The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of ?retro? stadiums on professional baseball franchises. Retro stadiums, baseball-exclusive facilities modeled on classic architectural designs of the past, were built at an increasing rate beginning in 1992 with Baltimore?s Camden Yards. This study analyzed changes in franchises? attendance, winning percentage, revenue and team value in the seasons following a team?s relocation to a retro stadium. Retro stadiums were found to positively increase attendance, revenue and team value for franchises at a higher rate than teams that did not build retro stadiums. An analysis of these variables and a discussion of the results for all individual franchises that constructed retro stadiums during the 1992-2004 period are presented in this study.

<p><P>I developed a new methodology to produce an orthorectified mosaic and a vegetation database of Petersburg National Battlefield using mostly digital methods. Both the mosaic and the database meet National Map Accuracy Standards and proved considerably faster than traditional aerial photograph interpretation methods. I classified vegetation polygons to the formation level using the Nature Conservancy?s National Vegetation Classification System. Urban areas were classified using Mitchell?s Classification Scheme for Urban Forest Mapping with Small-Scale Aerial Photographs. This method reduced the production time by 2/3, compared to traditional methods. It also reduced the chance of user error because re-tracing of the linework is not required. <P>My method started with scanning 75 aerial color IR photos, provided by Petersburg National Battlefield, at 600 dpi. Erdas Imagine was used to rectify the images using United States Geological Service (USGS) Digital Elevation Models (DEM) and black and white USGS Digital Orthophoto Quarter Quadrangles (DOQQ) as reference. The images were then mosaiced to create a seamless color infrared orthorectified basemap of the park. The vegetation polygons were drawn onscreen using ArcMap from Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI) with the color, orthorectified mosaic as a background image. Stereo pairs of the aerial photos were referenced as needed for clarification of the vegetation. I used a minimum mapping unit (mmu) of 0.2 hectares, which exceeds guidelines defined by the United States Geological Survey ? National Park Service Vegetation Mapping Program. This methodology is easily learned quickly and has already been applied to several other studies. <P>The production of an orthorectified mosaic, created during the process, from the aerial photographs greatly increases the value of the photographs at little additional cost to the user. The orthorectified basemap can then be used as a backdrop for existing data layers or it can be used to create new GIS data layers. I used a minimum mapping unit (mmu) of 0.2 hectare, which exceeds guidelines defined by the United States Geological Survey-National Park Service Vegetation Mapping Program<P>Traditionally, vegetation polygons are delineated on acetate for each photograph. The linework on the acetates is then transferred to a basemap using a zoom transfer scope or other transfer instrument. The linework is traced again to digitize it for use in a GIS program. This process is time consuming, and the linework is drawn three times. The redundant tracing increases the chance of user error. My new methodology requires that polygons be delineated only once. I wanted to avoid using the zoom transfer scope and to avoid the redundant linework.<P>A total of 228 polygons were delineated over 20 separate vegetation and land cover classes with an overall thematic accuracy of 87.42% and a Kappa of .8545. Positional accuracy was very good with a RMSE of 1.62 meters in the x direction and 2.81 meters in the y direction. The Kappa and RMSE values compare favorably with accuracies obtained using traditional vegetation mapping methods.<P>

<p>MURPHY, JILL MARIE. The Effect of a One-Time Team Building Exercise on Team Cohesion when working with a NCAA Division I Women?s Basketball Team. Dr. Aram Attarian, Committee Chair. The purpose of this preliminary study was to measure the effects on a one-time team building exercise on team cohesion. A NCAA Division I women?s basketball team participated in this study. The team building exercise used was a rescue simulation. The instrument used to measure team cohesion was the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ). The GEQ was administered one week prior and one week after the rescue simulation. The data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel with StatPlus. After analyzing the data, no significant changes were found between the pretest and posttest. <P>

