The impact of the customer expectations in the sport business model

APPLIED RESEARCH THESIS
Presented and Defended by
Sabine DESQUINES
2018-2019
The impact of the customer expectations in the sport business model
How the sports industry, through tennis, adapt its brand marketing strategy towards the
new customer expectations?
MBA2 Marketing & Brand Management
Company Name: ACTEON GROUP
Dissertation Tutor: Céline Stupfler

Sabine Desquines Applied Research Thesis 2
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I thank Madame Céline Stupfler, my thesis supervisor, who gave me the right advises during
all the steps writing.
I am grateful to my ancient tennis coaches, Martin and Guillaume, my partners, André, Alain,
Annabelle, Jean-Jacques, Maxime, for their support in this thesis and their contribution to the
survey test.
Also, I would like to say thank you to the different sports specialist that I contacted. Yohann
Aube the CEO of MyTennisBox and Customer Service of Roland Garros. They allowed me to
understand better the sports industry, customer behaviour.
Furthermore, massive thank you to the 165 tennis customers, fans for taking the time to answer
at the survey conscientiously. It was a serious data for the analysis which granted to determine
the leading end of work.
A big thank to the Master intervenants all the year, that allowed me to learn much better the
brand marketing aspect used in this thesis.
To conclude, a thank you to my colleagues from the French Department in my actual internship,
ACTEON, for their support and kindness.

SUMMARY
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ....................................................................................................... 2
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................... 7
PART 1: LITERATURE REVIEW........................................................................................ 9
1 AN OVERVIEW OF THE SPORTS BUSINESS MODEL......................................... 9
1.1 The sports industry, an essential role in the worldwide growth............................ 9
1.1.1 The impact in society............................................................................................... 9
1.1.1.1 Economical ....................................................................................................... 9
1.1.1.2 Political........................................................................................................... 10
1.1.2 Cultural impact....................................................................................................... 11
1.1.2.1 Wellbeing........................................................................................................ 11
1.1.2.2 Supporters....................................................................................................... 11
1.2 The diversity of the sports companies and their management ............................ 12
1.2.1 In professional sports ............................................................................................. 12
1.2.1.1 Federations and Committees .......................................................................... 12
1.2.1.2 Professional clubs........................................................................................... 13
1.2.2 Sports events and media field ................................................................................ 13
1.2.2.1 The Stadium.................................................................................................... 13
1.2.2.2 Sports agency and media ................................................................................ 14
1.2.3 Sports equipment and accessories.......................................................................... 14
1.2.3.1 Manufacturer specialists................................................................................. 15
1.2.3.2 Apparel brands................................................................................................ 15
2 ATTRACTIVE AND ENTERTAINMENT, THE POWER OF MARKETING
ACTIVITIES IN SPORTS INDUSTRY. ............................................................................. 16
2.1 The sports marketing management, differences but a same goal: enhance the
brand image ......................................................................................................................... 16
2.1.1 In the sports clubs .................................................................................................. 16
2.1.1.1 A sport service destined to the consumer ....................................................... 17
2.1.1.2 The communication strategy .......................................................................... 18
2.1.2 The sports brand and private companies................................................................ 20
2.1.2.1 The interest for the brands in investing in sports............................................ 20

2.1.2.2 Sports sponsorship, the marketing power....................................................... 21
2.1.2.3 The impact of celebrity endorsement in the sports brand image.................... 24
2.2 Management of sports entertainment brands ....................................................... 25
2.2.1 To a primary championship to a brand name......................................................... 25
2.2.1.1 Business model concept and specifies............................................................ 26
2.2.1.2 Brand sports event name................................................................................. 28
2.2.2 Delivered a unique experience............................................................................... 29
2.2.2.1 Give to the sport an image as an original show.............................................. 29
2.2.2.2 The marketing service and the experience management................................ 29
3 ANALYSIS OF THE NEW CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS' INFLUENCE ON
THE SPORT MARKETING STRATEGY.......................................................................... 30
3.1 Customer Behaviour overview nowadays.............................................................. 30
3.1.1 Theorical analysis .................................................................................................. 30
3.1.1.1 The internal factors......................................................................................... 31
3.1.1.2 The external factors ........................................................................................ 33
3.1.2 The generation’s power.......................................................................................... 34
3.1.2.1 The distinction between the generations ........................................................ 34
3.1.2.2 A new customer and the global sport perception ........................................... 35
3.2 Development of new tools focused on the customer.............................................. 36
3.2.1 Customer Experience Management ....................................................................... 36
3.2.1.1 The concept..................................................................................................... 37
3.2.1.2 The adaptation in the sports industry.............................................................. 37
3.2.2 Sport Fan Equity .................................................................................................... 38
3.2.2.1 The principle................................................................................................... 38
3.2.2.2 Fan – actors..................................................................................................... 39
PART 2: FIELD WORK, THE CUSTOMER VOICE....................................................... 41
1 THE METHODOLOGY APPLICATED.................................................................... 41
1.1 The objectives ........................................................................................................... 41
1.1.1 Quantitative objectives........................................................................................... 41
1.1.2 Observations expected ........................................................................................... 41
1.2 The research methodology ...................................................................................... 42
1.2.1 The scope of application ........................................................................................ 42

1.2.2 The research model................................................................................................ 42
1.2.3 The hypothesis ....................................................................................................... 44
2 THE SURVEY ADMINISTRATION.......................................................................... 46
2.1 The structure ............................................................................................................ 46
2.1.1 Types of questions and the objectives ................................................................... 46
2.1.2 The sample studied ................................................................................................ 49
2.2 Survey administration ............................................................................................. 50
2.2.1 A test ...................................................................................................................... 50
2.2.2 Managing the survey.............................................................................................. 51
3 THE SURVEY ANALYSIS AND RESULTS ............................................................. 51
3.1 Analytical methods used.......................................................................................... 52
3.1.1 Statistical methods ................................................................................................. 52
3.1.2 Interpretation and measure methods ...................................................................... 52
3.2 Hypothesis analysis and results .............................................................................. 53
3.2.1 Respondent profile................................................................................................. 53
3.2.2 Fan experience ....................................................................................................... 54
3.2.3 Affordable price..................................................................................................... 59
3.2.4 Fan community ...................................................................................................... 61
3.2.5 Digital experience .................................................................................................. 62
3.2.6 Other determinants................................................................................................. 64
3.3 Survey conclusion..................................................................................................... 72
PART 3: RECOMMANDATIONS APPLIED.................................................................... 74
1 ENGAGING THE TENNIS VALUES IN THE OFFER ........................................... 74
1.1 Develop a new strategy for a better accessibility to the tennis universe ............. 74
1.1.1 5p’s strategy development ..................................................................................... 74
1.1.2 Sporting goods brands and price-quality ratio....................................................... 78
1.2 Communication and marketing activities, focus on the customer experience ... 79
1.2.1 Medias impact on the brand image ........................................................................ 80
1.2.2 Customer as a brand ambassador........................................................................... 81
2 TENNIS’S MARKETING INNOVATION................................................................. 83
2.1 Improving the offer.................................................................................................. 83
2.1.1 Surprise the customer............................................................................................. 83

2.1.2 Product development ............................................................................................. 84
2.2 Digitalization in tennis............................................................................................. 86
2.2.1 Educate the customer in the new technologies use................................................ 86
2.2.2 E-Sport, new type of enjoying tennis experience .................................................. 87
CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................... 89
BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................................. 91
APPENDICES ........................................................................................................................ 94

INTRODUCTION
The sport has an essential place in society. It has economic, social, political, and health impacts.
The sports industry is continuously developing his business model through the years over the
generation and the social changing. Like many business areas, sports attract a general public.
For achieving this goal, the sports industry develops a strong marketing strategy for gaining
profits and following to maintain his position in society. Mainly the sports are linked to
pleasure, share, and emotions.
Nowadays, the sports industry is the centre of the global news through the significant sports
events which catch the planet such as World Cup FIFA, Rugby World Cup, Super Bowl, for
example. The different market’s actors take advantage of those events for reinforcing their
brand image.
The customer makes live the sports industry’s business model. It is the central theme of this
thesis. More precisely, the impact of customer expectations in the sports business model. For
having the best overview of this theme, I decided to select only one sport for the core issue,
tennis. It is a personal choice; I practice this sport for eighteen years, and I appreciate the
universe.
Furthermore, tennis took an essential place in society through its traditions and values drew.
Recently, the tennis industry knew a negative image according to several cases. The first one
was about the rigged sports betting by tennis players in France on national tournaments. The
second one is about the Davis Cup rules modifications influenced by Gerard Piqué, a Spanish
professional Football player in Barça Team. He made an exclusive contract with the ITF for
reorganizing the Davis Cup format. This news created an extremely heated debate on social
media and in the press. The tennis customers were disappointed; their sport image perception
changed negatively.
How the sports industry, through tennis, adapt its brand marketing strategy towards the new
customer expectations? It is the core issue for this applied research thesis. The customers have
not necessarily the same expectations. But there is a distinction between the customer behaviour
towards the generations. The businesses are influenced by the generation Y named Millennials
and the Z. Their expectations are quite different from the others. The sports industry, here the

