Exam Prep Notes: Sport Product, Fan Engagement, and Branding

  • Fresh Start Mind Concept
    • This concept was utilized by a doctoral student for their research.
    • It pertains to situations like superstar athletes joining a team, generating fan excitement and anticipation.
  • Fan Excitement and Sport Product Multidimensionality
    • Fan excitement is a crucial "product" derived from games and events.
    • Alcohol Sales in Sports: Major sporting events, such as soccer, typically cannot be successful "without selling beer." College sports, however, are "half and half" regarding allowing fans to drink and sell alcoholic beverages.
    • International Examples:
      • KBO (Korean Baseball Organization): Mentioned as a point of comparison.
      • Taiwan Baseball: Fans are described as "more crazy" than in other contexts. Cheerleaders in Taiwan baseball play a significant role, with their salaries and licensed products being "much more expensive than athlete" products, highlighting their importance in "igniting the crowds and pumping up the fans."
    • The sport product is "not one dimension; it's multidimensional."
    • Primary Product: Recruiting the best possible talent to win is very important.
  • Win/Loss Scenarios and Fan Emotion
    • Preference for Season Outcomes: The discussion explores whether fans prefer a "win-win-win, lose-lose-lose" season or a "six win, six lose" season.
    • The latter case (six wins, six losses, or winning some games earlier and losing later) is often preferred because it offers "a little bit of hope, anticipation, and trust emotion," especially if there's a strong finish.
    • Strong Finish: Even if the overall season record is mediocre, a "strong finish important" is crucial, which is also referred to as "service recovery." This gives fans hope and a positive final impression.
  • Primacy and Recency Effect in Consumer Memory
    • Consumers primarily remember the "first one and the last one" of an experience; they tend to forget the middle.
    • Primacy Effect: Applies to the beginning of the season, emphasizing a "strong start" and early promotions.
    • Recency Effect: Applies to the most recent events, making how to "recover" from negative situations (e.g., losses, scandals) critically important.
  • Communication After a Scandal
    • Key questions posed: "How to communicate" post-scandal, "what" to communicate, and "to whom?"
    • Research findings suggest the importance of immediate communication and an apology (acknowledging fault: "Core").
  • Core vs. Secondary Product Components
    • Core Game Components: The game itself is core.
    • Umpire: Considered core because their decisions "impact on the performance" of the game.
    • A question is raised about the possibility of replacing umpires with machines.
    • Example (Golf): A difficult pitch, looking up a slope, is described as one of the "toughest pitches" requiring extreme precision.
    • Example (Tennis): An article was written about the ATP and women's tennis, which almost "declined and disappeared" but changed their uniforms to help "sustain, if not decline." (Under Armour is mentioned in this context, suggesting brand and uniform changes).
  • Targeting and Branding
    • Generational Marketing: How to "target generation X" and "communicate with baby boomers" is presented as a challenge related to branding.
    • Athlete Business Acumen: An observation is made that many "world champion" athletes or "grandmasters" are often "not good business people."
      • Example 11: A friend who is a world champion grandmaster struggles with business.
      • Example 22: Another friend, a Guinness World Record holder in heavyweight boxing, undefeated for 1010 years and physically fit, also has a business that is "not so good."
      • Contrast Example: A third friend, who never won a championship (even nationally), runs a successful business called "White Tiger."
        • This brand, based in Israel, is characterized by everything being "white" (products, even the car driven by the owner).
        • This is contrasted with a "traditional, authority, authentic" approach that never changes.
  • Major Spectator Events
    • These events have a "main service" component.
    • The discussion hints at future exploration of "human brains" in relation to such events. (See you next week.)