<p>GREENWOOD, PAUL BRIAN. Sport Fan Team Identification in a Professional Expansion Setting. (Under the direction of Michael A. Kanters.) This study assessed the relationship between team identification of sport fans and a number of different variables including but not limited to: the reasons for initially becoming a fan, specific sport knowledge, and purchasing behavior. A non-random sample of spectators (N = 356) at an Arena Football League (AFL) game completed a survey designed to identify or measure the aforementioned variables. A t-test revealed that males reported significantly higher levels of team identification than females. Analysis using a Pearson correlation matrix showed a positive correlation between team identification and sport knowledge, attendance rate, and purchasing behavior. Likewise, a positive correlation was found between team identification and the following reasons for initially becoming a fan: closest team, born and/or live in the city and/or state, team success, the players and/or coaches, parents and/or family influence, and the tailgating and party atmosphere. The findings have important implications for professional sport franchises in terms of tailoring marketing efforts for potential fans.<P>

<p>The purpose of this study was to objectively assess the economic impact of the 2000 NC State football season on Wake County. Data were collected from several sources to yield an accurate assessment of the economic impact of NC State football on its host community. These sources included: 1) visitor travel and expenditure data, 2) NC State football expenditure data, and 3) relevant data from Wake County. Visitor data were obtained by using two separate samples and surveys. A 20-item questionnaire was mailed to 1,000 randomly selected 2000 NC State football season ticket holders that reside outside of Wake County. In a separate convenience sample, another 1,200 subjects were administered a 12-itmem questionnaire at the Duke game on November 11, 2000. SPSS was then used to generate frequency distributions and summary statistics for the visitors in both samples. NC State football data were supplied by the NC State Athletics Department, and relevant Wake County data were retrieved from several different sources. The economic impact model used in this study (LOCI- Local Area Impact Model) used both local level data and input-output methods to determine the direct, indirect, and induced effects of the 2000 NC State football season on employment, income, and retail activity in Wake County. The multipliers used in this study were derived from input-output analysis of Wake County?s economy using IMPLAN Pro4, and the local level data consisted of the aforementioned visitor data, NC State football data, and relevant Wake County data. The results of the study indicated that the 2000 NC State football season generated 86 new jobs, $2,894,290 of new income, $9,096,507 of new retail spending, and $1,821,707 of new service purchases in Wake County. <P>

<p>The purpose of this study has been to determine the value that a winning athletic program can add to a college or university. The premise for this idea evolved from research regarding the annual U.S. News & World Report college rankings, in which various factors are considered, including reputation. Since the athletic department is frequently referred to as the ?doorstep of the University,? the research sought to determine whether or not a winning athletic program does in fact enhance the reputation of a university, thus making it more appealing to talented students. Along with the annual rankings, a method called the Resource-Based View (RBV) was used to calculate athletic success, based on four characteristics that included win-loss record, compliance, graduation rates and financial health. Using the seven public institutions in the Atlantic Coast Conference as the subjects, the athletic departments were analyzed and ranked based on these criteria and evaluated against each institution?s ranking in U.S News using Spearman?s Correlation Coefficient. Although the results of the study did not result in the strong relationship between a winning athletic department and university success that was predicted, the small sample size was a factor. This study sets up a starting point for a nationwide study of all institutions in the National Collegiate Athletic Association as a follow-up study and has great promise.<P>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2006. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 183-189). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin -- La Crosse, 1982. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 38-40).