tennis centred, adapt their brand marketing strategy in accordance with the customer behaviour
and with their business objectives.
The applied research thesis will be focused on the worldwide tennis market concerning tennis
tournaments, the federations, and sporting goods brands. Moreover, several companies which
their activity is not in the sports industry will be presented. They decided to contribute to the
tennis industry through different marketing activities. Towards those actors, we will study their
relationship with the customer, how to win loyalty.
The end point of the work is mainly to determine the exact customer expectations in the tennis
industry, and the level of their impact on this industry. Define the limits of the brand marketing
strategies already implemented. The final objective is to be able to purpose new marketing
strategies and ways to reflect customer loyalty in the sports industry. I grew up in a sportive
family, this sector is dynamic and revolutionary for the customer. I am appealing for my future
career to integrate the sports industry, with this thesis, I can understand with precision the
marketing strategy applied and the limits.
For conducting this study, we proceeded in two steps in collecting data. The first step was
focused on the secondary data based on already information existing. This data is from serious
sources: university articles, sports marketing specialist articles, marketing theories. Moreover,
we selected after reading the best qualitative data from the website, press articles from the sports
industry. With this first step, we could explore the entire tennis universe business model,
marketing strategies, and customer behaviour for writing the first part of this thesis. Besides
this first part allowed us to prepare the collection of the primary data; a quantitative method by
a survey destined to the tennis customer. Targeting this type of customer, we allowed us to
collect and analyse with serious their expectations and opinions. For understanding more
precisely the subject, we interviewed sports specialist for having their reflection on the future
of the sports marketing granted us to develop recommendations in addition to the primary data
analysis. This research methodology allowed us to organize a logical and further study of the
core issue for having a high quality of the explanations.
To resolve this core issue, it appeared necessary to study the sports business model applied to
tennis around marketing activities and the influence of consumer expectations nowadays. This
will appear in the form of a literary review to define our research paths. Then we will present
our research methodology, and our results will be analysed. Finally, we will give our
recommendations for the tennis industry and their brand marketing strategy.

PART 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
1 AN OVERVIEW OF THE SPORTS BUSINESS MODEL
The sports industry plays a vital role in global societies, as they not only contribute to the health
and wellbeing of people but also have a robust worldwide growth impact. For understanding
the sports industry, it is necessary to distinguish the different types of companies in this sector.
1.1 The sports industry, an essential role in the worldwide growth
1.1.1 The impact in society
Between 2005 and 2017, sport generated revenue on the global market was estimated at $ 90,6
billion1
. Many sportive organizations considered since the beginning of the global
development, the economic and the political aspects. It is the case with the major sports events
and the entire advancement in the sports industry.
1.1.1.1 Economical
Tennis is the most ancient individual sports with 60 million players around the world. The
origins came from the “Jeu de Paume" invented 500 years ago in France, and in 1870 the rules
were changed for developing the modern tennis that we know today. The first big tournament
was held in London in 1877, the symbolic Wimbledon tournament. Followed by the three other
main Roland Garros, US Open and Australia Open, they take part in the Grand Slam
tournaments, the most important for the tennis players and the supporters. In 2017 the operating
income for the International Tennis Federation (ITF) was estimated at 60,94 million euros
(68,9M $)2
, including technical and sundry, subscription and authorization fees, dynamics and
Olympic solidarity, data sales, anti-doping, Grand slam development fund and development
income, sponsorship and television. We can observe the highest impact of the last point; Grand
Slam tournaments catch a vast audience and a lot of sponsors. For example, Roland Garros
competition clears a net annual benefice for € 70 million per year. The turnover is estimated at
1
Statista-Montant des recettes du marché du sport à l’échelle mondiale de 2015 à 2017, 2019, Online :
https://fr.statista.com/statistiques/574702/recettes-totales-du-marche-du-sport-dans-le-monde/
2
Appendix 1: International Federation Tennis, Moran Tom, 2017 Annual Review, London

€ 180 million including € 60 million broadcasting rights and € 30 million entrance for 462 000
spectators in 20153
. Each country federations and regional leagues is independent and works
only with ITF for the international tournaments around the globe for different aspects as the
regulations for the rules, the marketing and sponsorship regulations for example.
The sports industry, through tennis, represents a considerable amount for the worldwide
economy in different segments: employability, and GDP (Gross Domestic Product). But it is
more than economic; the sport means peace in the political statement between countries.
1.1.1.2 Political
The sport became a mundialisation vector. It participated at the Occidentalism of the planet and
contributed to the geopolitics issues. Regarding the several significant sports events each year,
it is a medium for the countries to demonstrate they exist, to show the national anthem, flag and
cultural values. At the political stage, sport wants to contribute to the peace between the
countries during the championships according to the global societies’ issues.
In the tennis world, there are not practical examples like in other sports, but the impact of sport
values is in society. In France, Yannick Noah a famous tennis player and the last French Team
men coach in the Davis Cup, founded in 1996 "La Fête du Mur." This association aims to
democratize tennis and fight against inequalities in neighbourhoods. Twenty-one years later,
the results are positive. With 45% of members of the association, tennis is also a real tool to
fight for gender diversity in the neighbourhoods, an important issue in the “Zones Urbaines
Sensibles” (ZUS). The French Federation is a major sponsor for this charity organization4
.
Furthermore, geopolitics issues can impact tournaments. It was the case in 2009, for Dubai
competition. The country rejected the visa application for an Israeli player, which creates a big
political issue with a significant boycotting from the other players. The ITF gave a penalty to
the tournament organization with a risk to unvalidated this tour for the following years5
.
3
Jean-Pascal Gayant « Tennis », Economie du sport, p.71-73, 2016, Dunod, Paris
4
Lacour Clémence, « Le tennis à l’aide de la politique ? », Tennis Actu website , 2017, www.tennisactu.net/news-
le-mag-tennis-actu-4-le-tennis-a-l-aide-de-la-politique-66368.html
5
Cerbelle Nicolas, « Quand La Politique S’en Mêle », Le Figaro, 2009, Online
www.sport24.lefigaro.fr/tennis/actualites/quand-la-politique-s-en-mele-241103

1.1.2 Cultural impact
Sports or physical activity are widely recommended; both immediate positive effects on health
and psychological wellbeing. In the other hand, competition is more than physical activity, and
it provides happiness, fear, sadness, all these emotions are perceptible in a group, community
named in the sector studied: supporters.
1.1.2.1 Wellbeing
Concerning tennis, this sport is a fun, friendly and soft game that creates social bonds. Also is
a modular sport that can be adapted to all audiences by offering a safe practice and has many
physiological advantages. According to the Tennis Foundation research, Great Britain Tennis
charity, demonstrated at 91% tennis has had a positive impact on their self-confidence which
demonstrate how much tennis can contribute towards mental health and wellbeing6
.
The sports are essential for people, medical advice to practice sport for preventing some health
or mental diseases. The brands which develop their activity in this sector improve continually
the products and services in this way: security and wellbeing.
1.1.2.2 Supporters
The sports industry distinguishes the type of customer in sport field. Mainly they are considered
as team or player supporters. More precisely there is three types of leads: customers practicing
the sport, spectators- supporters and partners. They express their passion trough the different
offers proposed by this sector, they are looking for a unique and emotional experience that they
never had before. Supporters make part of the sports club’s history or sport events through the
years. They have a strong influence power to the leads.
Furthermore, in the sports marketing, three authors Irving Rein, Philip Kotler et Ben Shields
distinguish in the supporters another category with more power: the fans. They considered them
as in the centre of the marketing strategies in sport management. The authors delivered an
innovative new business model centred on fan satisfaction and retention. The aim is to
transform a sports product into an enduring brand, the companies adapt their management in
changing market conditions and consistently deliver a unique and satisfying sports experience.
6
Tennis Foundation, « Research shows tennis has a positive impact on mental health," Tennis Foundation
Website, October 2016 , www.tennisfoundation.org.uk/research-shows-tennis-positive-impact-mental-health/

In the third major point of this part we will study deeper the customer behaviour focused on the
supporter.
1.2 The diversity of the sports companies and their management
The sports industry is constituted by different types of companies or institutions which offer
different products or services. They want to contribute to the sport's evolution and attract a new
customer in the aim to develop their loyalty according to the new expectations.
1.2.1 In professional sports
In each country, the competition is representing by a federation which promotes, develops,
organizes and administers the game. For some tournaments that include sports clubs, the
principal mission is to maintain the notoriety of the team and the club.
1.2.1.1 Federations and Committees
The ITF based in London, England, is the central organization that supervises the values, the
image of the tennis game around the world. It oversees the five areas around the game7
. The
administration and regulation of the game through 210 affiliated National Associations with six
Regional Associations. The federation is responsible for the rules including the technical
specifications for courts and equipment, and the anti-doping program. The second area where
the ITF acts on the organization of the international competitions such as Davis Cup for men
and Fed Cup for women.
Furthermore, the federation manages in association to the International Olympic Committee
(IOC) the tennis rules in the Olympic Games and the four Grand Slam tournaments: Australian
Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and US Open on the administrative and media services. The
third primary mission is to structure the game according to the international circuits and events
and the tennis players categories. Developing the game trough worldwide is the fourth main
area action, with an invest more than US 10 million per year in the aim for the growth of tennis.
The fifth area where the ITF acts is on promoting the game through the media, marketing
actions, event management, and sponsorship. In each country, there is a federation that
organizes the ITF regulations and manages the Tennis leagues in the regions.
7
International Federation Tennis, “Role”, ITF website, 2019 www.itftennis.com/about/organisation/role.aspx

