Sports Management Report: Analyzing the Avenging Knights Football Team

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the Avenging Knights, a hypothetical football team, from a sports management perspective. It delves into various areas of management, including the owner's philosophy and leadership style, mission statement, and organizational structure. The report explores marketing strategies, including the 5 P's of marketing and different marketing approaches. It also examines TV/broadcasting contracts, labor relations, and contract law within the context of the NFL. Furthermore, it discusses sports merchandising, community impact, and major professional sports issues. The report concludes with a reflective conclusion and a career plan, offering insights into the practical application of sports management principles. The report also includes an organizational chart and references to support the analysis.

Running Head: Sports Management
SPORTS MANAGEMENT

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................3
2. Areas of Management..................................................................................................................3
Philosophy and Management Style of the Organization..............................................................3
Team/League/Organization Structure..........................................................................................5
Marketing/Sponsorships...............................................................................................................6
TV/Broadcasting Contracts..........................................................................................................7
Labor Relations............................................................................................................................8
Contract Law................................................................................................................................9
Sports Merchandising and Licensing...........................................................................................9
Community Impact....................................................................................................................10
Major Professional Sports Issues...............................................................................................11
3. Reflective Conclusion and Career Plan.....................................................................................11
Reference List................................................................................................................................13

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1. Introduction
In every corner of the world, sports have become an increasingly popular center of attention for
people of all age groups. Ranging from the age groups of six years to sixty years of age, sports
have been liked and somewhat made a priority by all. Sports are made a center of attraction by
everyone irrespective of gender. As per Masterman (2014), this sheds light on the fact that
sports, be it of any kind, has immense capability of gaining a wide range of attention from people
all around the world. In the United State of America, specifically, it has been noticed that people
are attracted to sports mainly when it is based on football. As per Basu & Sondhi (2015), this is,
probably, because of the never-ending urge to watch, cheer for favorite teams and ultimately, if
fate permits, become part of a football team someday. Thus, there has been an initiative that has
been taken to establish an entirely new football team under the National Football League
(nfl.com, 2017).
2. Areas of Management
Philosophy and Management Style of the Organization
a. Owner Philosophy
The sports management segment, that has been selected, is that of football. Therefore, the
organisation that has been created is a football team under the name of Avenging Knights. This
organisation possesses the possibility of putting together and giving rise to immense amounts of
fruitful outcomes for both the recruited constituents of this team as well as the owner and
establisher of the team as an organisation (Roach, 2016). According to Drahos (2016), the owner
of this team possess the knowledge of how to create, enforced and bring about effective results
out of various selected and decided upon rules, regulations and schedules that need to be adhered
to by all that constitute this team. Various things that need to be kept in mind, by the owner or
leader of Avenging Knights, have been mentioned in Figure 1.

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Figure 1: Knowledge that Is Possessed by the Owner
(Source: Self-developed)
Based on Figure 1, it can be deduced that various types of knowledge is highly and essentially
necessary to inculcate in order to prevent any kinds of mishaps to take place with respect to ways
in which the team is supposed to work (Masterman, 2014).
b. Mission Statement
The mission statement that has been anticipated, and planned on thoroughly adhering to, by
Avenging Knights, is to become a recognized face in NFL in the near and immediate future. This
recognition is anticipated to be achieved through in depth efforts being made to do things by
profitably keeping in mind various means of carrying out effective practices. These practices
should be such that need to be based on thorough effort-filled and focus-based playing of
football (Kim, 2015). This can only be achieved if there is possession of proper and modernized
strategies of how to play various roles on the field (Lovett, Bajaba & Mesak, 2016). This needs

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to be done in order to be capable of kicking the ball to the end zone despite presence of various
kinds of hindrances.
c. Style of Leadership
The style leadership, that has been chosen to be used in Avenging Knights, is that of Participant
Leadership. This type of leadership entails in depth consultation being done among all significant
stakeholders of this team. According to Carter & Baghurst (2014), this type of leadership if
needed in this team because sports if a field that includes quite non-overlookable cases of
conflicts and individual perceptions. These conflicts need to be kept thoroughly in check;
otherwise it will result in opposing opinions by various players and significant stakeholders.
These conflicts will eventually result in failure of attainment of success of the team. Therefore,
any decision that will be taken by the owner needs to be taken by acquiring thorough approval
from all players and stakeholders.
Team/League/Organization Structure
a. Formalization
A football team is, basically supposed to consist of fifty three players, out of which eleven
players are to play in the field at one time. Each of these players need to possess in depth
knowledge about how things are supposed to be done on the football field that would be most
profitable (Masterman, 2014). Therefore, eleven players have been chosen by the owner of the
Avenging Knights to play as team member of this team in a complex manner.
b. Complexity
These eleven players have been chosen by taking into account all required characteristics that
need to be possessed in order to perform well with or without complexities that are put forward
by the opposing team (Masterman, 2014).
c. Centralization
Out of the skillful football eleven players, one centralized player has been chosen who will be
appointed to hold on to the ball first and aim to throw it at the end zone. This player is one that is
supposedly good at his aiming skills. This person has been chosen to hold such a post because it
was made known that this person possesses the capability of keeping an eagle’s eye in the ball,
especially when it seems as though it is being passed onto another player or directly to the end
zone at a faster rate (Solow, 2014). This player also possesses the capability of stretching out,

