Geoff Dickson

League Expansion and Interorganisational Power

This study uses a case study of the Victorian Football Leagues expansion into Brisbane to examine the interorganisational power between an independent federated network and those organisations seeking to join the federation. Data were obtained through interviews with participants in the expansion process, examination of newspaper and other print media articles, and the analysis of corporate documentation. Organisations within the federation are shown to have a power advantage over the potential affiliates. The extent of this advantage is directly proportional to the importance of the potential affiliates goals, is mediated by resources controlled by the federation, and is inversely proportional to the availability of other federations to supply the potential affiliate with the same resources. The VFLs exercise of its power is reflected in (a) a licence fee significantly higher than originally anticipated by the new affiliate, (b) an upfront cash payment of the licence fee, (c) player recruitment guidelines that did not facilitate recruitment of established VFL players, and (d) an insufficient period of time between award of the licence and the new teams entry into VFL competition.

New sport teams and the development of brand community

Abstract In this study we explored brand community markers in the context of newly established sport teams. We examined whether managers of new sports teams utilize group experience, organizational history, ritual/traditions and physical facility in their branding strategies. A case study approach was used; featuring both interviews with managers of three newly established New Zealand professional sports teams and direct observations of games. The findings revealed managers generally considered group experience, history and heritage, ritual/traditions and physical facility to be important, but they failed to implement and apply these mechanisms to an overall marketing strategy. Evidence of the four mechanisms was only apparent on an infrequent and fragmented basis. Promotion of these antecedents was largely absent from the teams branding strategies. This is the first study to extend the study of brand communities from successful and established brands to new organizations and explored how the different mechanisms relate to this environment.

The Australian Football League's Recent Progress: A Study In Cartel Conduct And Monopoly Power

Over the last twenty-five years, the Australian Football League (AFL), and its predecessor, the Victorian Football League (VFL) has become a central feature of the Australian sporting landscape by creating and managing a national competition. However, in the 1980s it was a Melbourne-based league facing serious structural and financial problems as player costs exploded. At the same time, a number of clubs were unable to trade profitably, and the richer clubs were toying with the idea of forming a break-away competition. The transformation of the AFL from a parochial suburban competition to heavily commercialised national league is analysed through the prism of cartel structure and conduct. It is concluded that first, even in its previous guise as the VFL, it adopted many cartel-like features, including controls over player transfers, fixed admission prices, and gate equalisation policies. Second, the establishment of a governing Commission in 1984 strengthened its monopoly power, and enabled it to set a singular vision for the games development. This vision, in turn, enabled the AFL to create a national participation program that became the envy of every other sport association in Australia. Third, in achieving this outcome, the AFL tightened its authority over its member teams, administrators, coaches and players. Finally, within this cartel arrangement, member clubs surrendered their autonomy in return for an assurance that they would share the benefits from the AFLs growth and national expansion. In short, the AFL has strategically exploited its cartel features and monopoly power to become Australias dominant sports league.

Women-only mass participation sporting events: does participation facilitate changes in physical activity?

Abstract There is little evidence supporting the claim that mass participation sporting events (MPSE) increase the populations physical activity (PA). This research aimed to identify the demographic, motivational and PA profile of participants in a women-only non-elite triathlon race series. It also aimed to identify whether PA in previously insufficiently active participants increased before the event, and remained elevated three months after the event. Participants were surveyed before (n=452) and three months after their event (n=95). The results showed that the participants were predominantly sufficiently active prior to the event. Although PA levels decreased post-event, they remained predominantly sufficient. Nearly 50% of the inactive women pre-event remained sufficiently active three months after their event. Challenge and competition were key motivators for participation. MPSEs facilitate previously inactive women into sufficient levels of PA. Further research should explore their capacity to facilitate long-term maintenance of PA.

Multiple stakeholder perspectives on cultural events: Auckland's Pasifika Festival.

Cultural festivals can assist local communities in showcasing cultural attributes and can offer the chance to strengthen a sense of identity. The Pasifika Festival, held annually in Auckland, New Zealand, is a celebration of the citys Pacific Island communities. Drawing on audience and stallholder surveys, and interviews/meetings with festival organizers, this article provides a multiple stakeholder perspective on the festival experience and what it means to those who are part of it. The article also addresses the important question of how to conduct robust, cost-effective research in large festival settings, focusing on the use of online survey tools.

