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INTERTWINE:
CLOSELY CONNECTING PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES AND FANS THROUGH
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND GIVING BACK
Meaghan Paschall
Learning Team 29, Fall 2017
Graduate Program in Sports Management
California State University, Long Beach
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract 3
Chapter 1: Background of the Problem 4
Chapter 2: Review of Literature 8
Chapter 3: Methodology 15
Chapter 4.1: Results 17
Chapter 4.2: Discussion 22
Chapter 5: Conclusion 25
References 28
Appendix 31
Appendix 1: Tables 31
Table 1 31
Table 2 32
Appendix 2: Figures 33
Figure 1 33
Figure 2 33
Figure 3 34
Appendix 3: Copy of Data Collection Instrument 35
Appendix 4: Data Collection Reports 39
Appendix 5: Raw Data Output 59
Appendix 6: Letter of Authorization to Collect Data 61
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ABSTRACT
Problem: Professional sports figures do not have a platform that allows them to give back to
causes they are passionate about. Objective: Determine the expectations and interests that fans
have for athletes regarding social responsibility. Design: The study focused on conducting
descriptive research through a multi-section questionnaire using open and closed questions,
through a web-based service: Qualtrics.com. Data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel. Statistics
utilized were means, percentages, frequencies, and correlations, using alpha level .05.
Participants: Respondents were selected through random sampling, through email and social
media outreach across Facebook and Twitter. A total of one hundred and eighty-fix individuals
participated. Main Outcome Measures: The data collected from this survey was intended to
further knowledge on fan perception of corporate social responsibility in the sports industry. This
information determines the value and need the industry has for Intertwine. Results: Data
retrieved proved there is a significant relationship between an athlete’s behavior, fan creation,
and personal connections amongst athletes and fans (p-value=4.33128E-06). Fans feeling more
personally connected to an athlete goes hand-in-hand with positive behavior from athletes away
from competition when pertaining to fan loyalty. Conclusion: Community involvement and
philanthropic giving by sports teams has become an expectation from fans. Athletes across
professional sports teams in the United States are only given the opportunity to give back to the
charity of the teams choosing. Intertwine, a business focused on closely connecting fans and
athletes through causes that organically relate to athlete, is the perfect platform for athletes who
wish to use their sports following to positively effect the community around them. Key Words:
Intertwine, social responsibility, corporate social responsibility (CSR), ethical social
responsibility, philanthropic social responsibility
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CHAPTER 1
BACKGROUND OF THE PROBLEM
Significance of the Problem
With a following of over 63% of Americans (Carroll, 2005), the sports industry has an
audience already invested across so many platforms dedicated to an athlete, team, or sport. This
outlet is the perfect market to use to instill and push for positive change throughout the community,
nation, and world. The utilization of this has become apparent across professional sports teams,
and even leagues, now that social responsibility has become not just a norm but an expectation
from fans.
With such a huge focus on giving back, there has been backlash and negative criticism
towards teams and organizations who appear to be giving back for the sake of good publicity. It
is extremely difficult to claim that your team truly believes in a specific cause when one tries to
match it specifically with twenty, thirty, forty, even up to a hundred different athletes let alone
the team’s owners and executives. This allows for even the smallest slip in marketing,
promotion, or player behavior to fuel a negative campaign against what should be a positive
community impact. It is near-to-impossible to find a cause that organically aligns with every
individual involved.
With such a big audience and following, individual athletes have all the right tools for
increasing exposure, knowledge, and potential benefactors for social causes that directly relate to
them and their story. The effects that good social responsibility campaigns and efforts can have
on an athlete can not only benefit them and their brand image but also the team they play for,
their alma mater, their sport, and their team’s revenue, thereby increasing the individuals value to
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the organization. Athletes need a way to partake in campaigns that highlight causes they are
directly and naturally related to without distracting them from competition.
Intertwine is a start to finish business built around producing campaigns for individual
athlete’s geared towards increasing the knowledge of, as well as potential funding for, the cause
of their choosing. In addition, Intertwine hosts the annual Giving Gala, an event developed to
bring together the year’s athletes and their fans to merge different sports and causes for positive
community impact. All cause-related marketing material for the athlete will be created and
managed by Intertwine, allowing the athlete to focus on their competition and the season at hand.
All marketing campaigns, press releases, and social postings will be organized and led by
Intertwine, hopeful that this service will encourage more athletes to give-back for the ease
provided for the athlete’s campaign requires very little work outside of the gala appearance and
campaign development and participation for the individual.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to describe interest regarding events connecting professional
athletes with social responsibility. In addition, to understand what expectations fans have from
organizations regarding community give back, the perceptions fans have when teams do/do not
engage in social responsibility activities, what makes fans feel connected to individual athletes,
and the interest fans have in participating in events geared towards the athlete’s personal interests
and causes.
The Problem Statement
Competitive sports seem to have one focus: winning. Positive change in the communities
in which athletes reside can be made in a true manner by merging these individuals with social
responsibilities to which they are organically connected. Professional athletes who want to do
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more for their community and the causes in which they are most passionate and socially
responsible for need a platform to do such.
Delimitations
1. Adults that are 18 years of age or older.
2. A wide array of sports fans, including but not limited to baseball, basketball, football, and
soccer.
3. An assortment of age, gender, and demographic.
Limitations
1. All participants must have attended at least one professional sporting event.
2. All participants must follow at least one sports team for at least 50% of their competitive
season.
3. All applications were completed online.
Assumptions
1. Participants are a following fan of an individual athlete or professional team.
2. Participants have at least one form of social media platform.
3. Participants gave their best efforts and answered honestly.
Definition of Terms
1. Social Responsibility- The responsibilities and framework that an individual has toward
society as a whole
2. Corporate Social Responsibility- The responsibilities a business has that benefit society
3. Economic Social Responsibility- The most basic of all corporate responsibilities; to make
a profit and be sustainable
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4. Legal Social Responsibility- The national, and global when applicable, responsibility to
follow the law
5. Ethical Social Responsibility- The more expected responsibility to keep loyal business; to
act towards customers, businesses, and competitors in a way that parallels current social
expectations
6. Philanthropic Social Responsibility- The responsibilities influenced and geared by
owners and executives that go above and beyond expectations of a business
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CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
The sports industry is one with a huge following. The potential for what could be done
through this audience is limitless and recently, professional teams have taken note of such.
