The Development and Organization of Australian Football - Research Proposal Example

AFL Is our national sport Students Name: Institutional Affiliation: Background of the Study Sporting has remained to be a tremendously powerful tool with which the society is in a position to share ideas and cultural aspects. This is the reason for development of sports agencies and managing bodies by various countries. Such agencies come in handy is developing sports within the country and supporting those who participate in various sports. However, the uniqueness of sports from one country of the region to the other and trend in sporting league are what create the difference from one country or region to the other. Australia has been a country that has performed relatively well in many types of sports. The facilities required for Australian football tend to be quite different when compared to those of the traditional football. The same is the case for the method used in carrying out the game. So far, Australia has shined in the global arena in sports activities including athletics, rugby and football among other sports. In order to understand the factors behinds sporting success in Australia, a greater look in indigenous sports would be extremely vital. In appreciation of indigenization of sports and sporting activities, this paper will focus on the development and organization of Australian football. Motivation for the research Australian Rules football, officially known as Australian football is a sport that is indigenously Australian. This sport is marketed as AFL, after the Australian Football League. AFL is the only fully professional Australian football league. This sport is played two teams of 18 players on either side of the teams. This sport could be played on either an Australian Football ground or on a modified cricket field. AFL has long promoted itself as Australia game, moving into new territories, building fan bases, an indelible part of the Australian national identity. Sports and sporting tends to be dynamic in nature. Consequently, sports managers ought to be extremely versatile in handling their duties and responsibilities. The Australian football has previously been well managed by the necessary agencies. However, changes in the sporting environment will call for a more integrative approach in supporting the growth and development of this sport. This proposal seeks to get a chance to build a relationship with the AFL (Hoye, Smith, Nicholson, Stewart & Westerbeek, 2012). Great concern would be in facilitation of brand development of sports in Australia and beyond. This proposal provides the framework from which brand development of the sport can be enhanced. The research is also motivated by the need to find better ways of facilitating marketing for the sport now and in the future. This proposal; seeks to get a nod to have research that will incorporate comprehensive information on marketing dynamics in the sports industry and particularly on Australian football. The research will build up from previous researches that delved into ways of promoting the sport. Overall research questions This proposal is founded on the basis of sports marketing and development. Precisely, this proposal seeks to get acts together of the concerned authorities and other development partners in sporting AFL and seeing to it that the sports keeps on growing faster than it is today. Consequently, this proposal seeks to; a. Find out the environment under which Australian football operates in b. Find out the marketing approach taken by current stakeholders in the development of sports c. Devise better marketing approaches d. Find out better tools of marketing the sport e. Devise ways of developing a better Relationship between the AFL, sport, Australian society and national identity Hypotheses: From the analysis of data and my your knowledge of related and previously conducted research in this area, it is expected that the performance and growth of Australian Football has been poor due to poor marketing and management strategies. In this respect, the need for a better marketing strategy cannot be understated. Through proper marketing, Australian football will be promoted and made to grow in all other parts of the worlds and not just confined to Australian and a few countries. The second hypothesis is that lack of knowledge on this sport has indeed been a factor to reckon in slow growth of the sport. Whereas the body in charge of the sport seeks to grow the sport, there is no adequate education and knowledge on Australian football, consequently, many have been left to participate and develop interest in the mainstream football instead as the best alternative (Hoye, Smith, Nicholson, Stewart & Westerbeek, 2012). Logistical aspects have had an impact in the slow growth of the sport. Indeed, American sport is more costly to sponsor, given the nature of fields and equipments that are used in carrying out the sport. The cost of developing the playing field for Australian Football is quite high. With the attraction of fewer fans in the sport, remarkably few corporate organizations are willing to come up and help in developing sports facility for the game (Collins & Trenberth, 2005). The result of this has been that growth has been linked to certain areas in Australian and a few other countries. Lack of adequate facilitates and poor coordination also contribute to the stagnation in the growth of the sports. Whereas as marketing for the sport are done, there is nothing to show at the ground level for the sport that is much popularized. This could be because of poor arrangement of Australian Football League and inadequacy of the sporting facilities. There has been the incorporation of a wrong marketing mix in promoting Australian football. Whereas there have been efforts to spread this sport and ensure it grows, the initiatives taken by AFL are totally out of touch with the ever changing sporting environment. Consequently, the targeted persons, who are majorly the youth, are not attracted to the sports. Even where there is interest amongst them, the sport id too remote due to lack of proper knowledge and capacity building. Methodology and Research Design This research proposal is founded on the qualitative research method. Indeed, the need to get an in-depth analysis of sporting activities and the role of AFL in development of Australian Football calls for more of descriptive approach than are the statistical methods. The researcher seeks to find out the causes rather than the frequencies in dealing with the issue of marketing and brad development of the Australian football. The hypothesis of this study is more inclined to the descriptive dynamics of the environment surrounding Australian football and its growth. This research proposal borrowed so much from economic surveys, meta-analysis of existing data, and primary data. Primary data was obtained through the establishment and administration of questionnaires and interviews. Through these methods, comprehensive information on the Australian Football was obtained. Through this information, the researcher was given the background with which his hypotheses could be analyzed and conclusions arrived at (Hoye, Smith, Nicholson, Stewart & Westerbeek, 2012). Incorporation of a number of methods has helped to ensure that all the necessary stakeholders are included in the research. Questionnaires have become an essential part of this research. Indeed, this research seeks to borrow much from knowledge and experiences of all those that are involved directly and indirectly in the Australian Football. This would incorporate managers of the Australian Football League, the Government in Australia, Players and other sports facilitation partners. Their inclusion would be necessary