Sports Marketing and Media Project: Basketball Consumption Study

This project is a sports marketing analysis of basketball consumption among university students in Australia. The study begins with an introduction outlining the significance of basketball in Australia and its popularity among students, contrasting it with the rise of cricket. A literature review explores existing research on the topic, examining factors influencing female participation, the impact of e-sports, and the cultural significance of basketball. The methodology section details the use of interviews with six university students as the primary data collection method. Results are presented on attendance, viewership, and playing habits. The discussion section interprets these results in the context of the literature review, followed by a conclusion summarizing the findings. The project template includes an introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, conclusion, references, and interview transcripts in the appendix, fulfilling the requirements of the Sports Marketing and Media (21656) project.

Running head: SPORTS MARKETING AND MEDIA
A STUDY TO ANALYZE THE CONSUMPTION OF BASKETBALL SPORTING
ACTIVITIES BY THE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN AUSTRALIA
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................3
2.0 Literature Review......................................................................................................................3
2.1 Background............................................................................................................................3
2.2 Article 1.................................................................................................................................4
2.3 Article 2.................................................................................................................................5
2.4 Article 3.................................................................................................................................6
2.5 Overview................................................................................................................................6
3.0 Methodology..............................................................................................................................8
3.1 Data Collection Method.........................................................................................................8
3.1.1 Justification for the Selection of Primary Data Collection Method...............................8
3.2 Data Analysis Method...........................................................................................................9
3.2.1 Justification for the Selection of Primary Qualitative Data Analysis Method...............9
4.0 Results........................................................................................................................................9
4.1 Attendance.............................................................................................................................9
4.2 Viewership...........................................................................................................................11
4.3 Playing.................................................................................................................................13
5.0 Discussion................................................................................................................................15
5.1 Attendance...........................................................................................................................15
5.2 Viewership...........................................................................................................................16

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5.3 Playing.................................................................................................................................17
6.0 Conclusion...............................................................................................................................17
References......................................................................................................................................19
Appendix 1: Interview Questions..................................................................................................21
Appendix 2: Interview Transcript..................................................................................................22

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1.0 Introduction
The aim of this study is to analyze the consumption of the Basketball sporting activities
by the university students within the nation of Australia. Egawa et al. (2019) are of the viewpoint
that Basketball is the 2nd most played sport in more than 200 different nations and it is seen that
more than 450 million people indulge in the concerned sport annually. Adding to this, Wen et al.
(2018) have noted that within the nation of Australia it is seen that almost every third individual
either is a fan of the concerned sport or actively indulges in the different activities related to the
same. More importantly, it is seen that the university students within the framework of the
concerned nation are the ones who over the years have shown the maximum amount of
enthusiasm towards this particular sport (Chen et al. 2016). However, as discussed by Borghesi
(2018), the major problem associated with the consumption of Basketball within the concerned
nation arises because in the last few decades the popularity of Cricket had increased in an
exponential manner in Australia. This in turn poses a substantial amount of threat to the
consumption of Basketball in the concerned nation and had also decreased the popularity of
Basketball within Australia and its consumption by the university students as well. It is in this
particular backdrop that the researcher intends to conduct the research under discussion here.
2.0 Literature Review
2.1 Background
The purpose of this Literature Review is to conduct a review of the past literature related
to the concept of consumption of Basketball sports activities among the university students
within the nation of Australia. This is likely to help the researcher to understand the different

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theoretical concepts, frameworks and others related to the topic that had been selected for
research by the researcher. More importantly, the concepts discussed in this particular section of
the study would help the researcher to undertake an effective discussion of the findings derived
from the analysis of the primary data collected through interviews. This is important since it will
help the researcher to effectively analyze the research topic that had been selected for analysis in
this paper.
2.2 Article 1
Taylor et al. (2018) have tried to explore the factors which have contributed towards the
increased participating of the female university students in the different collegiate sports
activities, particularly, Basketball. More importantly, Taylor et al. (2018) have focused on the
challenges that the women athletes face to build a successful career in the field of Basketball and
other kinds of sports within the nation of Australia. The authors collected data or information for
the completion of this article from the different secondary sources NCAA Division I conference
reports and others and thereby the method of qualitative data analysis was being used by the
authors for the analysis of the same.
The results of the article reveal the fact that an important challenge that the women
athletes faced was the lack of career options available to them on the score of the indulgence that
they showed different kinds of sports like Basketball and others. As a matter of fact, the findings
of the study clearly revealed the fact that only 30% of the women athletes who participated in
different kinds of sports at the college or the university level were being able to find adequate job
roles in the later part of their career. More importantly, the results of the study also revealed the
fact that there are various factors like popularity of Basketball, the opportunity to be physically
fit and others have substantially contributed towards the increased participation of women in