Corporate social responsibility has grown to become a vital piece for the organization’s success
throughout the National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, Major League
Baseball, and National Football League (Mahon & McGowan). All have taken measures to either
create a non-profit or charity-based foundation either as an entity of the league or each individual
team. The creation of these foundations, such as the Kings Care Foundation, were highly
influenced by “the opportunity to give back to the community” and the individuals drawing
attention to the team, such as Wayne Gretzky, for example, with the Los Angeles Kings
according to Jim Fox, a Kings announcer and former player. (Duarte, 2016) The National
Basketball Association(NBA) took league-wide steps with the NBA Cares foundation, inspired
to address social issues across the nation and globe. (“NBA Cares”, 2016)
According to Mohd Isa (2012), corporate social responsibility is “the managerial
obligation to take action to protect and improve both the welfare of society as a whole and the
interest of the organization.” Simply put by Archie B. Carroll, an organization focused on
corporate social responsibility “should strive to make a profit, obey the law, be ethical, and be a
good corporate citizen.” (1991) Corporate social responsibility branches into many different
focuses and aspects. Some of these are expected within companies to reach financial success
while others are left to the organization to deem their importance. Categories of corporate social
responsibility include economic, legal, ethical, and discretionary. These four categories make up
the Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility depicted by Archie B. Carroll (1991). (Figure 1)
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Economic responsibility is a businesses’ obligation to be profitable if it wishes to be sustainable.
All businesses are expected to make a consistent profit and with that, be able to maintain high
operating efficiency. Economic and legal responsibility are both expected as well as necessary
for a business to survive. Legal responsibility is simple; a business will follow regulations sent in
place by the government across all levels: local, state, and federal. As Carroll has stated, ethical
responsibility is in regards to what customers, stakeholders, and the community deem as right,
just, and fair (1991). These responsibilities are not determined by written law but by the
surrounding society and the culture of the business’s location. Philanthropic responsibilities are
those that the organization freely partakes in to make societal benefits as good citizens. This
varies from ethical responsibility for the business voluntarily partakes in philanthropic behavior.
If an organization is economically, legally, and ethically responsible, it does not make it
philanthropically responsible. Philanthropic businesses are giving as good individuals looking to
better society in forms of, but not limited to, capital and time.
Figure 1. Pyramid of corporate social responsibility. This figure illustrates the four categories
that compose Archie B. Carroll’s pyramid of corporate social responsibility (1991).
These can be generally classified under three different types of efforts: ecocentric,
sustainable, and philanthropic. Ecocentric efforts are determined to better the company’s impact
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on the environment, irrespective of the company’s cost to do so. Sustainability is not just a focus
of the company’s ability to survive and grow but also the ability of its shareholders.
Philanthropic efforts are focused on bettering those outside of the business. This may include
customers but the main focus group is that not directly involved with the business. These efforts
can be referred to as the triple-bottom line of business when referring to corporate social
responsibility (Brusseau, 2015).
In 1991, Donna J. Wood recognized how Carroll’s four categories directly related to the
corporate social responsibility principles of social legitimacy on an institutional level, public
responsibility on an organizational level, and managerial discretion on an individual level.
(Carroll, 1991). This relationship should be viewed as the “triple-bottom line” throughout this
study. The individual carefulness while addressing a feeling of concern or sincere obligation to
help and better society transparently pairs with the athletes that are to become clients of
Intertwine.
The research accompanying this project includes two primary focuses. The first being
the significance and better understanding of the proven success, or failure, that businesses have
had with programs concentrated on corporate social responsibility. This focus is highly placed on
organizations throughout the sports industry but also includes additional research on other
entities whom pioneered corporate social responsibility, continuing to excel doing such. The
second being geared towards the expectations and perceptions that fans now hold towards sports
entities to do more for society and the impact that doing such will have on the team in return.
Is corporate social responsibility a benefit to business? There are many successful
examples of companies that have tackled corporate social responsibility. Fortune, just one of
many sources, annually ranks the Top 10 list for businesses partaking in corporate social
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responsibility campaigns and efforts; Number 5 on the list from 2012 was Starbucks Coffee,
which can also be found of Forbes Top 10 list for Most Successful CSR Companies (2016). The
reasoning behind the Seattle coffee company’s high listing has only continued to grow since the
2012 Fortune release. Starbucks Coffee continues to better its bean production and roasting
facilities to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Not only are they focused on
environmental efforts, Starbucks also focuses on community advancement in the form of the
Foodshare program aiding hunger relief, community farm creations, youth opportunities and
college achievement planning as well as funding, and veteran and military support. Whether the
efforts at Starbucks are effecting the local community or communities across the globe, they’re
work has grown not only those involved in their projects but also the company itself. The
Starbucks Global Report (2015) states the company was fighting for survival in 2008. During
this time of financial stress, they did not shy away from their responsibilities to their community.
With such focus not going unnoticed, this aided in the upward climb of the company to being
worth over $55.94 billion just six years later in 2014. Starbucks will continue to inspire with new
innovative approaches influencing positive change and responsibility in others. The Upstanders
Collection was launched in 2016 to share stories of unique individuals who single-handedly are
looking to challenge the status quo and change the world.
Another business showing personal success as they focus on supplying the opportunity
for success to others is The Hershey Company. In 1909, Milton Hershey, the founder of the
global confectionary leader, began the Milton Hershey School. Geared towards “giving
underserved children the skills and support they need to be successful”, the Milton Hershey
School has given over 2,000 students educational support (Cutugno, 2015). The Hershey
Company also focuses on efforts that have provided over 250,000 meals to the hunger
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throughout 2015 alone and donated over $3.1 million through the efforts and work of their
employees (Cutugno, 2015). The company’s success during times of additional corporate social
responsibility campaign creation such as the Stop Hunger Now event in 2015 and the Run Jump
Throw event partnership with USA Track & Field, has thrived with an earnings per share
increase of $3.72 in 2013 to $4.12 in 2015. As their donations to the community continue to
increase, $9.4 million in 2013 to $20.7 million in 2015, The Hershey Company is expected to
continue to see economic success (Cutugno, 2015).
Since 1983, Microsoft has been behind the Employee Giving Campaign in full support of
their employees’ time to volunteer. The first year of the campaign consisted of 200 employees
who raised $17,000 for non-profit organizations. Through the months of 2015, 71% of Microsoft
employees volunteered to raise $125 million, a record for the company, for over 18,000 global
nonprofits (2016). It’s no wonder Microsoft was ranked by the Reputation Institute as the best
company for corporate social responsibility after raising over $9.5 billion of donations since the
company began (Dhoul, 2013). This company, even with the increase in technology and it
competitors, has been able to keep retention rates to a good term, averaging 6 years (Rasoulian,
2016), and according to Microsoft employees stating the most rewarding part of their job is the
Employee Giving Campaign, one can’t help but wonder of the true benefit corporate social
responsibility has had on Microsoft (2016).