1.2.1.2 Professional clubs
The professional clubs are considered like companies with a goal to increase their business,
turnover through three primary income tickets, media and merchandising.
The professional clubs in tennis is quite different than the rugby or football organizations. There
are small and big clubs with a subvention from the federations. It is the case in France, there
are some semi-professional clubs, where the club offers to the young and old talent a grant for
developing their skills and play in professional national tournaments for the club. Tennis club
Toulouse is the perfect example of this organization. However, several famous players and
coaches opened a tennis academy for talented young players. The Rafa Nadal Academy based
in Menorca in Spain launched in 2016. It is a tennis camp for young and adults talented, offering
great coaching in tennis insured by professional trainers managed by Toni Nadal the
emblematic uncle-coach of Rafael Nadal, the actual number 2 on the ATP (tennis men ranking).
The academy offers the best techniques and training for the athletes in the aim to improve their
performance in the professional circuit. The infrastructures contain many courts, sports
installations and a scholar program for the young athletes8
.
Furthermore, the sponsors are significant in the development of the professional clubs such as
the apparel and accessories brands like Nike, Adidas, Babolat or Coq Sportif. We will study the
sponsoring in the second main point in this literature review part.
1.2.2 Sports events and media field
The sport became over the years an event, a specific show which federated the supporters, fans.
Private companies or professional clubs manage the stadiums and work in association with the
sports actors: federations. Forgiving a prestige aspect to the sporting event, sports agency and
media help in this way by offering dream: a unique sports experience.
1.2.2.1 The Stadium
Sports are often played in an arena where people travel from all over the world to see their
favourite team play. The construction and adaption of these stadiums is an essential business in
the multi-purpose places for a different type of sports. Many stadiums are made part of the
professional clubs and others by private companies. The aim is to attract a large public we will
8
Appendix 2: Rafael Nadal Academy Presentation

be susceptible to be captured by the atmosphere of the event and in fact to stay longer in the
stadium for consuming more.
In tennis, there are not many stadiums consecrated only for tennis. Only the four Grand Slam
tournaments have a properly arena, like Roland Garros in Paris at Porte Auteuil and Wimbledon
in London.
Tennis and Rugby match can have a place in a stadium or arena; those infrastructures can adapt
the space for attracting each supporter and contributing to the image of the sport and gain
notoriety.
1.2.2.2 Sports agency and media
The professional clubs, federations or committees need help with companies specialized in
sports marketing and communication for developing their notoriety and brand-marketing
strategy. It exists several sports agency specialized in kind of sport as Amaury Agency or
Kosmos, in infrastructure and event management as Lagardére.
Furthermore, the media are significant in the sports industry; it is an aim for the customer,
supporter to be informed about the sports universe. It can be the press like Tennis Magazine;
the television like Being sport, RMC Sport or Sky Sports.
1.2.3 Sports equipment and accessories
The sporting goods industry worldwide grew up steadily in the last ten years. We can estimate
an increase of 20% of the market volume between 2005 and 2013. An NPD study shows the
global market of sports goods such as textile, shoes and another types of equipment will
represent today almost $ 380 billion. The official ranking of the country manufacturers in the
United States with 27%, Chine with 8,7%, Japan with 5,2%, Brazil with and Germany with
4,5%. This market is dominated by the two giants in this industry: Nike and Adidas which
realize a turnover between € 25 and € 15 billion per year. They are present in several sports for
the apparel and equipment. But also, it exists brands specialized in all sports categories.9
9
Gayant Jean-Pascal, « L’industrie des articles de sport », Economie du sport, page 116-118, Dunod, Paris

1.2.3.1 Manufacturer specialists
Many sports brands decided to focus their development on one type of sports. That the case for
rugby and tennis.
Babolat is the most famous tennis brand as an equipment manufacturer. Since 1875, the French
company has been a giant in the tennis equipment development according to the rackets. The
group continues to innovate to maintain its position as the world leader in ropes and snowshoes
in Europe, the United States, and Japan. Babolat is the number one for the rackets worldwide.
Rafael Nadal, one of the actual most prominent tennis players, is a hugely influential brand
ambassador over 16 years, and that contributes to the notoriety of the brand.
We must speak about the legendary brand, Wilson and the famous racket Pro Staff. In 1985 it
was elected has the racket of the year. Nowadays the brand established its strategy on the iconic
racket, and several famous tennis players such as Roger Federer or Serena Williams play only
with this racket or another version. Wilson have the symbol of being a win racket.
1.2.3.2 Apparel brands
The fashion lifestyle has changed since several years. Nowadays we can observe a new trend
based on a sports lifestyle; people wear most of the time sneakers and clothes inspired by sport
vintage. The apparel sports brands considered this new trend and decided to re-explore the past
success of their popular articles.
Taking Adidas as an example with the famous shoes: Stan Smith a white-leather number with
pale green accents introduced in 1971.10
In the beginning, Stan Smith was a famous tennis
player who won several Grand Slam singles titles in the year's 70, and the shoes were designed
for him. Five years ago, Adidas decided to revival the famous shoes and redeveloped the sales
with a new marketing strategy based on the vintage. The Stan Smith became a fashion an
essential sneaker shoe in the wardrobe. The sales increase according to the growing notoriety
done by celebrities wearing the famous shoes and the declination of the Stan Smith. Sales of
the footwear jumped dramatically, to 8 million pairs, in 2015, with a total sale over the past
four decades to more than € 50 million. The famous tennis shoe became a trendy success shoe
for each generation.
10
Bloomberg, “Can Adidas Repeat its Stan Smith Success Story?”, Business of Fashion, May 3, 2017, online,
http://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/news-analysis/adidas-hits-marketing-gold-with-stan-smith-shoes

Another leading example is Lacoste, the iconic polo. The brand became an inescapable partner
in the tennis domain and the wardrobe too. Everyone not only the tennis fans wear a Lacoste
polo, an eternal polo.
Coq Sportif, a French sports apparel brand in the past year knew a considerable decrease and
the society was closed before to back in France for redeveloping the activity after a foreign
investment in the company. In the past, the company was known to be the official sponsor for
several professional bicycle teams and tennis players like Yannick Noah. The brand strategy is
based on the vintage trend and sports lifestyle trend, coq Sportif decided to renew the iconic
apparel and shoes, and the success appeared and became a sizeable French brand in global
sports.
In this first point, it was compulsory to present the sports industry for understanding the impact
of this field in society and the economy. That will allow us to continue in developing another
major point for the sports industry, the marketing strategy according to the different sports
organizations.
2 ATTRACTIVE AND ENTERTAINMENT, THE POWER OF MARKETING
ACTIVITIES IN SPORTS INDUSTRY.
In this second subsection, we will present the actual marketing process done by the sports
industry, focused on sports clubs, sport goods brands in the aim to grow their brand notoriety
and enhance their profits.
2.1 The sports marketing management, differences but a same goal: enhance the
brand image
When we speak about the sports industry, leading companies in this sector are the sports clubs
and apparel or equipment brands which contribute to the global turnover of the industry. Those
organizations apply a strong marketing strategy for preserving their awareness.
2.1.1 In the sports clubs
We will demonstrate through the marketing mix elements and various examples how is used
the marketing strategy.