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both arms and legs, in such manners that would prohibit the opponent's throw from entering the
end zone and enabling the opposing team from scoring a goal. With the help of a formation of a
structure like this, it would be possible to flourish in NFL within a relatively short span of time
(nfl.com, 2017).
d. Organizational Chart
Figure 2: Organizational Chart
(Source: theofficialboard.com, 2017)
Based on Figure 2, it can be seen that Avenging Knights has been formulated following the
manner in which New York Giants had been formed. Thus, this figure shows the manner in
which Avenging Knights’ organization has been formed.
Marketing/Sponsorships
a. 5 “P’s” of Marketing
The five P’s of marketing are Product, Price, Place, Promotion and People. The product, here, is
Avenging Knights team itself. As per Hu & Cole (2016), this team has been planned to be

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advertised by playing in a convincing manner. The capability would be noticed and chosen to be
advertised by the most famous television networks and magazines, in the United States of
America, that would enable people to become aware of this newly emerging football team
(Bühler & Nufer, 2014). Price that would be tagged for a totality of such an advertisement would
be a tentative amount of $300,000. Place would, primarily, be the United States of America.
Secondarily, advertisements will be done on a worldwide basis in order to gain gain fan support
from all parts of the world. romotion will be done by keeping in mind ways in which Avenging
Knights will be capable of gaining immense positive recognition which would fetch confidence
and offers to play in bigger fields (Lovett, Bajaba & Mesak, 2016). People, to whom this
promotion will be portrayed, will be those belonging to all age groups and reside in the United
States of America.
b. Types of Marketing
Marketing of Avenging Knights, as an emerging football team, needs to be done in effectively
profit vale ways. This process of marketing will include those practices of playing every match
that is told to be played by the Avenging Knights. Marketing will be able to done by getting
themselves chosen by leading advertising sources only if they are able to portray themselves as a
team that is capable of gaining attention. This attention will be capable of getting achieved by
Avenging Knights if they show that they play well enough to gain this achievement.
TV/Broadcasting Contracts
a. The three types of broadcasting contracts used for television are:
i. Direct TV- Various channels, that are shown in television sets all over the world, enable the
broadcasting of NFL football games. These channels are shown and linked directly to the TV of
people in the world. These channels include Columbia Broadcasting Services or Systems (CBS),
Fox, National Broadcasting Company (NBC), Entertainment and Sports Programming Network
(ESPN) and the National Football League (NFL) Network.
ii. Video on demand- This system is being implemented for the audiences who will select a video
or audio for watching or listening according to their demand.
iii. Web TV- this is the television technology which is being implemented by the help of internet.
The channels are designed specially in concern of internet.

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b. Since 1960, all television broadcasting channels are socializing all kinds of playoff games in
United States. According to Beasley, Greenwald & Agha (2015), until the end of broadcasting
contracts in the year 2013, all terrestrial networks of television were broadcasting the NFL
games. These networks and their paid off are CBS ($3.73B), Fox ($4.27B), ESPN ($8.8B) and
NBC ($3.6B), which in total determined US$20.4 billion. However, from 2014 till 2022, these
networks will pay $39.6billion for those broadcasting rights that they have paid till 2013.
Therefore, it can be said that the new football team under NFL, Avenging Knights will be getting
much help from NFL when it receives its revenues from these broadcasting remuneration.
According to deadspin.com (2015), NFL had earned $7.2 billion in 2014 and it had shared
$226.4 million equally with its teams. This will help to broadcasts the new game of football to
the whole country as well as internationally.
Labor Relations
a. Labor plays an important role in an organization’s production process as because being a
human resource. Similarly, the Avenging Knights would also have an impact on it that its labour
will provides. According to National Labour Relations Act, employees of Avenging Knights
would have the right to use the concept of collective bargaining by means of representation
which contradicts with higher profit (Crossland, Tsai & Bowers, 2015). Through the concept of
collective bargaining contract, the employees will be able to create benefits for them as they earn
higher wages.
b. Through the help of collective bargaining agreement, the Avenging Knights can frequently
eliminate their football players whom it thinks is unfit to play. It is the right of the management
to choose or hire those football players who would be fit and fine to play football and help the
association to get profit. Based on the agreement the players would be recruited on a contractual
basis and they should be paid off pensions, health benefits and other required benefits (Lee &
McFarlin, 2016).
c. Representation of the team should be in the hand of eligible person who can guide the team at
its best and look after the occurrence of any kind of discrimination. This is so because under
NFL, no players should be discriminated based on race, sex, disability or age (McKelvey,
McDonald & Cocieru, 2016). However, the team representative of Avenging Knights should
have to pursue these qualities to handle the new football team.