The pressures that now are placed on professional teams to do more and give back is
highly based on the fan’s expectations of what the teams should be doing. These expectations
contribute to the fan’s relationship with the team. The relationship is built upon satisfaction,
trust, and commitment (Kennett-Hensel & Lacey, 2016). An organization that is consistent and
true to their corporate social responsibility campaign naturally evokes a trusting relationship with
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fans. The satisfaction that supplies fan-team relationships is usually based on the team’s
performance, the game day experience, and the fans availability to team information. The
commitment that builds a relationship is highly connected to the consistency the team has on and
off the court. If this behavior is clear and reliable, the fan becomes more invested, providing the
chance for a long-term commitment to support the team.
Because of the popularity of corporate social responsibility campaigns continually
growing across the sports industry, fans now expect teams to contribute. Many professional
teams have created their own non-profit branches or foundations, such as the Los Angeles
Dodgers Foundation and the Los Angeles Kings Care Foundation. Professional leagues have also
sought opportunity to better the community through campaigns such as the National Basketball
Association’s NBA Cares and the National Football League’s 360 Play (Mahon & McGowan).
These team-wide and league-wide campaigns will only continue to grow as it is becoming
“continually consistent with what the public expects of the business community today”. (Carroll,
1991)
Fans perceptions of organizations that foster corporate social responsibility are highly
increased when it is done well and with the right intent. Corporate social responsibility can
drastically effect brand image. The use of a successful campaign can aid in brand awareness,
brand value, and brand revenue. This success however, is not just based on the capital raised or
the hours served; the community’s belief in the end product of the campaign is what determines
success in the fan’s mind (Kennett-Hensel & Lacey, 2016).
This plays a huge role in the natural connection of the cause to the representative behind
the campaign. Intertwine will create organically associated campaigns for individuals in the
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sports industry that are passionate about their story behind their cause of choice, seeking to
educate others and prospect growing support for the cause.
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CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY
Research Design
The study focused on conducting descriptive research through a questionnaire using open and
closed questions. Open question answers will be used for future research prompts and idea
creation for Intertwine as a source to conduct events that will interest the most individuals and
increase return and success for all company client types.
Participants
Participants were obtained through social media outreach via Facebook shares, Twitter shares,
and LinkedIn shares, as well as email outreach, targeting sports fans of all fashion.
Sampling Method
The participants for the survey were randomly-selected sports fans. There was no requirement
for level of engagement in a specific player, team, or sport, although it was advised for ability to
obtain most accurate data.
Instrumentation
The first section of the survey begins with demographic questions collecting information on age,
gender, and annual income. The following question asks the participant to select what they
believe effects their loyalty as a fan: athlete, team, location, or sport. The next question is aimed
to get the participant’s thoughts on what makes a team successful, one option being community
involvement. The succeeding section utilizes a likert-type scale to determent the participant’s
agreements with statements regarding team’s community involvement and athlete-fan
connections. The last section of the survey uses open and closed questions to compile data
regarding participant’s involvement in team’s community outreach events as well as their interest
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in attending individual athlete’s outreach events. The survey was authenticated for content by a
panel of twenty current graduate students in the department of Kinesiology at California State
University, Long Beach.
Data Collection Procedures
Participants of the fan-based survey were recruited during the month of October 2016. The
survey was posted across Facebook (with a total of 8 different shares, broadening the audience of
participants), Twitter, and LinkedIn. Additional participants were also collected through an email
blast targeting individuals who work or participate in activities and organizations throughout the
sports industry. The total number of participants in the survey was not limited to better further
research (n=185).
Data Analysis
Statistics calculated include means, percentages, frequencies, correlations, and standard
deviations of data collected using Microsoft Excel, with an alpha level of .05.
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CHAPTER 4.1
RESULTS
Demographic Information
Of the participants surveyed (n=185), 57.3% received the survey through a social media
share via Facebook or Twitter and 41.6% received the survey through a link sent via private
email. Due to online outreach, especially with the high volume of social media participants,
controlling an equal number of participants per gender was difficult, resulting in a highly skewed
number of female respondents (133) to male respondents (52). The age ranges of participants are
as follows: 31.5% 45 years or older, 29.9% 25-34 years of age, 27.1% 19-24 years of age, 8.70%
35-44 years of age, and 2.72% under the age of 18. The income range for the majority of
participants can be noted in four different groups: either the highest available value (64
participants make more than $60,000 annually), the lowest available value (44 participants make
less than $14,999 annually), the value most likely paired with the start of the individual’s full-
time career path (51 participants make between $15,000 and $39,999; Note: This assumption is
made based on the high level of participants between the ages of 25-34), and the individuals who
are more likely to be in full-time managerial positions (25 participants make between $40,000 to
$59,999).
Comparisons
Table 1 utilizes data from three likert-style statements, all relating to fan loyalty and the
fan-athlete relationship. The statements in comparison are as follows:
• Teams that give back have more loyal fans.
• Connecting with fans on a more personal level creates fans who are more loyal.
• I wish I knew more about professional athletes’ personal stories and backgrounds.
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Of the 164 participants who responded to all three statements, there was a significant
relationship between them. Using an alpha level of .05, the comparison of means showed that fan
loyalty has a significant relationship with connecting with athletes on a more personal level (p-
value=0.000466).
SUMMARY
Groups Count Sum Average
Varianc
e
“Teams that give back have
more loyal fans.” 168 329 1.958333
0.75873
3
“Connecting with fans on a
more personal level creates
fans who are more loyal.” 164 345 2.103659
0.64563
1
“I wish I knew more about
professional athletes’ personal
stories and backgrounds.” 164 288 1.756098
0.51683
4
ANOVA
Source of Variation SS df MS F P-value F crit
Between Groups
9.99544
3 2 4.997722
7.79239
2
0.00046
6 3.01401
Within Groups 316.19 493 0.641359
Total
326.185
5 495
Table 1. Comparison of means using Analysis of Variance to determine a significant relationship
between fan loyalty and participants want to connect on a more personal level with athletes,
using alpha level .05.
Table 2 uses the data retrieved from participants across two questions regarding athletes.
The first of which was a likert-style question with answer options: strongly agree, agree,
somewhat agree, neither agree nor disagree, somewhat disagree, disagree, and strongly disagree.
