Corporate Social Responsibility is gaining importance as a marketing and communication tool for professional sports organizations nowadays. In societies packed with different possibilities and alternatives to professional sports, organizations get involved more socially and community-based, aiming to enlarge their fan base and to build a favourable reputation.
By coining vitally important bonds and creating valuable content by raising awareness for social needs, sports teams enhance awareness and ingrain themselves into a city or region. It is not unusual that professional sports organizations nowadays follow the device: 'doing what is expected by the society'. Indeed, societies expect proximity and demand that professional sports franchises 'pay back' the society for being a loyal supporter through
donations, creating awareness for charitable causes or player appearances.
The example of the Toronto Marlies Hockey Club demonstrates that not only large or global business enterprises have a broad CSR scheme in place, but also sports franchises deal with socially responsible acting in different areas. Representing an unique example due to the ownership situation and geographical placement of the franchise the Marlies accomplish all five areas CSR is served in today, although only the area 'community activities' is served by the Marlies organization semi-independently. As property of the MLSE, the Toronto Marlies moreover contribute mainly to the activities of the 'MLSE TeamUp Foundation' and execute the overrided MLSE CSR scheme.
According the results of the SWOT-analysis, improvements regarding their social activities scheme suggest to consider females within scope of support as well as following politically addressed community activities. In addition to that, a broader employee welfare concept benefits the reputation of the Toronto Marlies within the MLSE organization as employees seeing the Marlies only as a diving board. Last but not least, using university research through their internship program provides the possibility to know current developments in marketing, branding and CSR from first hand which can be used as an advantage towards the other six professional sports organizations in Toronto.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Brand and brand building in professional team sports
2.1 Definitions
2.2 Importance of a brand for sports teams
2.2.1 Brief overview and history of professional team sports in North America
2.2.2 Unique characteristics of the North American professional team sports system
2.3 Benefits of a strong sports team brand
2.4 Building a sports team brand – The Ottawa Senators approach
2.5 Summary
3 Corporate Social Responsibility
3.1 Corporate Social Responsibility in corporate businesses
3.1.1 Definitions
3.1.2 Benefits and criticism
3.1.3 CSR and brand building
3.1.4 Four ideologies
3.1.5 Geographic levels
3.1.6 Points to consider when establishing a CSR program
3.2 Corporate Social Responsibility in professional team sports
3.2.1 History of CSR in professional team sports
3.2.2 Obligations for a social engagement
3.2.3 Advantages and possibilities
3.3 Summary
4 A practical analysis using the example of the Toronto Marlies
4.1 Approach of the analysis
4.2 The SWOT-analysis
4.2.1 Overview and definition
4.2.2 Internal environment
4.2.3 External environment
4.3 The SWOT-analysis of the Toronto Marlies
4.3.1 History and ownership of the franchise
4.3.2 Internal environment
4.3.3 External environment
4.4 Presentation of the results in a TOWS-matrix
4.5 Suggestions for improvement
5 Summary and predictions
Research Objectives & Core Topics
This thesis examines the role of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a strategic branding tool within professional sports, using the Toronto Marlies Hockey Club as a case study. The research aims to evaluate how professional sports franchises leverage CSR to build brand awareness, enhance community relationships, and ensure long-term financial viability in the competitive North American sports market.
- The evolution of sports branding in North American professional team sports.
- Strategic integration of CSR programs into business and marketing operations.
- Analysis of the unique ownership and management structure of the Toronto Marlies.
- Practical SWOT and TOWS analysis of the Toronto Marlies' current CSR activities.
- Recommendations for optimizing social engagement schemes for professional sports franchises.
Excerpt from the Book
4.2.2 Internal Environment
The company's internal environment includes the management and organization, operations, and finance, aiming to better understand its abilities and core competences which lie within the business (Weihrich y.u., p. 6).
Besides the firm's capabilities which can be considered as strengths, their weaknesses will be outlined in further consideration. A prior deeper look therefore need to go to cost drivers, resources and capabilities of the company. In this context, the employees as well need to be taken into further consideration, analyzing their abilities and competences.
In the broader context, strengths can be considered as factors that make the company gain a competitive advantage. They are only useful if they help satisfying customer needs. In this case a strength becomes automatically a capability and one of the most valuable resources any company can have.
Weaknesses whereas reflect deficits within the company which can limit their performance. These defects can cause failure or setbacks in reaching the business' goals and objectives. Hence, a proper analysis as well as critical reflection can prevent from unforeseen failures.
The findings of the analysis of the internal environment are ranked from paramount to lowest importance, as shown in figure 6.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter introduces the growth of North American sports franchises into major business entities and outlines the importance of branding and CSR in maintaining financial stability.
2 Brand and brand building in professional team sports: This chapter defines brand and brand awareness while analyzing the unique characteristics of the North American sports system and the benefits of a strong sports brand.
3 Corporate Social Responsibility: This chapter explores CSR in general business and professional sports, detailing the history, ideologies, and strategic approaches to CSR programs.
4 A practical analysis using the example of the Toronto Marlies: This chapter applies SWOT and TOWS analysis to examine the specific operations, marketing strategy, and CSR scheme of the Toronto Marlies.
5 Summary and predictions: This chapter synthesizes the findings, compares the North American context with the German sports market, and provides predictions regarding future developments in sports CSR.
Keywords
Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, Sports Management, Brand Building, Toronto Marlies, SWOT-analysis, TOWS-matrix, North American sports, Community Relations, Franchise Management, Marketing Strategy, Brand Awareness, Employee Welfare, Professional Hockey, Stakeholder Engagement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research focuses on the strategic implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a tool for brand building within professional sports organizations in North America.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The work covers branding theory, the history and structure of North American sports leagues, the integration of CSR into business strategy, and the practical application of these concepts in professional hockey.
What is the primary objective of the thesis?
The goal is to analyze the current CSR scheme of the Toronto Marlies and suggest improvements that align with their overall business strategy and management goals.
Which research methodologies are employed?
The thesis utilizes a qualitative analysis based on literature review, industry data, and direct interviews with the Toronto Marlies' management, culminating in a SWOT and TOWS analysis.
What is covered in the main section of the paper?
The main section provides a theoretical framework for branding and CSR, followed by a detailed case study of the Toronto Marlies, including their history, ownership, internal environment, and external competition.
Which key terms best characterize this work?
Key terms include Corporate Social Responsibility, sports branding, franchise management, SWOT analysis, and community engagement in professional sports.
How does the ownership structure affect the Toronto Marlies' CSR approach?
As part of Maple Leaf Sports+Entertainment (MLSE), the Marlies execute a CSR scheme that is largely integrated with the broader corporate charity, the MLSE TeamUp Foundation, limiting independent adjustments but providing substantial resources.
Why is a TOWS-matrix used in this analysis?
The TOWS-matrix is used to translate the findings of the SWOT analysis into actionable strategic improvements by matching internal factors (strengths/weaknesses) with external factors (opportunities/threats).
- Citar trabajo
- Marcus Grosche (Autor), 2011, Sports Team Branding through Corporate Social Responsibility in North America, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/230535