2.1.1.1 A sport service destined to the consumer
A sport club offers a service like a training lesson, a match event. This kind of service is
considered as an intangible product which is a variable quality, perishable and inseparable. The
quality of the offer depends on consumer appreciation and participation, showing an emotional
aspect. A sporting event can lose value according to the weather, without animations and
customer support services. It was the case in 2017 at Roland Garros tournament, the place where
the competition is implemented is only in tennis court outside without protection for the rain.
For this season at the beginning of June, the weather was, and for two days it wasn't possible
for the tennis players to play the matches because the court was wet and presented a significant
risk for them. Several events were suspended, and the customers who bought the entire day or
a single ticket didn't have the chance to assist the match, the experience was very harmful to
them on the moment. This weather event caused negative feedback on the global tournament
organization, and in the logistic, for the primary customer, the Roland Garros structure must
invest in a roof for avoiding the bad weather forecast. The French Federation built a project
“Nouveau Roland Garros," in the aim to renovate the courts and integrate a roof for the superior
court as Suzanne Lenglen and Philipe Chatrier for 2020. Many famous tennis players support
this project11
.
For the tennis events it’s compulsory for the infrastructures to have a roof for having a better
attendance. That the case of US Open tournament, in 2017 the organization built a second roof
stadium court for gaining in attendance during the following years. This event has sometimes
the weather problem than Roland Garros, in fact this roof installed already one court allow to
the supporters to have a better experience12
.
Like this example, the many clubs manage the offers including a part for the supporter because
it is the core value for the notoriety of the club locally and abroad.
11
Pantic Nina, Tennis.com "Last year today: More than a roof, Roland Garros' construction woes ", online,
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2017/05/french-open-roland-garros-construction-roof-atp-wta-
tennis/66265/,May 2017
12
Berg Aimee, “U.S. Open's second covered stadium should help with weather delays, boost attendance”, Special
US Today, May 2017, Online https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/open/2018/05/17/us-open-tennis-
tournament-adds-second-roofed-stadium/620926002/

The service has a cost, and its strategy depends on the cost-effectiveness, the brand and
marketing goals. The selling price boasts a representative image of the service's quality and
which type of customer is targeted.
2.1.1.2 The communication strategy
Generally, in the sports clubs, a communication and marketing department oversees the
promotion strategy. A communication plan is based on objectives, a target and the next step is
to define the communication tools for sharing the message. A sport club is managed according
to an annual schedule animated by tournaments, special events. The importance of the
communication strategy is only for a primary aim: to enhance the notoriety and build a sharp
brand image.
Brand awareness is the knowledge that the public, in general, has of a brand. The global
objective is to reach the best level of notoriety, be the most famous club. For achieving this
point, communication is essential for sharing a universal message to the customers in the aim
to attract them to visit the club and buy the service. The brand image can be defined as a set of
representations that a specific category of consumers maintains about it. It could be having
different observations done by the customers, depending on the appreciation of the brand
according to the cultural movement and community. Therefore, the company in sports try to
develop a federative image which constitutes the brand DNA, for being close to the customer
expectation in sports brand. Four characteristics to complain:
- Positive image: a seduction element in a hard-competitive area and create a feeling
between the brand and the customer. The team players can enhance the image.
- Singularity: be distinctive with originality. Credibility: developing the reality of the
story of the brand no lying.
- Longevity image: reassure the customer in a changing environment. The club has not to
hesitate the renew the image in the aim to answer to the trend according to the
generations.
First, it’s necessary to define the customer catchment area and the concerning sport’s
socioeconomic factors. Those elements will allow focussing the right target with the right media
tools. For the partners, the clubs must select those who are influent with a high impact on the
leads.

When the target is defined, the second step is to clarify the persuasive communication axis: be
distinctive; mention the product, the service; be universal to the destination; should be a service
or a product which answers to an obstacle. The sports industry uses in the message sociological,
emotional, sport values elements. The primary hazardous choice for the communication and
marketing department is to choose the right media. There are six significant medias: television,
written press, poster campaign, radio and cinema exploited by the sports industry announcer.
The main press is television before the printed media and the internet.
Table 1 - Distribution of global advertising spending worldwide in 2018
The sports clubs entirely use television for the diffusion of the national and international
matches. The tennis clubs or federations in association with the private and public channel
broadcast the tournaments. In France, it is the case for France Televisions, in United Kingdom
ITV13
. But it stills a significant problem for the customer, several sports clubs and federations
decided to give the broadcasting rights at the private channels where the profits for them are
more interesting for the business. The customer must pay a subscription to access at this service
on T.V. which is quite expensive.
13
Holmes Elena, “ITV extends French Open rights deal until 2021”,June 2018, online
www.sportspromedia.com/news/itv-french-open-rights-deal-2021

Some written press is specialized in one sport or sport category like Tennis Magazine (France),
U.K. Tennis Magazine or TennisHead.
The marketing strategy theory is applicated to the sports organizations in trying to dynamize
the brand image with a secure communication focused on the quality of the services and an
incredible experience expected.
2.1.2 The sports brand and private companies
Over the centuries, sports have evolved into a billion-dollar industry through significant
investments from corporations who want to associate the brand with a sport. We will introduce
the management of the sports brand or not in the direct link, why they develop their activity in
this domain and how is the marketing strategy in the brand image.
2.1.2.1 The interest for the brands in investing in sports
The world of sports and business have converged dramatically over the years, with branding at
the centre of that convergence. Sports brands now are a range of traditional commercial
companies. Many sporting goods companies spend millions of dollars on developing new and
innovative products to benefit not only the athletes but also customers amateurs and those who
enjoy wearing comfortable sportswear apparel on day to day basis. Those companies such as
Adidas, Lacoste and more invest significant sums in supporting teams, famous athletes or sport
events in the aim to enhance their brand image and notoriety.
For example, Lacoste the famous French sportswear brand mainly specialized for tennis
practice, became an inescapable sporting goods, apparel range for best tennis players like
Richard Gasquet, Novak Djokovic this association allows to the brand to evolve is brand DNA
and brand image. Since the beginning of the creation, Lacoste DNA is based on authenticity,
elegance, and performance, which defined the tennis values correctly14
. The game is associated
with the style and technically ingenious. Lacoste understood the customer's trends, and its
strategy is based on the origins and modernity, the perfect combo for the new generations (cf
3rd subdivision).
Moreover, private companies not in link with the sports field decided to associate their brands
in this domain. It's a new medium for companies to communicate with a large public and attract
14
Appendix 3: Lacoste image

more customers in the way to know by another means. Remind the definition “A brand is a
name, sign or symbol used to identify the products or services of a manufacturer and used to
differentiate it from competition”15. In other words, it is the way of a product, service or
company is seen in the minds of consumers. For example, BNP Paribas, a French international
bank, is the official partner of Roland Garros and the main sponsor for the ITF for several years.
In the following point, we will see in more detail the action of the sponsorship, the leading
marketing activities done by the sports brand and the private companies’ partners.
2.1.2.2 Sports sponsorship, the marketing power
In 2017, the sponsorship expenses were estimated mostly at $ 63 billion worldwide thus $ 45
billion in the sport. This average increase regularly at 5% every year. Sports sponsorship is
booming nowadays. Several companies and sporting goods become partners to the sports clubs
or federations.
Table 2 - Global sponsorship spending from 2007 to 2018 (in billion U.S. dollars)16
Source: Statista
This marketing technique aims to convince supporters of the existence of a link between the
brand and the sporting event. For sports clubs or federations, it provides support in the form of
goods, services, and financing. For the partners, there are three types of sponsorship:
15
American Marketing Association, AMA Dictionary, October 2018, online https://marketing-
dictionary.org/b/brand/
16
Statista, “Global sponsorship spending from 2007 to 2018 (in billion U.S. dollars)”, 2019,
www.statista.com/statistics/196864/global-sponsorship-spending-since-2007/

- Visibility sponsorship, raising awareness and sales
- Image sponsorship aimed at affirming a brand identity
- Relational support based on public relations or hospitality
The sports clubs and federations use four types which allow implementing the rights acquired
by sponsors:
- Visibility actions on the event places for promotion: When the sponsor appears on the
players equipment (jersey, shorts, cap, etc.), its visibility depends on the surface
occupied and the presence of other brands on the same mobile support. The profile can
be on a fixed space for better visual visibility like the banderol, billboard, corners, lane
markings.
- Sportive hospitality action and public relations: Some minor sponsors do not benefit
from enough visibility and quality of the sports, even though the media will cover them.
For these sponsors, the solution is mainly through the organization of public relations
on site and at the time of the events. The implementation is carried out through a catalog
of personalized reception services, reserved areas. The objective is to develop and to
improve the relation with the clients, the suppliers, public state, journalists, employees,
and associates.
- Naming actions of the teams or the competition: that consists to associate the brand
name of the sponsors at the event, collective (club, team, etc.) or to the game. The aim
is to optimize editorial impact in the media.
- The products are licensing and commercial actions: the licensing contracts have a
similar aim than the naming to boast the name or the event or the sporting goods name
for dynamizing the sales. During a sporting event, the sponsor can organize their
products' promotions.
We will illustrate this strategy in a following example in tennis domain. We will demonstrate
how the sponsorship is managed between the sports organization and the brands.