This question read as follows: “Behavior away from competition from professional athletes,
whether good or bad, should not go unnoticed.” The second question utilized in this comparison
had the participant agree or disagree with the following statement: “I am a fan of the athlete.” Of
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the 183 participants who answered both of these questions, there was a significant relationship
obtained between findings (p-value=4.33128E-06).
t-Test: Paired Two Sample for
Means
“Behavior away from competition
from professional athletes, whether
good or bad, should not go
unnoticed.”
“I am a fan of
the athlete.”
Mean 1.770491803 2.677595628
Variance 1.232750856 6.252627154
Observations 183 183
Pearson Correlation 0.054343132
Hypothesized Mean Difference 0
df 182
t Stat -4.578366424
P(T<=t) one-tail 4.33128E-06
t Critical one-tail 1.653269024
P(T<=t) two-tail 8.66256E-06
t Critical two-tail 1.973084077
Table 2. Comparison using a t-Test, while alpha level .05, to distinguish a relationship between
fans who believe an athlete’s behavior should not go unnoticed and fans who describe
themselves as a fan of a specific athlete.
Figure 2 represents the response percentage that participants had in attending an athlete’s
event geared towards the six corporate social responsibility focuses represented: youth education,
youth development, eco-friendly/green initiatives, healthcare advancement, social cause
outreach, economic betterment, and healthcare support for diseases and disabilities. The two
most heavily recognized focuses through this study were youth education and youth
development. The focus reporting the least interest was healthcare advancement with only
6.68%.
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Figure 2. Response percentage of interest in corporate social responsibility focuses represented:
youth education, youth development, eco-friendly/green initiatives, healthcare advancement,
social cause outreach, economic betterment, and healthcare support for diseases and disabilities.
Figure 3 can be used most beneficially for Intertwine internal purposes. This data shows
the price ranges that participants would be willing to pay to attend an athlete’s personal event
geared toward giving back. Most answered that they would pay no more than $100 for such an
event. Only 16.2% of those surveyed recorded they would be willing to pay $101 or more to
attend an event. With 65 respondents selecting to spend $51 to $100 and 65 selecting to spend no
more than $50, the average price that this group of participants would be willing to pay sits in the
$70-$80 range.
22.33%
22.14%
8.40%
6.68%
15.65%
7.82%
16.98%
Interest
in
Corporate
Social
Responibility
Focuses
Youth
education
Youth
development
Eco-‐friendly/green
initiatives
Healthcare
advancement
Social
cause
outreach
Economic
betterment
Healthcare
support
for
diseases
and
disabilities
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Figure 3. Participant responses to the price they would be willing to pay to attend an athlete’s
event. Note: 24 participants chose to leave this questions blank, resulting in a total response of
n=161.
66
65
18
5
7
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
No
more
than
$50
$51
to
$100
$101
to
$150
$151
to
$200
$201+
Event
Price
Point
Limits
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CHAPTER 4.2
DISCUSSION
The information collected from the given survey furthers the research of Kennett-Hensel
& Lacey (2016), where fan and team relationships were measured based on satisfaction, trust,
and commitment. The participants that stated that their loyalty to an athlete can be paired with
increased knowledge of the athlete, where fans want to feel a more personal connection, and the
athlete’s involvement in social responsibility ensures that Intertwine’s method of storytelling and
emotional connections will engage attendees and further develop that athlete-fan relationship of
loyalty, trust, satisfaction, and commitment.
Table 1 data indicates that continued creation of loyal fans can be built through personal
connections with the athletes. Intertwine is the perfect opportunity and platform for athletes to
build the emotional and personal connection with fans that will ensure fan loyalty and
impressions. Fans wanting to know more about athletes away from the field through their
personal stories and the causes they are passionate about will allow for Intertwine to create and
manage campaigns to educate and contribute to the athlete’s cause, build the emotional
connection desired by fans, and increase athlete-fan loyalty. Participants of the survey strongly
agreed that teams that give back have more loyal fans. Building the athlete-fan relationship and
loyalty pertaining to a give back campaign on the athlete’s behalf can increase the athlete’s value
to their team/organization. The positive attention and fan-base that this athlete brings in can pair
their fans and this mindset with the sports team that the athlete is a part of.
Table 2 data shows that there is a significant relationship between an athlete’s behavior
and their fan creation. Participants who classified themselves as fans of individual athletes (e.g.
Jonathan Quick, Peyton Manning, David Beckham), not just the team (e.g. Los Angeles Lakers,
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Miami Dolphins, San Francisco Giants), the sport/league (e.g. hockey, soccer, National
Basketball Association, Major League Baseball), or the location (e.g. Chicago, Boston, Houston)
strongly agreed that athlete behavior should not go unnoticed. Due to this, it is safe to assume
that positive behavior from the athlete can encourage stronger relationships with fans and
negative behavior from the athlete can discourage said relationship and turn fans away from
athletes. Intertwine can utilize campaigns and the annual Giving Gala to highlight positive
behavior, aiding in continued relationship creation amongst fans.
Figure 2 contains information important for Intertwine internal knowledge as to best
conduct events for athletes with the highest return. This information can also be used for
marketing and outreach purposes geared towards attracting clients connected with youth
education and youth development interests and backgrounds. Pending current events, these
findings are an additional source of education needs of participants. While most participants
were geared towards events enhancing the youth, the small percentage of participants interested
in supporting economic betterment can increase by educating attendees at an athlete’s event
focused on aiding the homeless in their hometown. Intertwine can not only use its services to
increase an athlete’s fan loyalty and public image but can also increase community knowledge
on current events and societal advancement.
Figure 3 is an additional source of internal knowledge for the company. When
determining revenue and expenses for an event, the price point interest is one that will be a
conflicting factor and this research at least begins to branch the idea of what is realistic for
attendees to pay. However, this research may be altered if participants were asked about a
specific athlete and their individual campaign or an event with multiple athletes, such as the
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Giving Gala. The ability to increase the price range and find success will be determined by
Intertwine’s ability to market the value of the event.
The data collected has a few factors that may have skewed results. A majority of the
participants were female; administering the survey across an equal level of male and female
participants may result in appropriate answers. Many of the individuals (58.69%) noted that they
make less than $14,999 or more than $60,000 annually. This does not seem to directly effect the
interests these individuals would have on attending an event costing $100 or less (81.36% would
attend at such a price range) although, a more even spread of participants across the income
range may result in a more universal interest in corporate social responsibility focuses or interest
in event types realistic to financial availability.
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CHAPTER 5
CONCLUSION
Key Findings
All professional sports organizations throughout the United States now have a strong
focus throughout their community relations departments to tie in corporate social responsibility
(CSR). With the creation of the non-profit entities teams now highlight, fans now expect teams
to give back to the community and the charity of the team’s choosing; for example, the Kings
Care Foundation with the Los Angeles Kings regularly gives back to Children’s Hospital Los
Angeles. When executed poorly, the CSR initiative can be seen as a marketing ploy, turning fans
and communities away from the athlete and/or team.