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Basketball sports at the college or the university level. This is an important resource for the study
since it will elucidate the factors which have contributed towards the consumption of Basketball
sports activities among the university students and also the challenges that they face to build a
successful career within the concerned domain.
2.3 Article 2
Funk, Pizzo and Baker (2018) in this article have tried to analyze the factors which had
increased the tendency on the part of the university students to participate in different kinds of e-
sports, particularly, Basketball. Furthermore, the authors have also tried to analyze the reasons
why the sports regulating authorities are increasingly resorting to different kinds of gaming apps
for the enhancement of the popularity of the sports to which they are associated with. The
authors, Funk, Pizzo and Baker (2018) for the completion of this article collected information
from different secondary sources and thereby the mechanism of qualitative data analysis method
was used by them.
Funk, Pizzo and Baker (2018) on the basis of the secondary data that they collected
found that inability or for that matter the hesitation of the individuals to indulge in different kinds
of sporting activities is an important factor which had contributed towards the widespread usage
of various sports gaming apps. Furthermore, the authors also found that the extensive circulation
of different kinds of gaming apps have enhanced the popularity of the different sports like
Basketball, Cricket and others significantly among the university students. Thus, it can be said
that this resource would be an important one for the study since it will highlight the manner in
which the sports authorities related to Basketball can enhance the popularity as well as the
consumption of the same among the university students.

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2.4 Article 3
Light and Yasaki (2017) in this article have tried to analyze the manner in which
Basketball had become ingrained into the cultural and the social framework of the nations of
Australia and Japan. Furthermore, Light and Yasaki (2017) have also tried to analyze the manner
in which participation of the university students and the other teenagers in Basketball shapes
their outlook, experience, cultural perspective and others. More importantly, the authors
collected primary data through “15-item questionnaire” survey from girls who were associated
with the different Basketball clubs of Japan and Australia. The data that was collected from these
girls was analyzed through the usage of the quantitative data analysis method.
Light and Yasaki (2017) found that the sports of Basketball had become an integral part
of the cultural framework of the nations of Japan and Australia. Furthermore, the results of the
article also reveal the fact that the university students generally like to bond over the different
games of Basketball and a discussion of the various aspects of the concerned sports had become
an important topic of discussion at the diverse social gatherings of the university students as
well. In addition to these, the results of the article under discussion here also reveal the fact that
the concerned sport had positively influenced the outlook, experience, cultural perspective and
others of the university students. Thus, it can be said that this article will be an important one for
the study since it highlights the cultural connotations associated with Basketball sports which
influence the university students to participate in the same.
2.5 Overview
A critical analysis of the three articles selected for discussion in this section of the study
clearly indicates the fact that the sport of Basketball is an extremely popular one among the
different university students and this in turn is one of the most important reasons why the

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majority of the university students actively participate within the same. More importantly, Taylor
et al. (2018) have highlighted the fact that unlike the earlier times when the male students only
used to participate in the Basketball related activities presently it is seen that the female students
are also showing an active interest towards the same. For instance, the article of Taylor et al.
(2018) clearly indicates that the participation of female university students in the concerned sport
had increased by more than 30% in the present. However, an important effect of the same can be
ascribed to the fact that this had not affected the job prospects of these university students and it
is seen that there are many female university who actively participate in Basketball find it very
difficult to get adequate jobs after the completion of their education.
Funk, Pizzo and Baker (2018) have noted that not all the university students have the
required level of physical fitness to participate in the Basketball games however this does not
affect their love for the concerned sport or for that matter their enthusiasm for the same. The
result effect of this is that in order to compensate for the same they use the different Basketball
related gaming apps which in turn had contributed substantially towards the emerging popularity
of the same. On the other hand, Light and Yasaki (2017) have noted that the Basketball games
have become an integral part of the cultural framework of the university students and are often
being used as a social currency by them. Thus, it is seen that a discussion about the same forms
an important topic of discussion among the university students at different social gatherings,
events and others. Therefore, it can be said that Basketball rather than being merely a sport had
become an integral part of life of the university students.