 BNP Paribas17
, official sponsors of several ITF tournaments worldwide
Figure 1. In the field of amateur tennis, BNP Paribas is committed to
Source: BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas takes an essential place in the tennis world; it contributes to the development of
several types of tournaments like professional, junior or disability game (tennis wheelchair).
Since the 70's the brand became the most influential sponsors for this sport. The company's
willingness in its sponsorship policy is to democratize the tennis for each generation, each
gender. Otherwise, the strategy is offering unique opportunities to develop the worldwide
notoriety of BNP Paribas but also to satisfy the expectations of the tennis supporters in creating
new innovative experiences, exclusives content, etc. Sébastien Guyader Marketing and Sports
Sponsoring BNP Paribas manager conclude “we focus our sponsorship actions so that our brand
ambitions go hand in hand with the satisfaction of tennis fans and the challenges of the sport
itself. “18
.
BNP Paribas gave the name to the prestigious international and national tournaments. The
naming in the main essential tennis competitions: BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells, Roland
Garros BNP Paribas Masters for example. The David Cup was a massive worldwide
tournament, but since 2018 BNP Paribas is no longer the official sponsor for this significant
event yearly because of the change in the rules for a new format of this emblematic tennis event.
BNP Paribas, its apparel products range such as tee-shirts, jersey, and accessories for example.
That's the case for BNP Paribas Open, the Indiana Wells tournament in the United States. The
brand goes more in the customer way, in creating a uniqueness community named We Are
Tennis, we will see this significant point in the third point of this literature review.
17
Appendix 4: BNP Paribas in the Tennis World
18
Verbeke Elodie, « BNP Paribas désigné « sponsor de la décennie » lors des Trophées Sporsora du Marketing
Sportif », BNP Paribas groupe website, 2014, online, www.group.bnpparibas/communique-de-presse/bnp-paribas-
designe-sponsor-decennie-trophees-sporsora-marketing-sportif

Roland Garros purposes to the future partners of the tournament different grades as main,
premium, official sponsors and official suppliers with a large visibility but with different offer.
In 2019, Adidas stopped to one of the official sponsors and is Lacoste this year which will wear
the ball boys, the umpires, line judges. But Adidas will not present with communication tools
in Roland Garros stadium, but several brand ambassadors will wear the special collection on
the courts like Kristina Mladenovic or Jo Wilfrid Tsonga.
 OPPO the new technological brand sponsor in tennis19
OPPO is a Chinese company and one of the world’s leading smartphone brands, signed a
sponsorship contract for the following three years as Premium partner in Roland Garros and
Rolex Paris Master tournaments. The particularity of the OPPO is on the photography and
camera technology for an upper quality. The main audience for the brand is the youngers, for
Roland Garros that can be engage them in this sport and tournament. And give a new image to
this generation. The French federation’s strategy is increasing the Roland Garros brand
presence in key territories such as China. OPPO creates for this new edition a competition for
young tennis talent from China, Brazil and India in the goal to obtain a wild card for accessing
to the qualifications in the tournament. The other animation made by the company is named
“Roland-Garros beauty shot”, each most attractive and technical points during over the matches
will be shared on the social media through the OPPO’s technology.
2.1.2.3 The impact of celebrity endorsement in the sports brand image
A brand name and recognition are essential for a company, the companies which built a strong
brand identity have a stronger business performance.
A celebrity endorsement is a campaign that involves a well-known person using their fame to
help promote a product or service. The sporting goods and the private companies from another
field, share the big clubs and players on the planet. There is two marketing process in the
segmentation for this action:
- A geographical logic leads equipment manufacturers to cover the major regions of the
world from known and influential players.
19
Roland Garros’ Public Relations, “OPPO New premium partner of Roland Garros and Rolex Paris Masters”,
Roland Garros’ website, May 14th
2019, online www.rolandgarros.com/en-us/article/oppo-premium-partner-
roland-garros-rolex-paris-masters

- A second logic, the one that uses the image of players to communicate to differentiated
categories.
The last one is the most common used. For example, Rafael Nadal20
one of the most famous
and better tennis players over the years is the Babolat Brand ambassador since the beginning of
his success on the circuit. According to Forbes Magazine, in 2018, Nadal made a whopping $27
Million from brand endorsements. Rafael Nadal gives his image to the racket tennis brand first
because he loves to play only with a Babolat rackets Aero Pro For him the performance and the
technique are crucial, and the brand shares those values with the quality of the products.
Furthermore, Nike uses also the celebrity endorsement, but it developed a co-branding with
Rafael Nadal in the creation with a unique logo for the product range.
Celebrity endorsement has some limits. How the brands react with an athlete brand ambassador
in trouble? Taking the example of the doping case with Sharapova, a Russian tennis player, in
2016. During the Australian Open, she was diagnosticated positive in using the banned
performance-enhancing drug. When this case was public, several brand sponsors stopped the
association with the player. Nike the sporting apparel multinational has suspended ties but will
no doubt a future comeback of her. For the brand when the athlete sponsored is in trouble, that
can create a bad image shared.
2.2 Management of sports entertainment brands
An event is "a place where men and women gather in a king of collaborative celebration, to
attend a sports or cultural show," Ferrand's definition. Also, an event is an organization of all
resources for reaching the objectives. We will see in this second point the sports marketing in
a sportive event and the trademark law in this specific case.
2.2.1 To a primary championship to a brand name
Previously we talked of naming as a sponsoring technique; we will develop deeper the
championship brand name in sport about the management and specifies and the law for the
protection.
20
Appendix 5: Rafael Nadal, Brand Ambassador

2.2.1.1 Business model concept and specifies
The management of a sporting event can be done apart in association with several stakeholders
that contribute in the event offer such as the athletes, public organization, a private company
for the investment, the media, technical suppliers, federations and leagues, fans. Those
stakeholders take part in sports event offer performance and the quality for the target and the
final entertainment. According to the demand, the aim of the sports event concerns the faculty
to generate emotions that make a part on the event filed in terms of attractivity and attachment
to the sports brand. In the previous first point, we saw the type of offer in the sports industry;
mainly the product is associated with a service.
The main problem from the financing sources is from the business model developed by the
organization's sports event producers, depending on the management type implemented.
Gary Hamel in 2002 is one of the few authors proposed to operationalize the following business
model based on the four organizational components:
- Customer logic
- Strategy
- Resources
- Network
To link those components, there are three decisional mechanisms:
- Customer benefits binder customer logic and strategy
- Configuration binder strategy and resources
- Company frontiers binder resources network
This business model can be adapted to the offer system from an organization which produces
sports event.
Figure 2. Operationalization of the business model concept

Many types of business models can be adapted to the sports event organization, the previous
one is the most commonly used nowadays in the field. The most important part of the business
model stays in the resources. They contribute to the reputation of the event, defined like “an
effective or emotional reaction, bad or good, low or strength, by the clients, investors,
employees and public concerning the name of an organization” Fombrun 1996. According to
the Reputation Institute, the reputation is the perception that the people have of an organization,
a company, an individual, a city or a country. Those perceptions are from personal experiences
that the people have had, messages heard or seen, and the conversations shared. We can
introduce in the internal resources the staff of the organization at each level, hospitality, food,
and beverage service, tickets service, and logistics service. The team is the image of the sports
event organization; it must take into account the power of the customer during the event, to
contribute to their experience. Furthermore, the partners of the game are immense importance
in the organization of the event, help in the image and awareness.
We will explain in two examples the business model strategy in sport event organization.
 Roland Garros
Is one of the four Grand Slam, a significant step in the worldwide tennis. The particularity of
this tournament is on a clay surface, the only one since 1928 in Roland Garros camp in Porte
d’Auteuil place. The French Tennis Federation is the owner and exploited the event.
The tournament's media exposure is its principal commercial attraction with a broadcast on five
continents on more than 100 channels and 200 territories, an estimate of more than 3 billion
viewers worldwide. About 35% of its turnover, or almost €25 million, is due to the transfer of
media rights. Roland Garros' exceptional sporting qualities, combined with its national and
international media impact, contribute to the event's reputation. With more than 430,000
spectators over the fortnight of the event, the significant impact is also predominant.
Roland Garros is a pioneer in the implementation of public relations services marketed by
official agencies. Packs from 500 to 2000 euros per person are sold to companies from local
SMEs to large international and national groups. The reputation of the tournament is its main
asset to attract its loyal partners. The same applies to the purchase of top-of-the-range public
relations services and the purchase of tickets for the public. Roland Garros is also a famous
brand with strong potential and is also capable of generating more than 7.5 million sales of
derivative products. However, there is a lack for the tournament about the infrastructures

compared to the other main competitions of the Grand Slam. The Federation developed a
strategic plan for modernizing the global offer in the aim to answer the customer's demand.
The major Championship and tournament are a trademark, but the status is exceptional, so in
the following point we will explain the brand name capital.
2.2.1.2 Brand sports event name
In the brand name, there is the drive to integrate the public or private partners which contributes
to the sports event success. The name of a sportive spectacle frequently combines the territory
place where it is organized the event: Open 13, Moselle Open or Australia Open for tennis.
However, sports organizers may also be tempted by corporate naming strategies consisting in
granting the brand name that of a sponsor (Naming refer to the previous point studied).
The sports event is brand saturated motivated by different objectives such as notoriety, image,
product launch, etc.… also mostly considered like communication tools for the partners. Some
organizers were more concerned than others about the protection of their brand territory. Sports
such as tennis, golf, horseback riding or skating strictly regulate the visual presence of their
partners.
Wimbledon21
is the most ancient tennis tournament, founded in 1877 in England. The surface
is only the grass and the first competition for this surface. The brand awareness of Wimbledon
stays in the traditions which are continued over the years. There are many traditions: no matches
on the first Sunday of the tournament, the recurring presence of Royal Family members, the
reverence of players, emblematic strawberry cream products, Pimm's. In terms of brand
protection, players may wear white clothing even during training sessions. It was the case for
the Belarus player, Victoria Azarenka. While she was training with a yellow t-shirt, an official
intervened to ask her to put on a white polo shirt that he brought for her. The player complied
with the rules and kept this white top until the end of the session. There is no advertising on and
around the stadium, the only visible brands being the Rolex official timekeeper, the Slazenger
official ball, the Robinsons juice brand, and the IBM IT provider. The other nine sponsors must
21
Appendix 6 : Wimbledon, the symbols