Individuals throughout the professional sports industry do not have a platform allowing
them to give back without, what could be, an overwhelming amount of personal work that most
of these individuals do not have time to do whilst juggling practice schedules and competition
dates. Intertwine allows professional athletes and coaches that are highly passionate about a
cause or charity to be able to host such a campaign within the available time of their schedule.
Aside from opening up and sharing their personal story in regards to the cause for their fans, the
individual will have everything taken care of by Intertwine, allowing for an additional level of
interest and involvement to be left up to the individual’s availability.
Research conducted for this study shows that fans are more loyal to athletes when they
feel personally connected to them. A campaign led by Intertwine is focused on story telling that
will create the emotional engagement drawing fans to athletes. With a heart wrenching plot
turned into a success story with an individual overcoming hardship through their love for the
game, their family, their friends, and so on, event attendees will feel as if they were right along
26. INTERTWINE
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side the individual through it all. This emotional creation connects fans to athletes building fan
loyalty and support. This fan loyalty not only increases the fan-athlete connection, it also builds
the individual’s value for their team/organization by attracting attention to positive behavior
away from competition.
Not only do the campaigns Intertwine will host increase fan-athlete engagement,
Intertwine uses the sports industry and fan base to increase exposure and knowledge of causes
and charities across the nation. With such a large portion of American citizens being sports fans,
the individuals hosting campaigns through Intertwine and participating in the Giving Gala have
an audience engaged and more ready to listen as they are hearing the cause-related information
from the mouths of their favorite sports figure.
Based on these findings, Intertwine is focused on bringing a positive focus and platform
to professional athletes, coaches, and executives passionate about a cause or charity that they are
personally connected to, allowing the sports industry to utilize and positively impact the
community throughout the entire year, not just their respective season.
Limitations
The largest limitations for this study were the skewed ratio of females to males
participating and the unlimited answer choices available regarding corporate social responsibility
interests.
The want to create an emotionally engaging connection with an individual may vary
based on gender. Although one would believe this should not lead to such a drastic difference
due to any gender’s connection if that individual classifies themselves as a sports fan, having a
more equal percentage of participants can help ensure fair results.
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The study portion geared towards corporate social responsibility focuses left it difficult to
use data of value due to the unlimited answer choices available. When relating findings to the
most successful opportunities for Intertwine, CSR questions with a “Select All That Apply”
freedom should be limited to a selection of the participant’s top three interests. This would allow
for more usable data when going forward with Intertwine events and targeting attendees that
would ensure a successful campaign.
Recommendations
If this survey were to be conducted in the future, an equal subject group from each
professional sports league in the United States should participate, making sure that age ranges
vary as well as gender participants be equal. This may allow for a more universal finding
throughout the sports industry in the interested all fans have on corporate social responsibility
and attending an individual’s event geared towards giving back.
The survey conducted was focused on the participants interest in increasing their personal
knowledge of a professional athlete and their interest in giving back to the community. An
additional survey can also be conducted that allows for better knowledge and preparation for the
events and marketing Intertwine would execute for the individual. A study focused on the best
source of outreach for marketing material leading up to the event would benefit on possible event
attendees, allowing for my revenue throughout the event and a bigger charitable donation on
behalf of the individual. Further research can allow for Intertwine to launch a successful, start up
company and build its future projections for continued growth.
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REFERENCES
Brusseau, J. (2015). Corporate social responsibility and the triple bottom line. Three Theories of
Corporate Social Responsibility, 13.2.
Carroll, A. B. (1991). The pyramid of corporate social responsibility: toward the moral
management of organizational stakeholders. Business Horizons.
Cutugno, M. (2015). Shared goodness. Retrieved from
https://www.thehersheycompany.com/content/dam/corporate-us/documents/csr-
reports/hershey-2015-csr-report.pdf
Dhoul, T. (2013). Five of the best socially responsible companies to work for. Retrieved from
http://www.topmba.com/jobs/employers/five-best-socially-responsible-companies-work
Duarte, J. (2016) Interview with the LA Kings Jim Fox. Retrieved from
http://www.calisportsnews.com/interview-with-the-la-kings-jim-fox/
Espenson, A. (2014). 5 companies doing corporate social responsibility right. Retrieved from
http://www.business2community.com/social-business/5-companies-corporate-social-
responsibility-right-0951534#HQVfC7B1RVDRXbmf.97
Hoskins, D. & Rasoulian, A. (2016). What is employee turnover like at Microsoft? Retrieved
from https://www.quora.com/What-is-employee-turnover-like-at-Microsoft#
Kennett-Hensel, P., & Lacey, R. (2016). How expectations and perceptions of corporate social
responsibility impact NBA fan relationships. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 25, 21-33.
Kim, T., Kim, Y.K., Ko, Y.J., & Rhee, C. (2014). Perceived corporate social responsibility and
donor behavior in college athletics: The mediating effects of trust and commitment. Sport
Marketing Quarterly, 23, 73-85.
Mahon, J. & McGowan, R. Corporate social responsibility in professional sports: an analysis of
29. INTERTWINE
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the NBA, NFL, and MLB. Retrieved from
http://www.academia.edu/5091556/Corporate_Social_Responsibility_in_Professional_Sp
orts_An_Analysis_of_the_NBA_NFL_and_MLB
Mohd Isa, S. (2012). Corporate social responsibility: what can we learn from its stakeholders?
Procedia – Social and Behavorial Sciences, 65, 327-337.
Moss, A. (2016). What is the role and responsibility of a for-profit company? Retrieved from
http://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/global-report
Panton, M., & Walters, G. (2014). Corporate social responsibility and social partnerships in
professional football. Soccer & Society, 15(6), 828-846.
Smith, J. (2013). The companies with the best CSR reputations. Retrieved from
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/10/02/the-companies-with-the-best-
csr-reputations-2/2/#47da39365def
Visser, W. Revisiting Carroll’s CSR pyramid; an African perspective. Retrieved from
http://www.waynevisser.com/wp-
content/uploads/2012/04/chapter_wvisser_africa_csr_pyramid.pdf
(2016). Employee giving. Retrieved from https://www.microsoft.com/about/philanthropies/our-
employees/employee-giving/
(2016). Starbucks market cap. Retrieved from
http://www.forbes.com/companies/starbucks/
(2012). Best and worst in: social responsibility. Retrieved from
http://archive.fortune.com/magazines/fortune/most-admired/2012/best_worst/best4.html
(2016). NBA Cares mission. Retrieved from http://cares.nba.com/mission/
(2011). Special Olympics and Global Sports using sports community to create social change.
