Call for Papers | Frontiers Research Topic: “The Application of Experimental Research in Sport Management, Marketing and Business” | Call ends January 1, 2022

About this Research Topic

Within the fields of sport management, marketing, and business, experimental studies have been steadily gaining in popularity. In spite of this traction, the use of experiments is still limited among sport research compared to other fields. Although observational studies have formed the foundation of sport research, experimental studies have some distinct advantages over observational studies, primarily the ability to draw stronger causal conclusions about the effects of variables on behaviors, attitudes, and intentions.

Therefore, experimental studies can confirm or disconfirm hypotheses about causal relationships generated by observational studies. In addition, the results of experimental studies can inform programs to change behaviors, attitudes, and intentions (e.g., fan behavior in stadium marketing campaigns). Thus, the incorporation of experimental methods into sport management, marketing, and business research will advance these fields by strengthening our understanding of causal relationships and by supplementing, not replacing, traditional observational studies.

This Research Topic will focus on using experimental methods to study a wide variety of topics in sport management, marketing, and business including, but not limited to:

• • • Sports consumer behavior
    • Psychology of sports fan behavior
    • Marketing and advertising initiatives in sports
    • Sponsorship activations and consumer responses
    • Societal and social justice issues in sports
    • Social media and digital technologies in sport
    • Athlete/coach training and sport experiences
    • Issues around enhancing validity and reliability of experimental research

Prospective authors can refer to the following articles for examples of such work:

• • • Jang, W., Wu, L., & Wen, J. (2021). Understanding the effects of different types of meaningful sports consumption on sports consumers’ emotions, motivations, and behavioral intentions. Sport Management Review, 24(1), 46-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smr.2020.07.002″
    • Blank, A. S., Loveland, K. E., & Houghton, D. M. (2021). Game changing innovation or bad beat? How sports betting can reduce fan engagement. Journal of Business Research, 134, 365-374. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.05.036
    • Havard, C. T., Ferrucci, P., & Ryan, T. D. (2021). Does messaging matter? Investigating the influence of media headlines on perceptions and attitudes of the in-group and out-group. Journal of Marketing Communications, 27(1), 20-30. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2019.1620838
    • Kwak, D. H., & Pradhan, S. (2020). “If you ain’t first, you’re last!” Understanding identity threat, team identification, and advertisement messages when your favorite team loses. Journal of Sport Management, 35(2), 158-171. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.2019-0445

Research of experimental nature, including qualitative, quantitative, and/or mixed analyses, will be considered. Replications and extensions of theories using data from experimental studies are strongly encouraged. In addition, the use of multiple experiments will be preferred. Submission of other related topics in sport management will also be welcomed. Authors should also include a critical evaluation of the specific research method utilized (i.e., related to experimental research) in their manuscript.

Keywords

experiments, research methods, sport management, empirical study, methodological article

Topic Editors

• • • Sean Pradhan Menlo College, Atherton, United States
    • Dae Hee Kwak University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States
    • Wonseok Jang Sungkyunkwan University, Jongno-gu, South Korea
    • Sean Laraway San Jose State University, San Jose, United States
    • Susan Snycerski San Jose State University, San Jose, United States

Participating Journals

Manuscripts can be submitted to this Research Topic via the following journals:

• • • Frontiers in Sports and Active Living
      Section: Sports Management, Marketing and Business

Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

Submission Deadlines

• • • 1 January 2022 | Abstract
    • 1 July 2022 | Manuscript

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