Alan Morse

The effects of roster turnover on attendance in the National Basketball Association.

Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of roster turnover on demand in the National Basketball Association (NBA) over a five-year period (2000-2005) and compare these results to previous research on turnover in Major League Baseball (MLB). A censored regression equation was developed to examine the relationship between roster turnover and season attendance, while controlling for other potentially confounding variables in the model. The censored regression model was used to account for the capacity^ constraints by forecasting the level of demand beyond capacity using information from the uncensored observations. The regression model was found to be significant with a log-likelihood statistic of 113.631. Previous attendance, current winning percentage, previous winning percentage, number of all-star players, local major sport competition, and team history were found to be significant predictors of attendance. However, the variables measuring the effects of roster turnover were not found to be significant. There were substantial differences in the effect of roster turnover on attendance in the NBA compared with MLB. In addition, these findings provide evidence for using censored regression when dealing with constrained variables. Sellouts in the NBA appear to have an effect on all ofthe variables in the demand model. Future research will need to be conducted to help sport managers understand the role of roster turnover in specific professional leagues and to better understand the importance of using a censored regression model.

Citation:
Morse, A., Shapiro, S., McEvoy, C., & Rascher, D. (2008) The effects of roster turnover on attendance in the National Basketball Association. International Journal of Sport Finance, 3(1).

Assessing the impact of fantasy football participation on consumption behavior.

Abstract:
From humble beginnings as an irrelevant pastime for statistical fanatics to a $1.5 billion dollar-a-year industry, the business of fantasy sports has grown exponentially in the last ten years (Leporini, 2006). According to Fisher (2006), more than 15 million Americans participate in some kind of fantasy sports league; this number is expected to grow to 30 million participants by the end of the decade. While predominantly existing in an online environment, many fantasy football players rely on a range of offline sources to enhance the fantasy sport experience (Russo & Walker, 2006). As a result, the potential to leverage fantasy football into a significant marketing tool both online and offline currently exists (Russo & Walker, 2006). The scholarly literature in the area of fantasy sport is limited. There have been a few studies that focused on gambling issues associated with fantasy sports (Bernhard & Eade, 2005), communication (Bernhard & Eade, 2005), and masculinity issues (Davis & Duncan, 2006). While this research provides a foundation for the process of fantasy sport and the type of person that participates, there has been no specific research on how fantasy sport participation affects consumption of sporting events and the products and services associated with professional teams and leagues. There are a variety of reasons that spectators consume sporting events. Excitement, enthusiasm, and overall entertainment value have been shown to be primary motivators for watching sporting events (Gantz & Wenner, 1991). Holt (1995) presents different ways in which products and services can be consumed by customers. From a sporting event perspective, consumption can be viewed as integration. Spectators integrate different elements of sport into their identity. Assimilation and producing activities are both a part of the consumption as integration experience. Assimilation refers to sports fans developing a high level of knowledge and understanding that increases their identification with a sport. Producing refers to acts that spectators take part in to enhance their involvement with a specific sport. Participation in fantasy football can provide both assimilation and producing avenues for spectators to consume professional football through integration. In addition, according Mahony and Moorman (2000) fans are most likely to have a desire to watch their favorite football teams play and to watch a disliked team play if the outcome has implications for their favorite team. Fantasy football participation may also provide this type of motivation for football consumption. Fantasy football participants may have a desire to watch games involving both the individual players on their team and the players on the fantasy team they are competing against. These consumption factors are important in determining the extent to which fantasy football participation may affect the National Football League (NFL) consumption. We believe there is a need for specific research examining the relationship between fantasy football participation and consumption. The purpose of this study is to analyze the consumption of NFL products and services outside the realm of fantasy football, such as television packages and merchandise. Results of this research will provide numerous opportunities for marketers, media companies, and others within the sports industry who wish to capitalize on the lucrative fantasy sports audience.

Citation:
Drayer, J., Shapiro, S., Dwyer, B., Morse, A., & White, J. (In Press, Corrected Proof). Assessing the impact of fantasy football participation on consumption behavior. Sport Management Review, available online March 2009.

Mediating effects of satisfaction on the relationship between motivation and behavioral intentions for volunteers at a PGA TOUR event.