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APPENDIX 1: TABLES
Table 1
SUMMARY
Groups Count Sum Average
Varianc
e
“Teams that give back have
more loyal fans.” 168 329 1.958333
0.75873
3
“Connecting with fans on a
more personal level creates
fans who are more loyal.” 164 345 2.103659
0.64563
1
“I wish I knew more about
professional athletes’ personal
stories and backgrounds.” 164 288 1.756098
0.51683
4
ANOVA
Source of Variation SS df MS F P-value F crit
Between Groups
9.99544
3 2 4.997722
7.79239
2
0.00046
6 3.01401
Within Groups 316.19 493 0.641359
Total
326.185
5 495
Table 1. Comparison of means using Analysis of Variance to determine a significant relationship
between fan loyalty and participants want to connect on a more personal level with athletes,
using alpha level .05.
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Table 2
t-Test: Paired Two Sample for
Means
“Behavior away from competition
from professional athletes, whether
good or bad, should not go
unnoticed.”
“I am a fan of
the athlete.”
Mean 1.770491803 2.677595628
Variance 1.232750856 6.252627154
Observations 183 183
Pearson Correlation 0.054343132
Hypothesized Mean Difference 0
df 182
t Stat -4.578366424
P(T<=t) one-tail 4.33128E-06
t Critical one-tail 1.653269024
P(T<=t) two-tail 8.66256E-06
t Critical two-tail 1.973084077
Table 2. Comparison using a t-Test, while alpha level .05, to distinguish a relationship between
fans who believe an athlete’s behavior should not go unnoticed and fans who describe
themselves as a fan of a specific athlete.
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APPENDIX 2: FIGURES
Figure 1
Figure 1 Pyramid of corporate social responsibility. This figure illustrates the four categories that
compose Archie B. Carroll’s pyramid of corporate social responsibility.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Response percentage of interest in corporate social responsibility focuses represented:
youth education, youth development, eco-friendly/green initiatives, healthcare advancement,
social cause outreach, economic betterment, and healthcare support for diseases and disabilities.
22.33%
22.14%
8.40%
6.68%
15.65%
7.82%
16.98%
Interest
in
Corporate
Social
Responibility
Focuses
Youth
education
Youth
development
Eco-‐friendly/green
initiatives
Healthcare
advancement
Social
cause
outreach
Economic
betterment
Healthcare
support
for
diseases
and
disabilities
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Figure 3
Figure 3. Participant responses to the price they would be willing to pay to attend an athlete’s
event. Note: 24 participants chose to leave this questions blank, resulting in a total response of
n=161.
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
No
more
than
$50
$51
to
$100
$101
to
$150
$151
to
$200
$201+
Event
Price
Point
Limits
35. INTERTWINE
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APPENDIX 3: COPY OF DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT
Professional Sports Teams Giving Back
Q1 What age group do you fall under?
m Under 18 (1)
m 19-24 (7)
m 25 - 34 (2)
m 35 - 44 (3)
m 45 - 54 (4)
m 55-64 (5)
m 65+ (6)
Q2 What gender do you identify as?
m Male (1)
m Female (2)
Q17 What is your annual income?
m Less than $14,999 (1)
m $15,000 to $24,999 (2)
m $25,000 to $39,999 (3)
m $40,000 to $59,999 (4)
m More than $60,000 (5)
Q4 I am a fan of the: (Select all that apply)
q Sport (i.e. basketball, baseball, hockey, etc.) (1)
q Team (i.e. Raiders, Patriots, Packers, etc.) (2)
q Athlete (i.e. Tim Tebow, Clayton Kershaw, Cristiano Ronaldo, etc.) (3)
q Location (i.e. Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, etc.) (4)
Q5 In your eyes, what makes a successful team? (Select all that apply)
q Winning record (1)
q Championship titles (2)
q Owners/Executives (3)
q Community involvement (4)
q Players (5)
q Coaches (6)
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Q9 Use the scale below to represent if you agree or disagree with the following statements.
Strongly
Agree
(1)
Agree
(2)
Somewhat
agree (3)
Neither
agree
nor
disagree
(4)
Somewhat
disagree
(5)
Disagree
(6)
Strongly
disagree
(7)
Teams that
give back to
the
community
have more
loyal fans.
(1)
m m m m m m m
I am more
inclined to
support a
team if they
give back to
the
community.
(2)
m m m m m m m
I am
extremely
interested
in attending
a sports
team's
event based
on giving
back. (3)
m m m m m m m
I am
extremely
interested
in attending
a
professional
athlete's
event based
on giving
back. (4)
m m m m m m m
I do not
care if
teams give
back. (5)
m m m m m m m
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Q19 Use the scale below to represent if you agree or disagree with the following statements.
Strongly
Agree (1)
Agree (2)
Neither Agree
nor Disagree
(3)
Disagree (4)
Strongly
Disagree (5)
I wish I knew more
about professional
athlete's personal
stories and
background. (1)
m m m m m
I am more likely to
support an
event/cause
emotionally tied to
me. (2)
m m m m m
Connecting with
athlete's on a more
personal level
creates fans who
are more loyal to
the player. (3)
m m m m m
Behavior away
from competition
from professional
athlete's, whether
good or bad, should
not go unnoticed.
(4)
m m m m m
I believe sports
teams should give
back. (5)
m m m m m
I believe
professional
athlete's should
give back. (6)
m m m m m
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Q10 Have you ever attended an event from a sports team that was geared towards giving back or
raising charitable funds?
m Yes, I have attended such an event. (1)
m No, I have never attended such an event and do not care to. (2)
m No, I have never attended such an event but I hope to in the near future. (3)
If No, I have never attended s... Is Selected, Then Skip To End of Block. If Yes, I have attended
such a... Is Selected, Then Skip To What type of event did you attend? (...If No, I have never
attended s... Is Selected, Then Skip To What type of event do you hope to att...
Q13 What type of event did you attend? (i.e. meet and greet, gala, clinic/camp, run/walk, etc.)
If What type of event did you ... Is Not Empty, Then Skip To What cause/charity was the event
you ...
Q14 What cause/charity was the event you attended supporting?
If What cause/charity was the ... Is Not Empty, Then Skip To End of Block
Q15 What type of event do you hope to attend in the near future? (i.e. meet and greet, gala,
clinic/camp, run/walk, etc.)