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3.0 Methodology
3.1 Data Collection Method
Hair Jr. et al. (2015) are of the viewpoint that the researchers usually either collect
firsthand primary data or use the information from the different secondary sources related to the
topic that they have selected for research. Adding to this, Sekaran and Bougie (2016) have noted
that primary firsthand data or information is being collected by the researchers through the usage
of the primary data collection method. On the other hand, as stated by Kumar (2019), secondary
data is being collected by the researchers from the different secondary sources through the usage
of the secondary data collection. However, at the same time it needs to be said that the secondary
data collected by the researchers often lack credibility or reliability and are often outdated in
nature and it is because of this aspect that the majority of the researchers take the help of the
primary data collection method (Flick 2015). Furthermore, the researchers who take the help of
primary data collection method have the opportunity to collect the required data through the
usage of the research strategies of survey, interview, observation and others (Quinlan et al.
2019).
3.1.1 Justification for the Selection of Primary Data Collection Method
The researcher had taken the help of the primary data collection method for the
completion of the research and the research strategy of interview have been used for the
collection of data from 6 university students related to their consumption of Basketball sporting
activities. The most important strength point of this data collection method is the fact that it
would help the researcher to collect reliable or credible firsthand information directly from the
university students and thus make the research more accurate. However, at the same time it
needs to be said that the weakness of this data collection method used by the researcher can be

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said to be the fact that it had substantially narrowed down the scope of the research since the
information or data was collected from a few university students.
3.2 Data Analysis Method
Taylor, Bogdan and DeVault (2015) are of the viewpoint that the data analysis method
which is being used by the researchers for the analysis of the data or the information that they
have collected is influenced by the nature or for that matter the kind of data or information that
they have collected. As discussed by Kumar (2019), the researchers who collect primary data
need to take the help of the quantitative data analysis method whereas the researchers using
secondary data need to use qualitative data analysis method.
3.2.1 Justification for the Selection of Primary Qualitative Data Analysis Method
The researcher took the help of the primary qualitative data analysis method since
primary data was collected from 6 university students. The strength of this data analysis method
is the fact that it would help the researcher to adequately analysis the data that had been collected
from the university students through the tool of interview. However, the weakness of this data
analysis method can be attributed to the fact that the data which had been collected from the
university students are completely accurate because of their own perceptions, bias and others and
this can substantially affect the results of the entire study.
4.0 Results
4.1 Attendance
Respondent
s
How often do you attend the Basketball
games?
Do you like to take your friends
along with you while attending

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the Basketball games?
Respondent
1
I attend the Basketball games almost on a
regular basis
Yes, I like to attend the different
Basketball games with my friends
and family members.
Respondent
2
I attend almost all the Basketball games
which are being organized in our area
Yes, I make it a point to take my
friends along with me to the
stadiums while attending the
Basketball games.
Respondent
3
I like to attend the Basketball games
however the majority of the times I am not
being able to do so because of my hectic
schedule
I always take my friends while
attending the different Basketball
games.
Respondent
4
Yes, I like to attend the Basketball games I take my friends along with me so
as to enjoy the Basketball games in
the best possible manner.
Respondent
5
I do not attend the Basketball games very
frequently
I normally take my friends along
with me but that depends
significantly on the time factor.
Respondent
6
No, I do not generally attend the
Basketball games
No, I do not take my friends along
with me to the Basketball games.

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4.2 Viewership
Respondents Do you regularly
watch Basketball
games over
television or the
internet?
Do you have
any sports
channel
subscriptions?
Do you like to
watch the
Basketball
games with your
friends and
family
members?
Do you think
that there is any
difference
between
attending the
Basketball
games and
watching the
same over
television or the
internet?
Respondent 1 Yes, I frequently
watch the
Basketball games
over the television
or the internet as per
my convenience.
Yes, I have a
sports channel
subscription
since I do not
like to miss the
Basketball
games.
Yes, I enjoy
watching the
Basketball games
with my friends
and family
members.
I think that there
is a significant
amount of
difference
between
watching the
Basketball games
in the stadium
live and
watching them
over the