Sport Marketing

Branding is the main process of profitability and it can be defined as critical basis for sport industry. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze the factors affecting the brand associations of the Iranian football league organization. The research population of the study included the faculty members of universities, members of the board of directors of the football federation, the board and staff of the league organization, and the managers and experts of the football federation. The research sample was selected through convenience sampling. A researcher-developed questionnaire was distributed for collecting the research data. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by ten professors of sports management and the reliability was confirmed using Cronbach's alpha test. To analyze the research data, Partial Least Squares test (PLS) was applied. Findings showed that the research variables included tradition, competitive balance, stadium atmosphere, management, competition, star player, education, competition, game show, community pride, socialization, player development, getting rid of everyday life, nostalgia, interest in a special team, excitement, acceptance in the peer group, logo, and product delivery had a positive and significant effect on the brand associations of Iranian football league organization. Therefore, it is suggested that managers and officials of sports federations use the results of this research to enhance the brand positioning of the football leagues.

Introduction: Adhering to advertising ethics can positively affect repeat purchases and customer loyalty. The purpose of this research was to investigate the ethical dimensions of sports business advertisements. Material and Methods: The research method is based on the multi-grounded approach in terms of practical purpose and qualitative data. 15 participants were experts in the field of marketing, sellers, and customers of sports businesses. The sampling method was non-random and purposive. Sampling was carried out until theoretical saturation was reached. The research tool was a semi-structured interview. The interviewing process continued until theoretical saturation (15 people) was reached. Data analysis utilized three-stage coding and was conducted with MAXQDA software. Validation was done using the triangulation approach. Results: The final model of the research was organized into 4 main axes: 1- Effective factors (factors related to the business company, market atmosphere, customer behavior, economic, cultural-social, rules and regulations governing businesses), 2- Strategies (infrastructure and equipment, management and structure, laws and regulations, supervision, training, dissemination, and promotion), 3- Dimensions of ethics in advertising (non-supply of dark products, religious values, methods of promotion and advertising, social values, communication with customers, content production, quality the product of laws and regulations), 4- Consequences (seller's internal satisfaction, branding, financial consequences, customer-related consequences). Conclusion: This research identifies a new ethical approach for sports business ads. It emphasizes the importance of scientific, social, and cultural values, along with adherence to advertising norms and legal compliance. Monitoring should involve existing regulations and technology. Furthermore, sports business licensing should include education on ethical advertising.