Athlete branding in less popular sport: a triadic approach
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5585/podium.v9i4.17580Keywords:
Athlete brand, Sports management, Brand authenticity, Sport marketing, Taha AkgülAbstract
Objective of the study: Despite the opportunities to develop athlete brands, many athletes in less popular sport still struggle with developing their brands. Therefore, the current study aimed to contribute to the existing athlete branding literature and practitioners by providing a better and holistic understanding of athlete branding in less popular sport.
Methodology: The current we employed a triadic approach that was involved with three stakeholders: Athlete, fans, and media to explore important factors in athlete branding strategies in less popular sport.
Originality/ Relevance: There is less focus on less popular sport and their stakeholders branding. With increasing interest from fans less popular sport and their athletes are gaining more attention than ever. Thus, the study opted to discuss an ignored phenomenon in the context of athlete branding.
Main results: The result of the study identified four main themes and eight associated subthemes based on both the interview and media content analysis. These main and subthemes include (1) performance (on-field success, competition level), (2) personal/private (off-field characteristics, impression management), (3) business/marketing (athlete promotion, merchandized products), and (4) contextual factor (sport nature, proximity).
Theoretical / methodological contributions current study contributed in the existing literature of athlete branding via focusing a top athlete of less popular sport.
Downloads
References
Aaker, D. (1991). Managing Brand Equity: Capitalizing on the Value of a Brand Name. New York: Free press.
Agyemang, K. (2011). Athlete brand revitalisation after a transgression. Journal of Sponsorship, 4, 137–144.
Agyemang, K. J. A., & Williams, A. S. (2013). Creating revenue via Organisational “Brandpression” Management (OBpM): A marriage of brand management and impression management in professional sport. International Journal of Revenue Management, 7(2), 171–181.
Agyemang, K. J. A., Williams, A. S., & Kim, D. (2015). “Scandalous!”: Reputation, impression management, and employee assistance programs (EAPs) in the NBA. Sport Management Review, 18(4), 609–617.
Ali-Choudhury, R., Bennett, R., & Savani, S. (2009). University marketing directors’ views on the components of a university brand. International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, 6(1), 11.
Andreff, W. (2006). Sport in Developing Countries. In W. Andreff & S. Szymanski (Eds.), Handbook on the Economics of Sport (pp. 308–315). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
Arai, A., Ko, Y. J., & Kaplanidou, K. (2013). Athlete brand image: scale development and model test. European Sport Management Quarterly, 13(4), 383–403.
Arai, A., Ko, Y. J., & Ross, S. (2014). Branding athletes: Exploration and conceptualization of athlete brand image. Sport Management Review, 17(2), 97–106.
Augestad, P., Bergsgard, N. A., & Hansen, A. Ø. (2006). The institutionalization of an elite sport organization in Norway: The case of “Olympiatoppen”. Sociology of Sport Journal, 23, 293-313.
Berg, B. (2000). Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences. Needham, MA: Allyn & Bacon
Biscaia, R., Correia, A., Ross, S., Rosado, A., & Maroco, J. (2013). Spectator-Based Brand Equity in Professional Soccer. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 22(1), 20–32.
Bolino, M., Kacmar, M., Turnley, H., & Gilstrap, B. (2008). A multi-level review of impression management motives and behaviors. Journal of Management, 34(6), 1080–1109.
Browne, K. (2005). Snowball sampling: using social networks to research non‐heterosexual women. International journal of social research methodology, 8(1), 47-60.
Campbell, J., Quincy, C., Osserman, J., & Pedersen, O. (2013). Coding In-depth Semistructured Interviews: Problems of Unitization and Intercoder Reliability and Agreement. Sociological Methods & Research, 42(3), 294–320.
Carter, D. M. (2010). Money Games: Profiting From the Convergence of Sports and Entertainment. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
Chadwick, S., & Burton, N. (2008). From Beckham to Ronaldo -- Assessing the nature of football player brands. Journal of Sponsorship, 1(4), 307–317.