This thesis looks at re-investing the landscape with community and environmental purpose, by bringing ‘infrastructure’ into the realm of ‘public works’, focusing on two community issues, that are demonstrative of a general condition that can be transferred to other sites within Toronto or other cities. The first issue discussed is the liminal condition of urban parks in the city. Since Euro-American settlement, there has been a historical devaluation of nature within the city of Toronto. This can be seen through a physical suppression of natural systems and through a psychological separation of nature from the city. The Garrison Creek, a defining element to the landscape of early Toronto, now buried underground, is one example demonstrative of this liminal condition. Proposals, by Brown+Storey Architects, in the 1990s, discussed the re-linkage of remnants of the ravine system, empty lots and urban park spaces, into a cohesive community-park-network and a watershed-system. The design aspect of this thesis builds on Brown+Storey’s neighbourhood park proposals by adding another layer - a supportive housing network. The second community issue discussed is the marginalization of special needs groups within society. The background given is a detailed history of their residential situations, from pre-institutional to Community Living trends, for various marginalized groups; with specific focus on persons with developmental disabilities. The final design proposal links the two community concerns and involves the re-linkage of disconnected neighbourhood parks in the city that would eventually become: a community park system (complete with a storm water management system), and part of a supportive housing network with neighbourhood allotment gardens. Thematically the two issues are linked, with the park as a tool for healing and reconnection of the city and nature relationship, as well as the marginalized group and community relationship. The approach taken is to look specifically at one community park (Trinity-Bellwoods, within the Garrison Creek Ravine system in Toronto), and one disadvantaged group (persons with developmental disabilities). The result is the design of a group-home complex, with varying degrees of support, for persons with developmental disabilities, sited within Trinity-Bellwoods Park. A central issue to this thesis is the use of public park space for supportive housing. Although Toronto’s Official Plan is generally prohibitive of such construction (Section 2.3.2 Policy 4 and 5, Section 4.3 Policy 2), it is the contention of this thesis that including supportive housing and gardens within parks would be highly beneficial for both the marginalized group that would be housed there and the community that it is part of. As such, it is argued that sensitive development of public park space for such a use can have positive results and should be allowed. Parks are intended to be centers for community life. Because of their central location and highly public nature, they lend themselves as venues for interaction –they are an environment where through visibility and awareness, there is encouragement towards openness, compassion, and acceptance. The final design uses gardening, as a tool for personal healing, and as a method for interaction in the form of neighbourhood allotment gardens. The hope is that such an environment would encourage engagement between the disadvantaged group and the community. This increased communication could then lead to personal identification; reducing fear, and ultimately the lessening of isolation or marginalization. Thus the final design proposal is understood as a possible prototype for the urban park, which is augmented as a place truly reflective of a “community” park, alluding to a higher purpose in the city that promotes the common good.

This thesis looks at re-investing the landscape with community and environmental purpose, by bringing ‘infrastructure’ into the realm of ‘public works’, focusing on two community issues, that are demonstrative of a general condition that can be transferred to other sites within Toronto or other cities. The first issue discussed is the liminal condition of urban parks in the city. Since Euro-American settlement, there has been a historical devaluation of nature within the city of Toronto. This can be seen through a physical suppression of natural systems and through a psychological separation of nature from the city. The Garrison Creek, a defining element to the landscape of early Toronto, now buried underground, is one example demonstrative of this liminal condition. Proposals, by Brown+Storey Architects, in the 1990s, discussed the re-linkage of remnants of the ravine system, empty lots and urban park spaces, into a cohesive community-park-network and a watershed-system. The design aspect of this thesis builds on Brown+Storey’s neighbourhood park proposals by adding another layer - a supportive housing network. The second community issue discussed is the marginalization of special needs groups within society. The background given is a detailed history of their residential situations, from pre-institutional to Community Living trends, for various marginalized groups; with specific focus on persons with developmental disabilities. The final design proposal links the two community concerns and involves the re-linkage of disconnected neighbourhood parks in the city that would eventually become: a community park system (complete with a storm water management system), and part of a supportive housing network with neighbourhood allotment gardens. Thematically the two issues are linked, with the park as a tool for healing and reconnection of the city and nature relationship, as well as the marginalized group and community relationship. The approach taken is to look specifically at one community park (Trinity-Bellwoods, within the Garrison Creek Ravine system in Toronto), and one disadvantaged group (persons with developmental disabilities). The result is the design of a group-home complex, with varying degrees of support, for persons with developmental disabilities, sited within Trinity-Bellwoods Park. A central issue to this thesis is the use of public park space for supportive housing. Although Toronto’s Official Plan is generally prohibitive of such construction (Section 2.3.2 Policy 4 and 5, Section 4.3 Policy 2), it is the contention of this thesis that including supportive housing and gardens within parks would be highly beneficial for both the marginalized group that would be housed there and the community that it is part of. As such, it is argued that sensitive development of public park space for such a use can have positive results and should be allowed. Parks are intended to be centers for community life. Because of their central location and highly public nature, they lend themselves as venues for interaction –they are an environment where through visibility and awareness, there is encouragement towards openness, compassion, and acceptance. The final design uses gardening, as a tool for personal healing, and as a method for interaction in the form of neighbourhood allotment gardens. The hope is that such an environment would encourage engagement between the disadvantaged group and the community. This increased communication could then lead to personal identification; reducing fear, and ultimately the lessening of isolation or marginalization. Thus the final design proposal is understood as a possible prototype for the urban park, which is augmented as a place truly reflective of a “community” park, alluding to a higher purpose in the city that promotes the common good.