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Contract Law
a. According to the contract law, NFL pays the football players remuneration and on behalf of
this remuneration the players agree to provide their best service to NFL. However, a breach of
this contract that NFL holds occurs when either of the party does not follow the terms and
conditions of the contract (Reynolds et al. 2015). Based on this NFL contract law, the team
pursues the right of cutting any player when it sees that the performance of that player is not up
to the mark. Even when a player is being sued by the team, the team is not breaching the contract
as because it has the right to do so as per the content of the contract. Being under NFL, Avenging
Knights will also have to follow this contract which NFL holds. This contract issue can be that
Avenging Knights’ team members had been paid a considerably high and unjust amount just
because of it efficiency to play comparatively better.
b. The collective bargaining agreement will be beneficial for the new football team Avenging
Knights under NFL (Roach, 2016). Considering this, the new football team can focus on several
benefits that its players will have the right to pursue.
c. The new football team can enter into a contract implicating sponsorship agreement with some
sports outlet in order to make new products like jersey for the football team. It can also hold
contract with some transport agencies that will be deployed in helping the players or even the
audiences to reach the stadium where it plans to play a match.
Sports Merchandising and Licensing
a.
Figure 3: Logo of Avenging Knights

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(Source: Self developed)
The log that has been made is green in color, which denotes the color of field and which
encourages the youth and players to play spontaneously. On the other hand, there is also a person
kicking his football in the logo, which denotes a strong energy of the players. Therefore, this
logo will definitely help the players to play spontaneously and with great energy at the same
time.
b. In order to set up the new football team, Avenging Knights will have to first make its own
trademark to make it separate from other football teams under NFL (nfl.com, 2017). It will have
to use its own logo, slogans, symbols as well as brand values as their own trademark to separate
itself from other football associations under NFL (Seijts, 2017). In order to introduce its own
products like jersey, it is very much important to follow the trademark process. This trademark
process includes pre-registration of the new football team, selection of proper mark, fill up the
application form, and get the application signed by Official Gazette and get certificate of
insurance over the registration for the new football team. c. In order to earn higher amount of
remunerations, Avenging Knights will have to give rise to recognition of its team to the whole
country as well as internationally (Roach, 2016). This can be possible if it takes into account
public appearance, selling of its own branded products, hire well trained players and follow the
contract efficiently with that of its players.
Community Impact
a. The impact of football on the economy under NFL has provided several major benefits. It has
been identified through several reports that football has added about $5 billion to the US
economy. This report was being published by NFL players association through the help of
Edgeworth Economies (Roach, 2016). However, it has provided 110,000 jobs to US economy.
Therefore, it can be said that chances of Avenging Knights with its new football team can have
higher impact on the economy.
b. Football has an influencing impact on the whole society of US. Because of having higher
attractiveness as well as being high paced game, it is loved by the people of US. Providing
higher benefits to the economy, it has become increasing significant in the life of the people and
no sports according to the US economy can replace it (Agergaard & Ryba, 2014). Therefore, it

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can be said that Avenging Knights the new football team will be able to acquire a greater place in
the minds of US population.
c. Avenging Knights will be able to lower the level of unemployment that exists in US by
providing a minimal, yet significant opportunity to people that is interested in football. Thereby,
helping people to invest money in football related business as well as purchasing of shares that
will help business to earn higher level of profit (Seijts, 2017). Interest in football sports can be a
kind of educational impact that this new football teams can develop.
Major Professional Sports Issues
a. 3 major types of issues faced by professional sports are:
i. Use of Excessive Drugs: The new football team will have to create awareness on the use of
drugs by the football players. If the football players start using drugs then it can affect the new
football team Avenging Knights at a higher amount. No drug used players should be higher by
this new team as its can affect its business under NFL (Manley et al. 2017).
ii. Discrimination: It is the due responsibility of the management to look after that no
discrimination occurs among the team members. Discrimination based on race, gender, sex, or
age is the most influencing factor to affect a team at a higher amount (Trequattrini et al. 2017).
However, it is important for Avenging Knights to look after that no discrimination should occur.
iii. Neurological Disorders: This may happen due to the immense amounts of pressure bring
placed on the body muscles of the players. This is brought about mainly due to the fact that
football entails a huge amount of expenditure of energy and usage of muscles. Due to excess
usage of muscles, there may be instances where nerves may get affected in highly in depth
manners.
3. Reflective Conclusion and Career Plan
There are various aforementioned ways in which there is a need to adopt various method of
making Avenging Knights flourishes in NFL along with forming the foundation of its
recognition. It can, thus, be reflected upon that Avenging Knights will gain a significantly high
profit that will enable it to become a recognized football team within NFL. Through this

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assignment, it can be learnt that creating a brand new football team and getting it affiliated with
NFL is a highly tedious, yet beneficial thing to do. In order to emerge as a successful new team,
it would be ever-important to consider all required rules and regulations of NFL.
According to Agergaard & Ryba (2014), the career plan that has been decided upon to carry out
the practice and promotion of Avenging Knights are as follows:
Firstly, there will be an evaluation of values and preferences of new recruits and stakeholders
internally are.
Secondly, there will be a process of finding out what can be and what cannot be faced in the real
world once they step out into it.
Thirdly, there will be a process of making decisions about various things that need to be done by
individual constituents of Avenging Knights.
Finally, there will be a process of putting into action all things that have been decided upon.

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