Jason M. Simmons

Leisure, work, and family: How IronMEN balance the demands of three resource-intensive roles

ABSTRACT Building on the work of Hambrick, Simmons, and Mahoney (2013), the purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of leisure-work-family conflict among male Ironman participants, as well as the strategies and support mechanisms used to help manage their various role demands. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 males who successfully completed at least one Ironman event. For these males, perceptions of inter-role conflict were minimal, despite the presence of similar demands reported in the Hambrick et al. study. Participants still emphasized the need for family and work role support, as well as specific role management strategies, namely scheduling, sacrifice, and role prioritization, to make their Ironman aspirations a reality. The impact of gender roles on perceptions of leisure-work-family conflict is also discussed.

An inquiry into the perceptions of leisure-work-family conflict among female Ironman participants

Triathlon is one of the fastest growing niche sports in the USA (USA Triathlon, 2012). Niche sports are often characterised as lifestyle sports (Miloch and Lambrecht, 2006; Puchan, 2005), and can create inter-role conflict as athletes balance their sport participation with the demands of potentially competing roles such as spouse, parent and employee (Greenhaus and Beutell, 1985). This study examined perceptions of inter-role conflict among leisure, work and family roles with niche sport athletes-specifically female Ironman participants. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 women to identify factors influencing their perceptions of inter-role conflict and how they negotiated those factors. The athletes faced obstacles such as financial commitments, time restraints and gender stereotypes, and they used their support systems comprised of family members, friends and colleagues as well as role management strategies to navigate the obstacles. Theoretical and practical findings for employers and niche sport event organisers are discussed.

Is violence used to promote Mixed Martial Arts

This study examines how Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) events are marketed in order to understand the role of violence in promoting events. Researchers examined 134 pieces of promotional artwork and 57 promotional news releases by MMA organisations across North America, Asia and Europe and found that 18 (13.4%) pieces of promotional artwork used violent text or imagery. Violent text was found in 12 (21%) of the 57 news releases. Violence was typically limited to smaller or European organisations. Results illustrate an evolution of the sport, suggesting violence may no longer be necessary to promote events.

Factors Impacting Ticket Price Paid by Consumers on the Secondary Market for a Major Sporting Event

In an era of dynamically priced tickets, sport marketers benefit from a greater understanding of factors impacting the price consumers are willing to pay. Past research has investigated external factors affecting ticket price on the secondary market, but little work has investigated internal factors and no prior research has utilized actual price paid as a dependent variable. The current study found age, income, prior attendance, timing of purchase, and seat location influenced secondary ticket price paid, explaining 44.9% of the variance, while fan identification and alumni status did not impact the amount patrons paid for tickets to a major college men’s basketball tournament. Subscribe to JASM

Tomorrow’s Fans Gone Today: Assessing Constraints to Student Attendance at College Football Games

The purpose of this study was to assess constraints to student attendance at college football games. Surveys were distributed on and around six college campuses (2 “Power 5”, 2 “Group of 5”, 2 FCS) during a college football game. Using intercept sampling, students not in attendance at the game were asked to rate the extent to which 33 constraints affected their decision not to attend. Results revealed differences in constraints based on conference tier affiliation, frequency of game attendance, and timing of decision not to attend. Implications for practitioners are discussed. Subscribe to JASM

Here’s the Pitch: The Dilemma of Selecting a New Outdoor Playing Field for Sunshine State University

The outdoor athletic fields of Sunshine State University are in poor condition. Overuse, insufficient drainage, and a lack of human and financial resources have contributed to the fields’ deterioration. Sunshine State University’s director of athletics, Emily Rodriguez, has decided to replace the existing fields, but that decision is just the tip of the iceberg. Rodriguez now must decide on a natural or synthetic surface for the new fields. This decision is complex because cost, maintenance, durability, player safety, and player preference must all be considered. Both surfaces have their advantages and disadvantages. In the end, Rodriguez must decide which surface is right for Sunshine State University.

Consumption of niche sports: understanding which product attributes predict consumption across different levels of team identification

Niche sports seldom command the sponsorship or media dollars of their mainstream counterparts, depending instead on direct revenues generated from their fan bases to sustain their business. Given niche sports’ consumer bases are often comprised of a significant percentage of lesser-identified customers, the purpose of this study was to examine differences in perceptions of niche sport attributes between highly identified and lesser-identified sport consumers. Specifically, this study examined which niche sport specific attributes were most predictive of consumption (frequency of attendance, media consumption, and merchandise consumption) for each segment. Using a sample of 410 minor league baseball consumers, this study found that accessibility predicted consumption for both consumer segments. The primary differences were that player similarity predicted consumption for lesser-identified respondents, while star power predicted consumption for highly identified fans. Affordability was negatively related to media and merchandise consumption for the lesser-identified spectators.