communicate off-site about their relationship with the tournament. Wimbledon has a real brand
strategy, cultivates its DNA and its minimalist tradition.22
Wimbledon uses the less is more strategy, consisting of reducing the sponsor's number for
generating more profits. This marketing strategy allows preserving the brand territory against
their several brand partners.
2.2.2 Delivered a unique experience
In this last point, we will see how the sports event built a secure spectacle experience to the
customer.
2.2.2.1 Give to the sport an image as an original show
Given the multiplicity of forms of entertainment, games show managers must differentiate
themselves and retain their customers as much as possible. The objective consists of attracting
a broad public, the familial audience who the event dimensions will likely conquer us or take
in more time in the place. It is necessary to build a total consumption experience that might
interest the customer motivated by the sport performance but also by an original atmosphere
and entertainment. The customer becomes more fans of a professional sports club and engages
their passion than for federations. The organizations should build a strong relationship with
their supporters in developing the iconic history of the club, the team through specific action
reserved only for them.
2.2.2.2 The marketing service and the experience management
Most of the sports events take place in the stadiums, propose complementary services and
experiences nowadays to the first main offer of a sporting event. The management deploys a
different marketing approach focused on customer loyalty. The infrastructures are attractive,
accessible, practical, multifunctional, connected and offer a complete and relevant range of
services. Today, the central offer constitutes the core of the activity, essential services such as
architecture, reception, cleanliness, and security are developing. The services disconnected to
the principal offer concern the entertainment, company hospitality.
22
FastCompany, “Building Brand Legacy In The Age Of Now: The Championships, Wimbledon”, 2017, online,
www.fastcompany.com/3069169/building-brand-legacy-in-the-age-of-now-the-championships-wimbledon-2

The stadiums and arenas architecture are one of a distinctive features for the customers. They
are looking for functionality, modernity, design, differentiation, and experience. Nowadays
most of the areas which receive different types of sports events such as tennis, Handball or
basketball. The infrastructure must be multifunctional. The modularity of an arena conducts to
change quickly from a sports configuration to a show configuration; it is essential for the
profitability. The comfort is another crucial aspect for the customer, is not precisely in link with
the seat but to share a feeling a pleasant relaxation. Everything should be to think about ensuring
flowing traffic in the infrastructure. The restoration and the boutique also have a substantial
impact on customer experience. We can put to highlight the museums in some stadiums. They
an essential place for supporters and visitors. Some mythic clubs have their museum to
showcase the history of the club or the tournament over the years and the hit list.
3 ANALYSIS OF THE NEW CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS' INFLUENCE ON THE
SPORT MARKETING STRATEGY
In this last point we will study the customer behaviour in our actual society in the aim to take
in account the behaviours that can influence/impact on the sport marketing strategy. For to
conclude this major part we will present the different tools used by the marketing department
in the sport industry for engaging the customer and responding to their expectations.
3.1 Customer Behaviour overview nowadays
The customer behaviour respects some characteristics but some elements from the daily life
and the society impact on it. This point is focus on the theorical aspect but also in the actual
analysis made by some academic professors or marketing specialists.
3.1.1 Theorical analysis
“Consumer behaviour is the actions and decision processes of people who purchase goods and
services for personal consumption” defined by Engel, Blackwell and Mansard. For
understanding their motivations in purchasing actions, it is compulsory to present the different
factors which influence in the purchasing process.

3.1.1.1 The internal factors
The internal factors depend on each person, they impact the reason why a good or a service is
purchased. Six internal factors are studied: the personality, the motivations, the memory, the
attitude and lifestyle, the emotions and perceptions, the learning.
According to some marketing experts, we choose products that express our personality. The
personality can be defined as what makes us different, more precisely the thoughts, emotions,
intentions and behaviour that people express. In other words, it is a combination of
characteristics and traits that influence the purchasing process. Personality can be applied to
groups. Five factors model approach to personality have been identified:
- Extroversion: a person preferring to be with others, talkative.
- Stability level: a person with a changing temperament.
- Agreeableness: a kind person, sympathetic, polite.
- Openness to experience: an imaginative person and open to new ideas.
- Conscientiousness: an organized person, careful. This model can be associated with
the DISC Marston Model he defined four personality traits.
Source: PeopleKeys
It is a powerful and profoundly simple tool for understanding people23
. D for dominant is the
highest level; it corresponds to the people who have a personality as a direct, decisive,
egocentric, risk taker. I for Influence, it is an influencer person who expresses his enthusiasm,
trusty, optimistic, emotions and who likes to talk. S for steadiness define a people with quality
as a good listener, team player, possessive steady and friendly. C for compliant; it corresponds
to an accurate, analytical, conscientious, fact-finder person. Another example for the
personality traits can be defined, but those are the most common.
23
DISCInsights, “What is DISC?”, 2019, online https://discinsights.com/disc-theory

The emotions are difficult to define and to predict. The marketing strategy is an essential aspect
concerning the message shared because the consumers react differently. The seven most
common emotions are happiness, sadness, surprise, anger, disgust, fear, contempt. The
perception is the process by which people select, organize and interpret information. The
motivation is an internal state that drives the customer to satisfy needs in obtaining something,
a goal or reduce a painful feeling. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs, where
each need are positives gained and negatives that are avoided by meeting that set of
requirements.
Source: Simply Psychology
McGuire’s theory based on psychological motivations goes deeper in defining sixteen motives
organized into four categories:
- Cognitive preservation motives: the need for consistency, for attribution, to categorize
and for cues.
- Cognitive growth motives: the need for independence, stimulation, theological and
practical.
- Affective preservation motives: the need for reinforcement, expression, ego-defence
and tension reduction.
- Affective motives: the need for the assertion, affiliation, novelty and modeling.
The motivations category defined by specialists’ authors helps marketers to isolate motives
likely to be involved in various consumption situation.
The memory contributes to the consumer to memorize a marketing message if he understands
correctly the messages and remembers them. Memory also refers to consumers ability to assign
to the value and meaning of the message.

The learning can be defined “as a change of behaviour following an interaction between a
person and their environment”. The previous internal factors described are acquired through
learning. People buy things and make decisions for future purchases based on product quality,
service and price. Many companies use the learning aspect of their products and create positive
feelings with them. The learning process respect the following step: exposure, attention and
understanding still the moment when the customer is in contact with the product or the service.
The lifestyle and attitudes are two factors very close, but the definition is quite different. A
lifestyle is a common word to explain the consumer behaviours. It is a way to segment people
into groups based on three things: opinions, attitudes and activities. The attitude is an internal
evaluation, expressed outwardly about a person, a product.
Those factors are a tough part for the marketers to understand the consumer behaviour, so with
the previous model that we saw it is possible to adapt the marketing activities to them.
3.1.1.2 The external factors
When the customer is in contact with a product or a service internal and external element impact
his behaviour, they live in a society where exists interaction between people and develop
influence in the customer’s opinions. The society shares essential factors for the consumer such
as habits, beliefs, culture, traditions, symbols, norms.
The groups represent a vital source for external factors. Group members share common
interests; they influence each other and share values and rules. We distinguish two types of
groups: primary groups the most influence is the family members, and the secondary groups
are the clubs, organizations, fans, community. Social power means in this case that some groups
have more power than others over consumer’s decisions. Going more in-depth into the social
the people want to be recognized, a social distinction through its choices and purchases.
Nowadays the customer is more connected, he can find a lot of information about a product or
a service before making a purchase. He can find on the social network some feedback and
opinions that influence his final decision. We can observe a powerful viral tool for the customer
is the social recommendations. People on the social network share their feedback in the aim to
influence the other in the purchase action.

For the marketers is not quite easy to define precisely the external factors, but they can develop
a persona as a target group for their products in the aim to share the right message and brand
DNA to the right consumer.
3.1.2 The generation’s power
The consumer behaviour study, there is a distinction between personal and lifestyle
characteristics over the different generations. The generation in marketing is defined as a
specific generation of people based on the preferences, attitudes, and upbringing that distinguish
them from other groups.
3.1.2.1 The distinction between the generations
A consumer’s decisions, actions sometimes change over the years according to the
environment, the new trends and technologies. Three main consumer generations defined their
behaviour through different aspects of link with their year born.
Baby Boomers born at the end of the Second World War between 1946 and 1964. They were
considered such as the worker generation in the aim to rebuild the society. Baby boomers are
work focused, they are looking for a safe job and social recognition through a professional
career. Their communication tool is face to face ideally, but with the first mobile phone
launched they used more by them.
Generation X is defined as challengers and learners and born between 1965 and 1980. People
born in this generation situated in the ending of the Cold War and the work placement was low.
They are focused on happiness as key to the change, looking for new experiences, and the
money is not essential. Generation X is the first with a path in a digital tool is by text message
and email. Their consumer purchase behaviour is done online most the time to make savings
on sales.
Generation Y or called Millennials is considered by marketers as the most attractive generation
group according to their purchasing power. Different researchers defined the year of birth
between 1981 and 1995 or 1981 and 2000, and in other, the cohort is defined by experiences
during the transition to adulthood. Millennials characterized by the use and adaptation of
technology in their daily lives. Their consumption will grow even more prominent over the
years and expect freedom and flexibility in their lives. The smartphone is their primary tool for
communication and purchase action. Social media influence them.

