equity and affective commitment. Based on the findings, this study recommends that sport managers should primarily focus on creating and maintaining relationship equity in order to achieve customer retention and firm’s profitability.