Sport Facility and Its Management Processes - Essay Example

Sur Management Case Study: A Study on Emirates Introduction: Sports facilities are considered as essential assets in the field of sports and require appropriate management systems and processes in order to effectively efficient services for long term performances and enjoyment of sports activities and events. Social outcomes are necessary to be balanced with the financial performances that are the responsibilities of the facility managers. Be it a stadium or a club, owners of sports facilities expect returns for the investments they have made on the facilities. Thus the need for such balance arises. In order for the sports facilities managers to be effective, they need to handle issues and all aspects of management in a creative manner, including programming that would maintain high quality of the facilities and are based on standards and legislation (Leberman, Collins and Trenberth, 375). Designing the facility, managing the assets of the facility, management of contracts and leases, management of risks, and monitoring are some of the roles that sports facilities managers have to consider (Leberman, Collins and Trenberth, 375). Management of sports facilities generally involve several parts such as direct management which is done by the owners of the facilities, contract management where the management is contracted to an individual manager or any management groups, lease management, and joint management. Depending on the form of management, the control over the facilities and the responsibilities vary. However, in order to achieve any of the above mentioned management styles, suitable management plan are highly essential. With a good plan of management, the efficiency and effectiveness of the facility is achieved and maintained (Managing facilities). The present study focuses on choosing a sport facility and learning about its management processes. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study is to choose a sport facility and have an understanding of the management processes followed in the facility. The facility that has been considered for the case study is the Emirates stadium. In order to achieve this aim, the following objectives have been set: To learn about the key features, and operating and management philosophy of the facility. To learn about the management complement and staffing structure of the facility. To learn about the management issues faced by the stadium. To understand the management and the programming followed in the stadium. To understand the marketing and promotional strategy of the facility. To understand how Emirates develop sports, and its staff. To evaluate the performance of the facility, and derive a conclusion on the management of the facility. Case Study: Emirates: The Emirates stadium is in London built on an area that was formerly a brown field industrial estate. With the new stadium built in the area, it not only allowed football clubs like Arsenal to make their places in the stadium, but also enabled regeneration of the total area. The architecture and design of the stadium was under the charge of Populous who are leaders in the field of architectures. Buro Happold are the engineers who were consulted for the structural designs and services offered at the stadium (Emirates Stadium – Emirates Stadium). Key Features of the Emirates Stadium, and Operating and Management Philosophy: The structure of the stadium has been designed considering the environmental effects depending on a proper assessment of the environmental impacts of the stadium. The building of the stadium has been focused on meeting the needs of the end-users. The environmental climate of the stadium has been made pleasant with the implementation of natural passive systems of ventilation. Power saving in the stadium is achieved with the use of solar power systems based on glass cladding and skylights. The designs are made sustainable and are also based on the standards and guidelines provided by BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) (Emirates Stadium – Emirates Stadium). The operating and management philosophy of the stadium thus includes providing people with an environment friendly area where they can enjoy the activities and events of sports. The management team tries to focus on a project management plan following which the managers of the facility try to transform the needs and requirements of the facility into deliverables. The different steps of such project management process include initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, controlling and closing (Emirates Stadium). In order to achieve successful management of the facility a manager needs to be highly skilled in organizing and managing all these steps successfully and effectively. Skills are necessary such that they can apply them towards successful achievement of management which needs to be studied in the case of the Emirates. Complement Management and Staffing Structure: The organizational structure at The Emirates Stadium better known as the board of directors is at the apex made up of eight directors including the Chief Executive Officer and the Chairman with the board being solely responsible for the strategic management as the CEO undertakes the day to day operations within the club. All the departmental heads are answerable to the board including the head team manager, the coaching staff, scouts and the players but with the football side considered sole of the other seven departments including Information technology, commercial, box office, Finance, Stadia management, community and the press office which are broken down further e.g. the commercial department that handles internet, marketing etc. all the seven departments are linked together to foster a good relationship as pertains their work and need for mutual understanding thereof (Walker and Seidler). This structure gives the management the flexibility to make independent decisions enhancing quick and accurate goal oriented services. All employees at the stadium and by extension the whole holdings are required to conduct themselves well with utmost regard for the ethical standards in place or defined in the code of conduct both on and off the facility’s premises