Q18 What price would you be willing to pay to attend a professional athlete's exclusive event or
meet and greet?
m No more than $50 (1)
m $51 to $100 (2)
m $101 to $150 (3)
m $151 to $200 (4)
m $250+ (5)
Q8 Which category of focus from community giveback efforts would you be most interested in
supporting? (Select all that apply)
q Youth education (1)
q Youth development (2)
q Eco-friendly/green initiatives (3)
q Healthcare advancement (4)
q Healthcare support for diseases and disabilities (5)
q Economic betterment (6)
q Social cause outreach (7)
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APPENDIX 4: DATA COLLECTION REPORTS
Q1 - What age group do you fall under?
# Answer % Count
1 Under 18 2.72% 5
Total 100% 184
5 55-64 12.50% 23
4 45 - 54 16.30% 30
3 35 - 44 8.70% 16
2 25 - 34 29.89% 55
7 19-24 27.17% 50
6 65+ 2.72% 5
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Q2 - What gender do you identify as?
# Answer % Count
1 Male 28.26% 52
2 Female 71.74% 132
Total 100% 184
Q17 - What is your annual income?
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# Answer % Count
1 Less than $14,999 23.91% 44
2 $15,000 to $24,999 11.41% 21
3 $25,000 to $39,999 16.30% 30
4 $40,000 to $59,999 13.59% 25
5 More than $60,000 34.78% 64
Total 100% 184
Q4 - I am a fan of the: (Select all that apply)
# Answer % Count
1 Sport (i.e. basketball, baseball, hockey, etc.) 84.07% 153
2 Team (i.e. Raiders, Patriots, Packers, etc.) 70.33% 128
3 Athlete (i.e. Tim Tebow, Clayton Kershaw, Cristiano Ronaldo, etc.) 54.40% 99
4 Location (i.e. Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, etc.) 62.64% 114
Total 100% 182
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Q5 - In your eyes, what makes a successful team? (Select all that apply)
# Answer % Count
1 Winning record 51.67% 93
2 Championship titles 38.89% 70
3 Owners/Executives 34.44% 62
4 Community involvement 58.33% 105
5 Players 83.33% 150
6 Coaches 70.56% 127
Total 100% 180
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Q9 - Use the scale below to represent if you agree or disagree with the following statements.
Field Minimum Maximum Mean
Std
Deviation
Variance Count
Teams that give back to the
community have more loyal
fans.
1.00 4.00 1.96 0.87 0.75 169
I am more inclined to support
a team if they give back to
the community.
1.00 7.00 2.34 1.17 1.37 169
I am extremely interested in
attending a sports team's
event based on giving back.
1.00 7.00 2.75 1.33 1.78 169
I am extremely interested in
attending a professional
athlete's event based on
giving back.
1.00 7.00 2.64 1.31 1.71 169
I do not care if teams give
back.
2.00 7.00 5.40 1.36 1.85 169
# Question
Strongly
Agree
Agree
Somewhat
agree
Neither
agree
nor
disagree
Somewhat
disagree
Disagree
Strongly
disagree
Total
1
Teams that
give back
to the
community
have more
loyal fans.
34.32%
40.83
%
19.53% 5.33% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 169
2
I am more
inclined to
support a
team if they
give back
to the
community.
27.81%
31.36
%
24.85% 13.02% 1.18% 1.18% 0.59% 169
44. INTERTWINE
44
3
I am
extremely
interested
in attending
a sports
team's
event based
on giving
back.
18.34%
30.18
%
22.49% 22.49% 1.78% 3.55% 1.18% 169
4
I am
extremely
interested
in attending
a
professiona
l athlete's
event based
on giving
back.
21.89%
29.59
%
20.12% 22.49% 3.55% 1.18% 1.18% 169
5
I do not
care if
teams give
back.
0.00% 3.55% 5.92% 17.75% 15.98% 33.14% 23.67% 169
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Q19 - Use the scale below to represent if you agree or disagree with the following statements.
46. INTERTWINE
46
# Question
Strongly
Agree
Agree
Neither
Agree
nor
Disagree
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
Total
1
I wish I
knew more
about
professional
athlete's
personal
stories and
background.
20.00% 55.76% 19.39% 3.64% 1.21% 165
2
I am more
likely to
support an
event/cause
emotionally
tied to me.
34.55% 55.76% 3.64% 5.45% 0.61% 165
3
Connecting
with
athlete's on
a more
personal
level creates
fans who
are more
loyal to the
player.
37.58% 51.52% 9.09% 1.21% 0.61% 165
4
Behavior
away from
competition
from
professional
athlete's,
whether
good or
bad, should
not go
unnoticed.
33.33% 49.09% 8.48% 5.45% 3.64% 165
5
I believe
sports
teams
should give
back.
47.88% 41.21% 10.30% 0.61% 0.00% 165
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47
6
I believe
professional
athlete's
should give
back.
47.88% 41.82% 8.48% 1.21% 0.61% 165
Q10 - Have you ever attended an event from a sports team that was geared towards giving back
or raising charitable funds?
# Answer % Count
1 Yes, I have attended such an event. 55.15% 91
2 No, I have never attended such an event and do not care to. 9.09% 15
3 No, I have never attended such an event but I hope to in the near future. 35.76% 59
Total 100% 165
Q13 - What type of event did you attend? (i.e. meet and greet, gala, clinic/camp, run/walk, etc.)
What type of event did you attend? (i.e. meet and greet, gala, clinic/camp,...
Clinic, Health Fair
Gala
Golf tournament, re-build LA
Fundraiser
meet and greet, gala, fundraisers, etc.
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youth football camp, poker tournament, bowling tournament
Charity walk
Run/ Walk
Gala, and run
Run
Camp
LA Angels 5K walk
Gala & run / walk
Clinic
Clinic, run/walk and meet and greet
meet and greet, clinic, school involvement
Gala, Run Walk, Clinics, etc.
Camp, run/walk, gala
Gala / Dinner, Golf tournament
Meet & greet, run/walk
season ticket holder events, gala
Gala
Marathon
Clinic/camp
clinic, run/walk, charity basketball game
Clinic, camp, run
Chris Paul Family Foundation Prom Dress Giveaway
Charity Dinner
Hockey game
Walk
It was a children's clinic/day camp. Took my kids when they were in elementary school.