Globalisation and globesity: the impact of the 2008 Beijing Olympics on China

Westernised countries are currently in the midst of an obesity epidemic, and developing nations such as China are already showing signs of a similar crisis. We contend that additional increases in caloric intake and declines in physical activity within the Chinese population are likely the consequences of marketing leverage created by sponsors of the 2008 Olympics. Many of the Olympic sponsors are directly involved in high-calorie foods or low physical activity. These are mainly in the form of calorie-dense beverages (e.g., Coca-Cola) and foods, and sedentary activities such as television viewing and motorised transport. In this essay, we argue that rather than representing the pinnacle of health and activity, the 2008 Olympics will serve to accelerate the opportunities for massive multinational globalisation. A consequence of this will be an increase in the mortality, morbidity and disability attributed to the major noncommunicable diseases for the Chinese population.

Quality in regional sports tourism: a network approach to strategic quality management

Research on quality management in regional sports tourism (RST) is deficient. While most studies have focused on one or a few selected areas of RST, comprehensive approaches and theoretically grounded work are scarce. This article proposes a conceptual framework for quality management through evaluation on the network level of RST. The model is premised on conceptualising the sports tourism product as an experience comprising a bundle of benefits generated through a RST network consisting of multiple stakeholders. It facilitates a systematic and ongoing evaluation of RST networks that is underpinned by three dimensions of quality: structure, processes and outcomes.

Multi‐level governance in an international strategic alliance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to highlight the circumstances preventing the Wellington Phoenix, New Zealands only professional football team, from participating in the Asian Champions League.Design/methodology/approach – A single case study approach has been adopted to generate rich data designed to aid understanding of the complexities of multi‐level governance, feature of international football governance.Findings – The key conclusions of this research are that the Phoenix is attracted to the Asian football market because of the financial rewards but are prevented in doing so because of policies related to Federation Internationale de Football Associations confederation structures.Research limitations/implications – It is hoped that this paper will encourage more academics to investigate: the extent to which footballs governance structures act as either a facilitating or constraining factor to the growth of football in the region; the possible convergence between Asian and Pacific sporting ...

Coopetition and knowledge transfer dynamics: New Zealand's regional tourism organizations and the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

To ensure the success of Rugby World Cup (RWC) 2011 in New Zealand, regional tourism organizations (RTOs) were expected to collaborate with each other as part of developing a nationwide approach to the event, while simultaneously competing for visitor nights and spending. Simultaneous cooperation and competition is referred to as coopetition. Relatively little is known about the impact of coopetition on knowledge transfer dynamics. The study analyzes how coopetition among the RTOs affected knowledge transfer dynamics between RTOs in the RWC 2011 context. The study utilized an exploratory, qualitative case study approach. Twenty-five semistructured interviews with CEOs and senior managers from RTOs were conducted both preevent and postevent. A formal survey and a documentation review triangulated the findings. The results indicate that a continuum of competition and collaboration (i.e., coopetition) was present in the RTO network for RWC 2011, which restricted the flow of potentially useful knowledge and information. The set up of RWC 2011—especially the regional bidding process to host teams and matches—played an essential role and impeded interregional collaboration and knowledge transfer while simultaneously facilitating competition among the RTOs. The study concludes that coopetition can hinder the sharing and transfer of knowledge in a destination marketing and mega-events context. The study thus addresses the call for research in this field and enhances understanding of how to better leverage mega-events in the future.

The impact of member disaffiliation on the internal legitimacy of a federated network

Research question: This research examines the impact of member disaffiliation on the internal legitimacy of a federated network. A federated network is characterised by a network administrative organisation (NAO) that coordinates and influences member activities. Disaffiliation occurs when an affiliate leaves the network. Within a federated network, internal legitimacy is the extent to which member organisations perceive that the entity is desirable, proper or appropriate. This study investigates the disaffiliation of Football Federation Australia (FFA) from the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC). Research methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with either the president or general secretary of the 11 remaining OFC members, as well as senior managers from Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Oceania Development Office and the OFCs NAO. A small amount of secondary data provided contextual understanding. Results and findings: No participants criticised the FFA for its disaffiliation. Many participants recognised that OFC affiliation was a burden for the FFA. The FFAs disaffiliation exacerbated a number of pre-existing OFC legitimacy deficiencies: low quality of play, small number of influential/prominent members; low qualification standards for FIFA tournaments; poor performance of OFC teams at FIFA tournaments; and small participation numbers. Practical implications: These results demonstrate the relevance of internal legitimacy when determining an organisations legitimacy. The results also reiterate the importance of legitimacy to organisational and network performance. Finally the research demonstrates that disaffiliation by a dominant or high-profile member of a federated network can negatively affect internal legitimacy.