Chen, C.-P. (2013). Exploring Personal Branding on YouTube. Journal of Internet Commerce, 12(4), 332–347.
Chen, C. Y., Lin, Y. H., & Claussen, C. L. (2012). Celebrity endorsement for sporting events using classical conditioning. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 13(3), 46-56.
Choi, S., & Rifon, N. (2007). Who Is the Celebrity in Advertising? Understanding Dimensions of Celebrity Images. The Journal of Popular Culture, 40(2), 304–324.
Chung, K. S., Brown, C., & Willett, J. (2019). Korean MLB players: the effects of motives and identification on fan loyalty. Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal. 9(3):239-254
Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2008). Basics Of Qualitative Research: Techniques And Procedures For Developing Grounded Theory (3rd ed.). London: Sage.
Cortsen, K. (2013). Annika Sörenstam – a hybrid personal sports brand. Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal, 3(1), 37–62.
Creswell, J.W. (2003). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Delisle, M.-P., & Parmentier, M.-A. (2016). Navigating Person-Branding in the Fashion Blogosphere. Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 7(3), 211–224.
Dickson, G., & Santos, M. C. M. (2016). Globalisation and professional sport. In N. Schulenkorf & S. Frawley (Eds.), Critical Issues in Global Sport Management (pp. 115–128). Oxon: Routledge.
Fink, J. S., Cunningham, G. B., & Kensicki, L. J. (2004). Using athletes as endorsers to sell women’s sport: Attractiveness vs. expertise. Journal of Sport management, 18(4), 350-367.
Fink, J. S., Parker, H. M., Brett, M., & Higgins, J. (2009). Off-field behavior of athletes and team identification: Using social identity theory and balance theory to explain fan reactions. Journal of Sport Management, 23, 142-155.
Fişne, M., Gül, M., & Soygüden, A. (2017). Assessment of Expectations and Perceptions of Sport Business Customers for Service Quality: A Study of Sport Business Sector in Sivas, Turkey. Pamukkale Journal of Sport Sciences, 8(1), 1–13.
Franck, E., & Nüesch, S. (2012). Talent and/or Popularity: What Does It Take To Be a Superstar? Economic Inquiry, 50(1), 202–216.
Geurin, A. N. (2017). Elite female athletes’ perceptions of new media use relating to their careers: A qualitative analysis. Journal of Sport Management, 31(4), 345-359.
Grant, N., Heere, B., & Dickson, G. (2011). New Sport Teams and the Development of Brand Community. European Sport Management Quarterly, 11(1), 35–54.
Harris, M. (2009). Message in a Bottle: University Advertising During Bowl Games. Innovative Higher Education, 33(5), 285–296.
Hasaan, A., Biscaia, R., & Ross, S. (2019). Understanding athlete brand life cycle. Sport in Society. DOI: 10.1080/17430437.2019.1624722.
Hasaan, A., Kerem, K., Biscaia, R., & Agyemang, K. J. A. (2018). A conceptual framework to understand the creation of athlete brand and its implications. Int. J. Sport Management and Marketing, 18(3), 169–198.
Havard, C. T., Reams, L., & Gray, D. P. (2013). Perceptions of highly identified fans regarding rival teams in US intercollegiate football and men’s basketball. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 14(1-4), 116-132.
Hodge, C., & Walker, M. (2015). Personal branding: a perspective from the professional athlete-level-of-analysis. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 16(1/2), 112-131.
Hsieh, H., & Shannon, S. (2005). Three Approaches to Qualitative Content Analysis. Qual Itative Health Research, 15(9), 1277–1288.
Jonker, L., Elferink‐Gemser, M. T., & Visscher, C. (2009). Talented athletes and academic achievements: a comparison over 14 years. High Ability Studies, 20(1), 55–64.
Keller, K. L. (1993). Conceptualizing, Measuring, Managing Customer-Based Brand Equity. Journal of Marketing, 57(1), 1–22.