while as regards employment, the facility in an equal employer with no regards to racial discrimination, sex and sexual orientation, ethnic background, nationality, color, religion or belief, marital status or disability (Walker and Seidler). Thus it can be said that the organizational structure and complement management systems in the stadium are planned in order to achieve success in providing its services for the success of sports events. Management Issues Faced by the Stadium: There are certain management issues that the stadium encounters, the most concerning of these being the demand being more than the supply. The stadium is in need for expansion which is being taken into consideration by the board of directors. However since the fan base for football is comparatively less than any other sports, matching supply with demand seems to be difficult for the facility. With expansion of the facility, the sustainability of the stadium may be affected. Moreover the capital gains of the stadium may not prove to be profitable if the process of expansion is considered. Risks or issues are also associated with the public transports that are available for people to reach out to the stadium. The issues associated are congestion of traffic, time inaccuracies, and in providing facilities for disabled supporters. Also, financially the issues encountered by the facility are in terms of opportune costs that have resulted owing to over utilization of available resources (Emirates Stadium – Emirates Stadium). Different challenges associated with the project management plan followed by the management team of the stadium include time constraints, approvals related to different plans and consents, constraints associated with designs and sites, management of the organization and stakeholders, and control of documents (Emirates Stadium). It can be understood that different stakeholders have different expectations and view success from a plethora of perspectives. In order to satisfy or even attempt to satisfy all of them, it requires the management to look into the best possible mix of strategies and quality work resulting in success. It is a difficult task to ensure that all the expectations from different stakeholders are met as numerous factors have to be taken into consideration while there are some that are beyond the control of the management for example the persistent winning culture and trophies thereof to the fans. The most possible way of meeting the expectations is by the management trying to reach the groups of stakeholders to take or put their perspectives into consideration through the use of various media while in more often times involving them as the club moves along, a situation that is regarded as significant as they feel important to be incorporated in the philosophy of the facility and giving them a high value status in the locality. Management and Programming Followed in the Stadium: Some of the management measures and programs that have been incorporated and followed by the management team of the stadium include engaging contractor at different stages of the process of designing and planning, particularly at the early stages to detect issues at an early stage to overcome the problems, and consider effective measures. Some of the other measures that the management has considered include contracts of design and building, investigation of site, collaboration of any overlap at any stage of construction that might affect the deadline, involving stakeholders in the process of decision making, redesigning shape of sites as per need and suitability, and understanding the possibility of the plan (Emirates Stadium). The stadium has considered some other associated facilities like lounges and restaurants in order to manage the increasing members and interested public in the events of sports. Catering facilities are available in the Emirates stadium albeit in a very much improved for increased number of members. These include restaurants and flourished food outlets for corporate boxes attendants and the fans. A pillar logistical and operational concern of the current day facilities in the sporting arena, that also leads to high generation of revenue. With a sitting capacity of 60,000 fans composed of various ticket holders and 150 corporate boxes, catering has proved vital in the financial gains to the stadium and changes that would have come along with such gain had to be made. The catering service has offered quality to the stakeholders, not forgetting a varied array of products and/or services with 500 points of sales (Lussier and Kimball). The stadium also owns clubs where various guest are entertained either on match day or on other ordinary days as they watch or just relax in a non match day. Such venues hire up to 23,000 pounds per day, 60 to 80 pounds per day including worth of food and drinks and 10 pounds a minimum cost per individual guest. Bars are some of the facilities owned by the London based facility offering various entertainments to its stakeholders throughout the year. The bars are synonymous with the sports lovers worldwide and this is the best way to offer them with entertainment. The stakeholders are the most satisfied in this manner (Lussier and Kimball). The stadium also boasts of lounges as another facility owned. This facility offers comfortable places for the stakeholders as well as the fans. From the above programs it can be realized that the management team of the Emirates Stadium has considered several measures to improve the conditions of the facility to facilitate more sports events and organize them effectively towards overcoming the issues faced by the management. Marketing and Promotional Strategy: The Emirates Stadium has presented one of the largest grounds for sports events along with facilities like catering and lounges that the public and the stakeholders enjoy. Restaurants, bars, shops and museums are parts of the stadium and these are used for the marketing strategy of the stadium. One of the measures that the stadium considers for its marketing strategy is to gain revenues during times on no matches and the season for sports is off. Thus the stadium hosts several fun plans for the days when there are no matches, in order to gain revenues. These are