Those generations where customers grew up over sporting success championship in which
reinforced their affiliations took importance in their lives. Sports became over the years the
main subject which customers can express their emotions and performance. In the rugby, some
clubs impacted customer’s generations by their history in the sport. The consequence is the
development of a current generation’s affiliation.
In the following point, we will explain the theory of the new consumer, generation Z, and how
they influence each other in their consumer behaviour on the market.
3.1.2.2 A new customer and the global sport perception
The new generation, born after 1995 or 2000 according to different researchers are the future
of society. It named Generation Z, they grew up in a hard society change with important events
that the mentalities change radically: global warming, energy crisis, Arab spring, and
WikiLeaks. They are afraid of their future; they want to contribute to a better society where
people work together against war and discrimination. The generation Z aspires in security and
stability, for achieving this need they participate in the global debates such as political and
global warming. They take power for those aspects, and for changing the goals, get information,
shares information through social media, create content with the new technology. Generation Z
is the new influencer for all generations.
Generation Z is the continuity of the previous generations, they want better independence for a
better society and to have its free will in its way of consuming. Millennials stay the most
influential generation nowadays with a high consumption power, the marketers use for
developing a new strategy brand-marketing strategy. Millennial’s consumption behaviors
derived from five unique traits which gave them an influencer role for the previous generations:
- Community-driven: the customer from this generation are more community-oriented than
previous generations. The sports social media content influences them in their choice and
supporting team. Rather Baby boomers and Generation X came to the stadium for attending a
game in a good seat with family members, for Millennials is much more. When they go to a
sports event, they are looking for an experience which enhances a community, as fans.
- Peer pressure influenced: a new phenomenon explains this trait, Fear of Missing Out
(FoMO), defined as a “pervasive apprehension that others might be having rewarding

experiences from which one is absent.” Millennials influenced by their peers and desire to stay
continually connected with what others are doing.
- Emotional consumption: Millenial’s are more sensitive than the previous generations. They
make rational decisions by comparing prices and reviews information’s online. In sports
consumption, Millenials spread emotional content through social media and share their
experiences.
- Making their voices heard: they want to be engaged in sports consumption, fans. Consumers
want to hear back from organizations when they provide feedback.
- Technology-driven: the generation Y born digital domain and it builds a digital community
for fans, can compare price tickets for sports events online. They are expecting new digital tools
from the sports brand and clubs for changing the fan experience.
Generation Y and Z have a high impact on the previous generation, they have reliable
persuasive power. The sports industry’s marketing strategy considered in developing new
marketing tools in the aim of achieving all expectations and achieving the notoriety and success
goal.
3.2 Development of new tools focused on the customer
Its recommended to all business models to be customer centric. The customer takes an essential
place in the company existence also economically. For answers to the customer’s expectations
its compulsory to manage the relationship with them in the aim to provide the best products,
services, and experience.
3.2.1 Customer Experience Management
In each business there is a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) installed. It is a “way
that a company can encourage customers to like it and buy from it, for example by using
software to look at information it has about its customers and by using social media” definition
from Cambridge Dictionary. CRM can collect data from the customer by the connected
communication tools and manage how to share a message with them for purchasing. Moreover,
recently appeared a new tool which complete the CRM’s action: The Customer Experience
Management (CEM).

3.2.1.1 The concept
The customer experience management contributes to developing a 360-degree view of the
customer. That involves listening to customers and improving their experience by
implementing changes based on the feedback. But not only. Business must consider the
expectation of them also they evaluate each service provided by the company. There are three
tools that provide the foundation for building an exceptional customer experience unique to
customers24
:
- See through the customer’s eyes: it means customers see something that the staff doesn’t
see. That can be a small detail, but that ruins their experience and appreciation. The
customer's perception of the infrastructure, services and dozens of other little
impressions point influence buying decisions. It’s compulsory to pay attention to details.
- Listen to the customer: that the base for each business. It required to have an intense
active listening empathy. Acting as if the customer talking in front of us, is the only one
in the room.
- Empower all employees: the needs and demands of customers vary daily and employees
must be empowered to handle any situation. It should be to manage the employees to
answer any expectations required by the customer. That will show to him that employees
are competent.
Every business provides a customer experience such as Nike designs every detail of the
customer experience. CEM can allow quantifying the return on investment of the customer
loyalty initiatives.
In the following point, we will study through examples of how the sports industry adapts this
tool.
3.2.1.2 The adaptation in the sports industry
In 2014 the United States Tennis Association (USTA) established a customer experience
strategy based on the digital. The goal for USTA is to deliver an outstanding experience for
every fan no matter where they located or what channel they use. For improving the fan,
customer experience inside the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, a digital
experience through different connected canal mobile, internet or by apps was implemented in
24
Dandridge Mike, « Customer Expérience Management », Electrical Wholesaling, july 2010, page 28

association with IBM Marketing corporation. With this action, the fans can find any information
at any time about the championship. This strategy allows over data collected, USTA to
understand what the most tennis players are appreciated and the fans emotions during the
tournament. IBM incorporated technology to define those data. The digital experience will be
for the future essential for the CEM strategy in the sports industry.
Furthermore, Wimbledon established a new CEM strategy in developing the quite same of
USTA and the US Open championship. The aim of Wimbledon is to enhance the customer
experience before, during and after the event and change the relationship according to the
customer behavior nowadays. The digital experience strategy implemented allows the English
Federation, All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club (AELTC) giving a new image of the
brand more modern and closer to the customer but still preserving the traditions.
The tennis clubs and event organizations are not the only ones who established a CEM focused
on digital experience, it is also the case for Babolat with is a unique app for the supporters and
tennis players.
In the last point of this literature review, we will review the principal of sports fan equity by the
sports industry.
3.2.2 Sport Fan Equity
The sports industry pushes the relationship management with sports fans or supporters at the
first level. They make part of the sports brand image. We will study the importance of sports
fan equity and how the fans impact the industry.
3.2.2.1 The principle
Brand equity is a core-marketing concept, defined as the commercial value that derives from
consumer perception of the brand name of a product or service, rather than from the product or
service itself. The main objective of brand equity is to build a detailed mental map of
consumers: thoughts, feelings, perceptions, images, beliefs, attitudes.
Sports fan equity is an approach to quantify and have a better understanding of customer equity.
Defined as the total lifetime value of the present and the expected future contributions of all the
company’s customers. It is the sum of the customer lifetime value defined at the true value of
a single customer current profitability and his or her predicted lifetime contribution to a business

organization. Having a better knowledge of customer equity in a sports context help to establish
a new strategic framework for sports organizations or brand. They have determinate the fan as
a media or an influencer for an event or a club. The fans or supporters are central members,
sports organizations implemented the Fan Relationship Management (FRM) strategy which is
in link with the CRM but adapted to the sports field. FRM marketing program can be defined
in four steps:
Identify the fans, creates a knowledge base focused on the sportive experience consumption
behaviour and the brand attachment’s degree for a club or the athletes.
Personalize the offers, the season tickets, others in the aim to reinforce a relation and creates
loyalty.
Establish a dynamical relation in regularly interacting with the fans, supporters to allow them
to participate at the event organization, brand awareness for example.
Use the new information and communication technologies through digital tools.
In the next and the last point of this main part we will see several examples done by the sports
industry through the tennis field.
3.2.2.2 Fan – actors
The sports organizations in Fan Relationship Management want to enhance the customer
experience in making the fans the actors of the event. The main example is the We Are Tennis
Fans Academy25
(WAFTA) developed by BNP Paribas in association with the French
federation and the ITF support. To make part of the fan’s supporters during the main Master
1000 championships in London and Paris, and at the Davis Cup it is compulsory to take part in
We are tennis community. A subscription is needed when a fan wants to make part of this
community. The fan can share the content on social media through the website, read the blog
for example. For those actions, we earn points that can allow accessing at a fan ranking. When
you go to the maximum, you can be part of the WAFTA. The concept is: those fans can access
to the prestigious tennis championships where BNP Paribas is the main sponsor and supporter
of the players during the game. They have many opportunities like to play with a famous tennis
25
Appendix 7: We Are Tennis

player, such as Novak Djokovic; to meet the iconic tennis player like John McEnroe who is a
WAFTA ambassador.
Furthermore, the worldwide federations for the tennis event organization need volunteers. The
supporters are asked for their help. It is the case for the ball kids and the global logistic or
services.
In this first part, we studied the theoretical and strategical methodology used in the
sports industry by companies from this sector or by private companies in the link or not in the
sports. The aim is to develop their brand-marketing strategy for having high notoriety focused
on satisfying the customer, the supporters, in this case, to answer to their needs, motivations
according to their sport experience. However, customer behaviour is changing through the
generations over the years. Several elements impact his purchasing decision such as social
environment, new technologies, new preoccupations like global warming. But mainly in the
sports industry, the customer wants the best experience with the brand, sports clubs, or teams.
In the second part, we will present the fieldwork realized with the sport’s customer
participation.