Kerr, A. K., & Emery, P. R. (2011). Foreign fandom and the Liverpool FC: a cyber-mediated romance. Soccer & Society, 12(6), 880–896.
Kerr, A. K., & Gladden, J. M. (2008). Extending the understanding of professional team brand equity to the global marketplace. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 3(1–2), 58–77.
Kim, Y. J., & Na, J. H. (2007). Effects of celebrity athlete endorsement on attitude towards the product: the role of credibility, attractiveness and the concept of congruence. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 8(4), 23-33.
Knight, J. L., & Giuliano, T. A. (2001). He's a Laker; she's a “looker”: The consequences of gender-stereotypical portrayals of male and female athletes by the print media. Sex roles, 45(3-4), 217-229.
Kondracki, N., & Wellman, N. (2002). Content Analysis: Review of Methods and their Applications in Nutrition Education. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 34, 224–230.
Kristiansen, E., & Williams, A. S. (2015). Communicating the athlete as a brand: An examination of LPGA star Suzann Pettersen. International Journal of Sport Communication, 8(3), 371-388.
Kunkel, T., Hill, B., & Funk, D. C. (2013). Brand Architecture , Drivers of Consumer Involvement , and Brand Loyalty With Professional Sport Leagues and Teams. Journal of Sport Management, 22(3), 177–192.
Lee, J. S., & Kwak, D. H. (2017). Can winning take care of everything? A longitudinal assessment of post-transgression actions on repairing trust in an athlete endorser. Sport Management Review, 20(3), 261-272.
Lobpries, J., Bennett, G., & Brison, N. (2018). How I Perform is Not Enough: Exploring Branding Barriers Faced by Elite Female Athletes. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 27(1), 5-17.
Lock, D. J., & Funk, D. C. (2016). The multiple in-group identity framework. Sport Management Review, 19, 85-96.
Macnamara, J. (2011). Media content analysis: Its uses; benefits and best practice methodology. Asia Pacific Public Relations Journal, 6(1), 1–34.
Marshall, M. (1996). Sampling for Qualitative Research. Familiy Practice, 13, 522-525.
Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. B. (1995). Designing Qualitative Research (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
McTavish, D., & Loether, H. (2015). Social Research: An Evolving Process. Noida: Pearson Education.
Merriam, S. B. (2009). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Mike, C. R. (2013, July 12). Could This Be Wrestling’s Next Great Heavyweight? BodyElbow. Retrieved from https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2013/7/12/4516590/could-this-be-wrestlings-next-great-heavyweight
Montoya, P., & Vandehey, T. (2002). The Personal Branding Phenomenon. Nashville, TN: Personal Branding Press.
Newbold, C., Boyd-Barrett, O., & Van Den Bulck, H. (2002). The Media Book. Londin: Arnold.
Nicholls, A., Polman, R., Levy, A., & Backhouse, S. (2009). Mental toughness in sport: Achievement level, gender, age, experience, and sport type differences. Personality and Individual Differences, 47(1), 73-75.
Okumus, F., Altinay, L., & Roper, A. (2007). Gaining Access for Research: Reflections from Experience. Annals of Tourism Research, 34(1), 7–26.
Parmentier, M.-A., & Fischer, E. (2012). How athletes build their brands. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 11(1/2), 106–124.
Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Quliyev, T. (2018, September 7). Taha Akgül: We will achieve to wave both Turkish and Azerbaijani flags at world championship. Report News Agency. Retrieved from https://report.az/en/individual/taha-akgul-we-will-achieve-to-wave-both-turkish-and-azerbaijani-flags-at-world-championship/
Rampersad, H. K. (2009). Authentic Personal Branding: A New Blueprint for Building and Aligning a Powerful Leadership Brand. Charlotte: Information Age Publishing.
Rein, I. J., Kotler, P., & Shields, B. (2006). The elusive fan: Reinventing sports in a crowded marketplace. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Ross, S. (2006). A conceptual framework for understanding Spectator-Based Brand Equity. Journal of Sport Management, 20(1), 22–38.