marketing and promotional strategies that are followed by the management team of the stadium. There are certain schemes as well like the loyalty schemes and pre-season memberships that are also parts of the marketing strategy. Sponsors are also used by the team to reach out to international markets (Varley). The ability to sell the merchandise is a product of a marketing mix that is coupled with rigorous research and development strategies that brings out commodities that appeal to various people as per the preferences and wishes of the same (Lussier and Kimball). Price, promotion, place and product make up the four elements that are considered by the management of the facility as a market mix function, a creation which has augured well with the fans and various stakeholders as regards to the merchandise they offer such as magazines. The marketing mix must be constantly influence in one way or the other to offer fresh products. The marketing mix offers a means of considering the various products that the club offers. Development of Sports and Staff: The meticulous plans considered in the construction of a new stadium that was opened in the year 2006 that is in the 2006/2007 season was a major boost as far as sports development at the Emirates is concerned. It provided better grounds for playing as well as creating space for the use of some other facility as a training ground. The signings of professional players has also injected new strength and acquisition of good team boosting both short and long term development of sports. The staff at the stadium consists of employees performing the daily operations of the stadium. The staff is organized into various groups with senior managers and other lower level managers, all who are answerable to the Board of directors. The staff have clearly outlined and set goals that they work towards achieving with requisite reward schemes that motivate the employees. In house training is just but one way, if not to mention other departments like catering who routinely involved in training and development initiatives (Mull, Bayless and Jamieson) Evaluation of Performance: As the different management measures been involved by the management team of the stadium, an evaluation of the steps can reflect upon the success of the stadium in its management process. For example, if contractors are involved in different stages of the process, then different ideas of construction and planning can be successfully integrated. With issues or problems being detected at an early stage would save costs of the projects as well since solution measures can be taken at an early stage to overcome the issues. Considering the time constraint factors, the management needs to focus on completing tasks on time to avoid loss of quality and delay. The owner needs to be responsible and consider measures effectively such that the management teams can work responsibly and effectively. A number of options in regard to management and obtaining objectives need to considered, and the best of the choices need to be implemented for success (Emirates Stadium). In light with the evaluation of the environment as envisioned above, the management may use the Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats criterion to devise a means by which they deal with the immediate environment (Appenzeller and Appenzeller). Conclusion: From the above case study it could be obtained that the stadium is a huge success as far as housing sports activities is concerned. With the owners, stakeholders and the team of management, the stadium is continuously focused towards improving its state and overcome all issues of management encountered as stated in the study. However it could be obtained that the stadium is encountered with some serious issues of management that need immediate measures to be undertaken to resolve such problems. Some of the project management plans and resolving issues have already been considered by the team. These are being effective to great extents. However the plans for expansion would require further research and analysis such that negative aspects related to financial effects of the expansion do not affect the achievements of the stadium. The management has done so much in ensuring that all the stakeholders are able to achieve results that are in line with their plans. The built of the new stadium has been called as one of the best decisions ever made by the management and the stakeholders have achieved satisfaction in the possibility of having a bigger stadium to accommodate more fans, create employment, generate more revenue in terms of merchandise sales, adequate catering, lounge and club services which has in turn provided the capital that enable the acquisition of professional footballers and hence the results for the fans who form the biggest clientele. References Appenzeller, Herb and Thomas Appenzeller. Successful sport management. Durham, N.C: Carolina Academic Press, 2008. “Emirates Stadium”. Ukessays. 2013. Web. 27 July 2013 from: http://www.ukessays.com/essays/project-management/emirates-stadium.php “Emirates Stadium – Emirates Stadium”. Ukessays. 2013. Web. 27 July 2013 from: Leberman, Sarah I., Christopher William Collins and Linda D. Trenberth. Sport Business Management in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Australia: Cengage Learning Australia, 2006. Lussier, Robert N. and David C. Kimball. Applied sport management skills. Champaign, IL, Human Kinetics.V, 2005. Lussier, Robert N. and David C. Kimball. Applied sport management skills. Champaign, IL, Human Kinetics, 2009. “Managing facilities”. Government of Western Australia – Department of Sport and Recreation. 19 April 2013. Web. 27 July 2013 from: http://www.dsr.wa.gov.au/managingfacilities Mull, Richard F., Kathryn G. Bayless and Lynn Marie Jamieson. Recreational sport management. Champaign, IL, Human Kinetics, 2005. Varley, Melinda. Why Arsenal’s marketing strategy isn’t just about the football. Utalkmarketing. 7 Aug 2008. Web. 28 July 2013 from: http://www.utalkmarketing.com/Pages/Article.aspx?ArticleID=11306&Title=Why_Arsenal%E2%80%99s_marketing_strategy_isn%E2%80%99t_just_about_the_football Walker, Marcia L. and Todd L. Seidler. Sports Equipment Management. Boston: Jones and Bartlett, 1993. Read More