Clinic/camp, run/walk, food donation event
fundraiser
49. INTERTWINE
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clinic/camp, fundraiser
Chairty dinner, silent auction and celeb game
Walk
Meet and greet
Run/walk
run/walk
Camp,dinner,charity event,
Clinic
Meet and greet with Chicago Cubs
All the above
Charity softball game
Harlem globetrotters basketball game
Gala, clinic/camp
College camps for youth, walk-a-thons
Camp
Clinic, run, gala
Run/walk
Many! Greet/Walk
meet and greet
Gala, clinic, auction, meet and greet.
meet and greet
Charity ice hockey game
Clinic
Gala
Clinic/camp
Camp
Meet and greet
annual funding dinners
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meet & greet and run/walk
Boys and Girls Club event with Pau Gasol
Gala, walk, camp
Clinic/Camp
Kid's Run
Gala
meet and greet
run/walk
Gala for the Women's Sports Foundation
Run/walk
Gala
Gala , run/walk
read a book program at a local elementary school
Clinics, silent auctions, sporting events
Clinic/Camp
gala, camp & run/walk
run/walk
Camp
run/walk
Dodger Run
Cancer walk; games for Cancer awareness/donations
meet and greets, galas, clinics, run/walks, golf tournaments, bowling tournaments,
Walk/Gala/Auction
Walk
Gala
Gala, walk and camps
I have been to walks, gala and a carnival!
walk
51. INTERTWINE
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gala, camp
Q14 - What cause/charity was the event you attended supporting?
What cause/charity was the event you attended supporting?
Youth Soccer, healthy living for kids
Re-build Los Angeles after the riots
Lukemia and Lymphoma Society
cancer
youth
Brain tumor walk
Children's hospital
Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation
Cancer
Youth development
Not sure
OIC - Orthopedic Institute for Children
Youth dports
Building wells in Africa, cancer research
Team's charity
Pump Bros, Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation
MS, cancer
Team Foundation
The fight against breast cancer
women in sports
Scholarships
Breast cancer
Underprivileged
autism, aids,
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Cancer, hunger, sports for less fortunate
Providing new/gently used prom dresses to High School Aged girls
Battered women and children
La kings game
Autism
Supported fundraisers at the Rose Bowl aquatics center
Can't remember the name of all of them. I have been to a few Make A Wish Foundation
events.
youth
children's hospital, breast cancer awareness
Magic Johnson's Mid Summer Nights Dream
Children with disabilities
Dodgers
Cancer
breast cancer
Autism,
Make a wish
St judes
Social justice issues; health causes
Royal Oak firefighters association
Multiple causes
breast cancer, underprivileged children
Make a Wish
Giving back to the kids in the community
Cancer awareness, animal protection
Cancer
Giving back to the community
Big Brothers / Heart Associaion
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Crescent Moon Foundation, St Jude, Unstoppable Foundation, Rose Bowl Legacy, among
others.
dogs
Local school funding
Clippers
Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation
Cancer
Dodgers Dream Foundation
Childrens hospital
retired baseball scouts
local charities/children's charities
Boys and Girls Club
Underprivileged youth
LA Youth
The Fury Foundation
Foundation
Foster children
Cancer and poverty
Annual Salute to Women in Sports Gala (Women's Sports Foundation)
Cancer
Youth
Cancer Research, Dental and Medical care for underprivileged children
K-12
Several different ones
School Fundraiser
Dodgers Foundation, Breast Cancer Awareness, AIDS Awareness
Cancer Research
Fighting against cancer
Autism
54. INTERTWINE
54
Autism
Cancer awareness/research
St. Jude, Crescent Moon Foudnation, Unstoppable Foundation, Boys and Girls, far too many
to mention...
Team Foundation/Cancer/Health/Fitness
Cancer
the team's foundation
Diabetes, cancer, youth programs
Swimming. Helping special needs children learn to swim and compete!
breast cancer
I can't remember, honestly
Q15 - What type of event do you hope to attend in the near future? (i.e. meet and greet, gala,
clinic/camp, run/walk, etc.)
What type of event do you hope to attend in the near future? (i.e. meet and...
Any charitable event
meet and greet, gala, clinic/camp, run/walk
silent auction, run/walk, meet and greet,
run/walk
Run/walk
camp
Meet and greet!
Camp
Gala
Meet and greet
Meet and greet or Gala
clinic/camp
Meet and greet
Run walk or meet & greet
55. INTERTWINE
55
Meet and greet
Water polo, run,/walk
Gala
meet and greet; walk
run/walk, Meet and greet, fundraiser game
run/walk
Run/walk
Run/walk
Run
Run/walk
Walk
Clinic/camp or run/walk
runwalk meet and greet
Run
run/walk
NA
Meet and grert
Runwalks
Gala, run/walk
run/walk
Run/walk
Walk
run/walk
Gala
Run/walk
Meet and greet
run/walk
Meet and greet would be fun.
56. INTERTWINE
56
meet and greet, gala, fan fest, autograph signing, etc
Run/walk
Fund raiser
clinic/camp, run/walk or a meet and greet
Clinic or run/walk
any and or all of the above
walk/run
Meet & Greet, run/walk
Any
Run walk
Meet and greet
NBA cares event, dodgers foundation.
Silent Auctions, Galas
gala
Meet and greet or auction
57. INTERTWINE
57
Q18 - What price would you be willing to pay to attend a professional athlete's exclusive event
or meet and greet?
# Answer % Count
1 No more than $50 40.99% 66
2 $51 to $100 40.37% 65
3 $101 to $150 11.18% 18
4 $151 to $200 3.11% 5
5 $250+ 4.35% 7
Total 100% 161
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Q8 - Which category of focus from community giveback efforts would you be most interested in
supporting? (Select all that apply)
# Answer % Count
1 Youth education 72.67% 117
2 Youth development 72.05% 116
3 Eco-friendly/green initiatives 27.33% 44
4 Healthcare advancement 21.74% 35
5 Healthcare support for diseases and disabilities 55.28% 89
6 Economic betterment 25.47% 41
7 Social cause outreach 50.93% 82
Total 100% 161
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APPENDIX 6: LETTER OF AUTHORIZATION TO COLLECT DATA
Dear Participant,
My name is Meaghan Paschall and I am a 2017 Sports Management Masters Candidate at
California State University, Long Beach. For my graduate project, I am creating a business that
closely connects professional athletes and fans through cause-related marketing and events
geared towards giving back.
I hope to use this survey to discover the expectations that fans have on sports teams and
athletes giving back to the community as well as the interest they may have in attending one of
my organization’s events. The data collected from this survey will be completely anonymous and
used solely for the completion of my graduate project. The survey is both desktop and mobile
friendly and will only take a few minutes to complete.
I thank you for your time and feedback to best prepare my academics for real market
comparison and success.
Sincerely,
Meaghan Paschall
Masters Candidate, Sports Management
California State University, Long Beach