Sato, S., Ko, Y. J., Chang, Y., & Kay, M. (2019). How does the negative impact of an athlete’s reputational crisis spill over to endorsed and competing brands? The moderating effects of consumer knowledge. Communication & Sport, 7(3), 385-409.
Sato, S., Ko, Y. J., Kaplanidou, K. K., & Connaughton, D. P. (2016). Consumers’ comparative evaluative judgment of athlete endorsers. Journal of Sport Management, 30(5), 553–565.
Sato, S., Ko, Y. J., Park, C., & Tao, W. (2015). Athlete reputational crisis and consumer evaluation. European Sport Management Quarterly, 15(4), 434-453.
Stever, G. (2011). Fan Behavior and Lifespan Development Theory: Explaining Para-social and Social Attachment to Celebrities. Journal of Adult Devvelopment, 18(1), 1-7.
Thomson, M. (2006). Human Brands: Investigating Antecedents to Consumers’ Strong Attachments to Celebrities. Journal of Marketing, 70(3), 104–119.
Till, B. D. (2001). Managing Athlete Endorser Image: The Effect of Endorsed Product. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 10(1), 35–42.
Till, B. D., & Busler, M. (2000). The match-up hypothesis: Physical attractiveness, expertise, and the role of fit on brand attitude, purchase intent and brand beliefs. Journal of Advertising, 29(3), 1-13.
Underwood, R. (2003). The communicative power of product packaging: creating brand identity via lived and mediated experience. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 11(1), 62–76.
Walsh, P., & Williams, A. (2017). To extend or not extend a human brand: An analysis of perceived fit and attitudes toward athlete brand extensions. Journal of Sport Management, 31(1), 44-60.
Watkins, B. A., & Gonzenbach, W. J. (2013). Assessing university brand personality through logos: an analysis of the use of academics and athletics in university branding. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 23(1), 15–33.
Wylleman, P., & Reints, A. (2010). A Lifespan Perspective on the Career of Talented and Elite Athletes: Perspectives on High-Intensity Sports. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 20(s2), 88–94.
Yin, R. K. (2011). Qualitative Research from Start to Finish. New York: The Guilford Press.
Yu, C. (2005). Athlete endorsement in the international sports industry: a case study of David Beckham. International Journal of Sports Marketing & Sponsorship, 6(3), 189–200.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2020 PODIUM Sport, Leisure and Tourism Review
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Autores que publicam nesta revista concordam com os seguintes termos:
O(s) autor(es) autoriza(m) a publicação do texto na revista;
O(s) autor(es) garantem que a contribuição é original e inédita e que não está em processo de avaliação em outra(s) revista(s);
A revista não se responsabiliza pelas opiniões, idéias e conceitos emitidos nos textos, por serem de inteira responsabilidade de seu(s) autor(es);
É reservado aos editores o direito de proceder a ajustes textuais e de adequação às normas da publicação.
Autores mantém os direitos autorais e concedem à revista o direito de primeira publicação, com o trabalho simultaneamente licenciado sob a Licença Creative Commons Attribution que permite o compartilhamento do trabalho com reconhecimento da autoria e publicação inicial nesta revista.
Autores têm autorização para assumir contratos adicionais separadamente, para distribuição não-exclusiva da versão do trabalho publicada nesta revista (ex.: publicar em repositório institucional ou como capítulo de livro), com reconhecimento de autoria e publicação inicial nesta revista.
Autores têm permissão e são estimulados a publicar e distribuir seu trabalho online (ex.: em repositórios institucionais ou na sua página pessoal) a qualquer ponto antes ou durante o processo editorial, já que isso pode gerar alterações produtivas, bem como aumentar o impacto e a citação do trabalho publicado (Veja O Efeito do Acesso Livre) em http://opcit.eprints.org/oacitation-biblio.html