Author(s): Alan Morse & Adam Love

Abstract:
Previous research has shown the need and importance of volunteers for the successful operation and management of sporting events (Berlonghi, 1994; Daly, 1991; Farrell, Johnston, & Twynam, 1998; Green & Chalip, 1998; Strigas & Jackson, 2003a; Williams, Dossa, & Tompkins, 1995). Farrell, Johnston, and Twynam (1998) noted that any organization or agency conducting a sporting event must coordinate numerous activities dealing with the event’s logistics as well as managing the competition. Strigas and Jackson (2003) wrote that event planners must promote the event, deal with logistics, and respond to media requests along with a plethora of other details. Event organizers turn to volunteers to assist in the operation of the event and to help offset the costs of conducting an event. Volunteers enable event coordinators to expand both the “quantity and diversity of services without exhausting the agency’s budget” (Cnaan & Goldberg-Glen, 1991, p. 270). Thus, the growing use of volunteers at sporting events and the importance of volunteers to the successful operation of sporting events make volunteer recruitment, management, and retention essential duties of sport managers and event planners. Given this need, several recent studies have examined the motivations of volunteers at sporting events. For example, Farrell, Johnston, and Twynam (1998) investigated volunteer motivation and satisfaction at a curling championship and found that motivations of volunteers at the event could be grouped into the categories of purposive, solidary, external traditions, and commitments. Strigas and Jackson (2003), meanwhile, measured volunteer motivation at marathon running events and found that the motivation of volunteers at the event fell into the factors of material, purposive, leisure, egoistic, and external. They also recommended that more volunteer motivation studies should be conducted in a variety of sports settings (e.g., a different size, level or type of sport event) in order to gain a fuller understanding of the subject. In a study conducted at the Canadian Women’s Golf Championship, MacLean and Hamm (2007) investigated motivation, commitment, and intentions to remain a volunteer. They found that intentions to remain in golf, sport, or as general volunteers result from a diverse set of reasons. Specifically, their analysis identified eight reasons for individuals intending to remain golf volunteers, which (in descending order of importance) were: 1) being linked to a professional golf event, 2) promoting women's golf, 3) social influences, 4) retirement, 5) community promotion, 6) improving club level golf, 7) availability, and 8) a love of the game of golf. While the study by MacLean and Hamm took the important step of seeking correlations between volunteer motivation and behavioral intentions, no study has specifically investigated the relationship between the motivation, satisfaction, and behavioral intentions of volunteers at a sporting event. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to explore the role motivational factors play in volunteer satisfaction and then in turn what role satisfaction plays in behavioral intentions. Such insights will be beneficial for sport managers who must recruit, manage, and retain volunteers for the successful operation of events. Methods The sample in the current study consisted of 153 volunteers at a PGA TOUR event held in Mississippi. The questionnaire was distributed to individuals in the tournament’s volunteer tent. Volunteers completed the questionnaire either prior to reporting to their shift on the course, after completing their shift on the course, or during lunchtime on Friday and Saturday of the event. The instrument used to measure volunteer motivation in this study was a 30-item questionnaire adapted from the instrument employed by Strigas and Jackson (2003) at a marathon running event. In addition to items assessing motivation, the questionnaire also included items designed to measure satisfaction and behavioral intent to continue volunteering in the future. The responses to each item on the questionnaire were examined using a 7-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 as “not important at all” to 7 as “extremely important.” Results The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) resulted in a 7-factor model of motivational factors explaining 65.65% of the variance. They were 1) altruistic, 2) egoistic, 3) escapism, 4) career, 5) golf interest, 6) material, and 7) social. Results of the multiple regression analysis revealed that the model R2 of .27, reflecting the overall strength of association between seven volunteer motives and volunteer satisfaction, was statistically significant at the .05 level: F(7, 145) = 6.20, p < .001. Examination of the Beta coefficient indicated that the effects of altruistic (t = 4.01, p < .000), escapism (t = 3.12, p = .002), career (t = -3.10, p = .002), and golf interest (t = 2.20, p = .029) on volunteer satisfaction were significant at the .05 level, controlling for the other variables. These findings suggested that four volunteer motives were important in explaining volunteer satisfaction. In addition, the results of the regression analysis revealed that the model R2 of .23, reflecting the overall strength of association between volunteer satisfaction and behavioral intentions, was statistically significant at the .05 level: F(1, 151) = 45.63, p < .001. Examination of the Beta coefficient indicated that the effects of volunteer satisfaction (t = 6.76, p < .000) on behavioral intentions was significant at the .05 level. The results revealed that volunteer satisfaction was a significant predictor of behavioral intentions and might play a pivotal role in mediating the relationship between volunteer motives and behavioral intentions. Discussion The results of this study suggest that individuals’ levels of satisfaction with volunteer positions play a mediating role between their motivation and intentions to continue volunteering in the future. The three motivational factors most correlated with high levels of volunteer satisfaction were altruistic, escapism, and golf interest, while the factor of career was negatively related to satisfaction. High levels of satisfaction, meanwhile, were associated with stronger behavioral intent to continue volunteering in the future as well as intent to suggest the opportunity to other potential volunteers. Thus, in order to improve volunteer retention, it is advisable for sport managers to attract individuals motivated by altruistic aims, escapism, and a specific interest in golf, while avoiding individuals primarily motivated by career enhancement when recruiting volunteers for golf events. The results of the current study add to the body of literature on sport volunteerism by suggesting the presence of satisfaction as a mediator between the motivation and behavioral intentions of volunteers. Sport management scholars, however, should continue to explore volunteerism in a variety of sport settings. As the present study was conducted at a PGA TOUR event, further research can help extend understanding of volunteerism beyond the context of golf tournaments and provide additional insight to help sport event managers better recruit, manage, and retain volunteers.

Citation:
Love, A., Hardin, R., Koo, G.Y., Morse, A. (In Press). Mediating effects of satisfaction on the relationship between motivation and behavioral intentions for volunteers at a PGA TOUR event. International Journal of Sport Management.