PART 2: FIELD WORK, THE CUSTOMER VOICE
1 THE METHODOLOGY APPLICATED
For understanding much better the core subject, it was necessary to integrate the customer
opinion in this thesis. That will allow us to determinate their expectations regarding the sports
industry. A survey was the best tool for having a considerable impression gave by the customer.
1.1 The objectives
A review answers to different purposes regarding what we want to research and to explain. The
customer’s expectations in the sports industry can be divergent according to several factors.
Nowadays, we can find a lot of articles which determine their expectations according to their
feedback on social media or during the client service. With a quantitative study, it is an excellent
tool for evaluating attitudes and behaviours, associating or regrouping different variables and
visualizing individuals or brands geographically.
1.1.1 Quantitative objectives
The following survey focused on tennis customers or supporters target. The aim is to quantify
and evaluate their opinions through the hypothesis developed previously to create a review.
With those results, we will define precisely the exact expectations by the tennis supporters in
line with the sports industry strategy, the business model implemented. The answers to the
questions allow us to evaluate the level of appreciation and the importance, in line with the
actual brand-marketing strategy already developed by the tennis sector. With 165 answers, after
one month online is representative of the primary target, it’s an essential sample for the analysis.
In the following inquiry we will grant us to consider the impact for the future in the industry
and develop recommendations through limits and advantages.
1.1.2 Observations expected
The tennis supporters have mostly different opinions on the tennis sector and the offers
according to their experiences and perceptions according to the contact zones (media, stadiums,
promotions). With this survey, the objective for them is to give their right opinions on the
marketing actions evolution, what they are precisely expecting, how they image the future in

the tennis field. They can express their free outlook. Moreover, those observations can give us
keys for the sports marketing evolution through the years.
1.2 The research methodology
The survey is an excellent quantitative tool for explaining the customer’s behaviours
expectations in the sports industry. With it, the main objective was “what the tennis customers,
supporters are expecting from the sports sector?” globally. But going more deeper, they are
more points to study for evaluating the core subject.
1.2.1 The scope of application
We saw in the literature review the marketing strategy implemented by the sports industry in
the tennis sector. With advantages and limits based on the customer’s feedback, a perception
which can impact on the brand image. Otherwise, that depends on the marketing activities used
by tennis organizations or private companies involved in this sport, such as sponsoring or
celebrity endorsement.
Furthermore, tennis is the first individual sport practiced worldwide. This market is growing
faster and faster over the years than the beginning with the tennis actors who contribute to the
image and value: tennis women and men famous players. The finale objective with the survey
is to understand with precision the customer’s expectations nowadays.
1.2.2 The research model

43
This research model above defined, according to the main research question focused on the
tennis supporters’ behaviours before creating the survey: What are the supporter’s expectations
in the tennis sector brand marketing strategy? It constituted by two variables the supporter’s
expectations (variable 1) and the brand marketing strategy (variable 2). On this base, we defined
the determinants of each variable; it’s step 1 in the research model process.
Step 2 consists to cross determinants of each variable to form test to perform which allow to
define the hypothesis.
STEP 2
Fan experience
+ sport event
+ sponsoring
+ celebrity endorsement
Affordable tennis event
price
+ sport event
Fan community
+ apps
+ sponsoring
+ CRM
+ CEM
Sport Event
+ E-sport
+ endorsement celebrity
+ unique experience
Digital experience
+ specific apps
+ sport events
Customization offers
STEP 1
Variable 1 - Supporters’ expectations
 Fan experience;
 Affordable tennis event price;
 Fan community;
 Digital experience;
Variable 2 - Brand marketing strategies
 Endorsement celebrity;
 Sponsoring;
 Sport Event;
 Specific Apps
 Customization offers

44
+ CEM
In the research hypothesis, we can include in a third step additional determinants test. In this
core subject for the survey, they are years practiced; age, gender; licensed and way of practicing.
At this level, we can introduce the hypothesis which can permit us to build the following survey.
1.2.3 The hypothesis
The following hypothesis is an association between each determinant previously presented. A
hypothesis must be statistically testable and drive to write an accurate survey adapted on what
we are looking for and what we want to evaluate.
 Fan Experience
H1, there is a significant link between the Fan Experience and tennis sector brand marketing
strategies expectations.
In this hypothesis, we will focus on sports events and customer expectations, how they measure
its satisfaction and why.
H2, there is a significant link between the Fan Experience and tennis sector brand marketing
In this hypothesis, we will study the higher is fan experience, more new offers are desired, such
as customizations.
H6, there is a significant link between Fan Experience and Brand image perceptions.
In this hypothesis, we want to measure the impact of fan experience on brand image perceptions,
that can modify or consolidate the notoriety.
 Affordable tennis price
H3, the Affordable tennis price has an influence on tennis sector brand marketing strategies
expectations.
In this hypothesis, we want to evaluate the expectations at the price level in tennis sports events
and how this field can enhance.
H7, the Affordable tennis price has an influence on Brand image perceptions.
In this hypothesis, we want to understand how the price can impact brand image.

45
 Fan community
H4 the Fan communities have an influence on tennis sector brand marketing strategies
expectations.
In this hypothesis, we will measure the influence on the global expectation of tennis marketing
activities.
H8, the Fan community has an influence on Brand image perceptions.
In this hypothesis, we want to estimate how the communities on social network impact on the
brand image notoriety.
 Digital Experience
H5, there is a significant link between Digital experience and tennis sector brand marketing
In this hypothesis, we want to examine how new technologies can give a new way to live the
experience.
H9, the digital experience has an influence on brand image perceptions.
In this hypothesis, we are looking for to measure how the digital experience impacts the
customer on its brand image perceptions.
 Additional determinants
H10, the Brand image perceptions by the customer have an influence on tennis sector brand
marketing strategies expectations.
In this hypothesis, we want to explore if the brand image perceptions did by the customer
influence the different tennis brands in their marketing strategies development.
H10a, the number of years tennis practiced has an influence on tennis sector brand marketing
In this hypothesis, we want to measure if the numbers if years practiced influence the target in
their mind on tennis sector brand marketing expectations.
H10b, there is a significant link between the age and tennis sector brand marketing strategies
expectations.
In this hypothesis, we want to determine which age categories have more expectations.
H10c, there is a significant link between licensed or amateurs and tennis sector brand marketing
In this hypothesis, we will study the difference between licensed or amateurs according to their
expectations in the tennis field.

46
H10d, gender has an influence on tennis sector brand marketing strategies expectations.
In this hypothesis, we will study the gender influence on tennis brand marketing strategies
expectations.
Tennis sector brand marketing strategies perceptions correspond to the determinants previously
defined. The hypothesis is focused on those specific actions very common in this field.
2 THE SURVEY ADMINISTRATION
At this point, we will present how we create the survey’s structure, the questions’ types and
how we manage it for having the most answers.
2.1 The structure
The survey26
makes up twenty-two questions focused on the tennis sports industry and
marketing strategies. Several questions forms are different between the answers expected.
2.1.1 Types of questions and the objectives
The survey intituled, Tennis and the new customers’ expectations, consists in giving the free
voice to the supporters through twenty-two questions, customers to express their opinions about
their expectations in the tennis marketing strategy in the aim to enhance their positive feedback
and experience with this sport. The survey is delimited by six subdivisions referring to the
previous determinants.
 Quantitative scales
These questions are used to gather numerical data to determine stational results. The aim is to
be able to quantify the answer for a measurement. The variables are measured on a nominal,
ordinal, interval or ratio scale. They are closed-ended questions.
26
Appendix 8: The tennis and the new customer expectations

47
Nominative scale is essentially a type of coding that simply puts people, events, perceptions,
objects or attributes into categories based on common trait or characteristic. The coding can be
accomplished by using numbers, letters, colours or any symbol that can distinguish between the
groups. In this survey we can codify the following answers 1,2…
Ratio scale contains the most information about the values in a study. It contains all information
of the information of the other categories because it categorizes the data. This type of
question compares the intervals or different without asking a real number. The aim for this
question is to understand the opinions and perceptions of the target studied. In the survey you
will find several types of question with this approach.
Ordinal scales are another level of measurement that reports the ranking and ordering of the
data without establishing the degree of variation between them. The data ranking goes to the
lowest to highest information regarding where the data points lie about one another.

48
Semantic differential scales are a type of a rating scale designed to measure the connotative
meaning of objects, events and concepts. That asks to the target to rate a product, company,
brand or any entity within the frames of multi-point rating options.
 Open-ended questions
The people can answer with detail in depth, allow for original, unique responses, without being
limited by multiple choice. Open-ended questions help us see things from customer’s
perception because we want constructive feedback with their own words.

The impact of the customer expectations in the sport business model

The impact of the customer expectations in the sport business model

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