for purposes of getting credible information on all that is facing the industry and specifically the Australian Football as a sport. Questionnaires to be administered will have both open and closed ended questions. Inclusion of these questions would go a long way in giving more room for wider contribution to the questions being asked. Questions that are incorporated in the questionnaire will be more centered on marketing as compared of the sport so as to deal directly with the research topic. However, some open ended questions would be necessary for purposes of getting background information on the nature and environment under which, marketing of the sport takes place (Collins & Trenberth, 2005). This will go hand in hand in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the marketing mix. Open ended question would guide the respondents into giving any other information they deem relevant to the research. Secondary information to this research would also relay on reports and written information on Australian football. These materials would be necessary in providing the theoretical framework for understanding Australian football and what has transpired all through seasons to have the sport reach this far. It also provides the platform through which the researcher can compare and contrast between different theories in explaining the nature of sorting in Australia and How Australian football is affected. Interviews would also be incorporated in this study. The role of interviews is to facilitate a need for response to anything that comes about during the questioning time. As opposed to the other methods that are to be used in this research, Interviews would have all the respondents get a chance to give their own opinion on matters the questioner may have to them. This helps in unearthing much more information that may not have been obtained through the use of other methodologies. This method would be used on a total of 124 persons. Majority of the targeted persons would be those serving in the managerial levels in sports agencies and other stakeholders in the sports industry. The limitation of interviews to this category is based on time constraints as interviewing so many people would be strenuous and would take a longer period (Horrow, Swatek & Tagliabue, 2011). Literature Review Kevin Sheedy, (2008) argues that Australian football has failed to impress because of the failure by the national governing body. Sheedy is for the opinion that Australian football would only grow is the local society embraces the sport and take it to the next level, before other people can also embrace it. These sentiments are shared with Kapferer (2008) in his book The New Strategic Brand Management. Kapferer argues that the originator of a sport plays a tremendously significant role in creating an image for the sport. Consequently, Australians are the people that would determine how god Australian sport can be. This would however, be only achieved where necessary tools are availed for growth of the sport. Irwin, Sutton, McCarthy, (2008), have delved sp much on promotion of sports and sports activities. In their article, Sport Promotion and Sales Management, Irwin et al (2008) argues that promotion of sports and management of sports are two aspects that can never be separated. In this book, Irwin, Sutton and McCarthy argue that real sports organizations have failed in facilitating the promotion of sports because of cutting the relations between various agencies. In this case, promotion of sorts cannot be done without having contributions from the government and other stakeholders. The choice of media vehicle and media mix is tremendously influential in as far as marketing of sports is concerned. According to Nicholson, (2007), sports promotion and marketing will only be effective, where the marketer has fundamental knowledge on the dynamics of the audience they target. This becomes more complex where there is an already dominating sport that appears to be competing with the sport being marketed. The same can be said of Australian football, which is struggling to outdo the influence of the mainstream football. However, managerial challenges have affected the growth of Australian football. In the article, Sport and the Media: Managing the Nexus, Nicholson submits that the pride of Australians in this sport remains to be confined to theories rather than the practical. The youth, who make up the active populace, needs to be reached at the local level, but at the same time, provision of facilities should accompany this publicity. The successes of Australian football cannot be understated. In the article Australian Football: Steps to Success, McLeod and Jaques bring out the positives and achievements made in the growth of Australian football. In this article, the national pride is the reason behinds the growth and development of this sport. However, the challenge in further growth in the years to come lies with the management of the sport. Whereas the sport picked up exceptionally well, how the momentum is maintained will be the factor to reckon. Sports management in Australia has been relatively doing well for the last ten years. However, the challenge is that it has reached a level where growth has been stagnated. This is partly because of reduced participation in Australian football. Where as many Australians would wish to more involved in this sport, there are no motivating factors to this end. In the article, Sport Management in Australia, Shilbury and Kellet, (2011) argue that there is a need for a different approach in promoting and marketing Australian football. Whereas the government, together with the sports agency, AFL have put up efforts to grow the sport in other countries and domestically, such efforts may be inefficient due to divided loyalty. They suggest that the government ought to continue popularizing the sport in Australia before getting to think about the overseas markets. Domestic growth of the sport will earn it a better position in the foreign market. Significance of the proposed Research This research proposal is up to speed with increased growth of the popularly accepted football, and stagnated growth of the Australian Football. Consequently, this proposal would be extremely import at for all the stakeholders in the Australian Football league. Implementation of provisions of this proposal will ensure that not only ids the society made to grow and expand to other regions, but also sustained. This proposal will be a guide on the implementation of the research itself. It will guide the commissioners of the research so as to guide the efficiency and effectiveness of research in relation to initial research topic and hypothesis. This proposal would help guide AFL and other sporting agencies on better ways of growing the sporting culture. AFL has been widely depicted as the strength of Australian sporting. However, with logistical issues, it is difficult for the ordinary citizens to embrace the sport and take it upon themselves to have it grow. Even where there is the willing to do so, accessibility remains to be an impediment. Other alternatives are thereby seen to be more realistic and available (Collins & Trenberth, 2005). If implemented, this proposal would help rejuvenate the growth of the sport through appreciation and pride by locals. This will be the building some from which growth of the sport outside Australia can be achieved. This research would also be significant, in as far as predicting the trend of growth of Australian football. Through incorporation of various concepts and theories of sports management, this proposal would go hand in hand in informing all that are concerned in management of Australian football. It would also help in guiding any other researchers in the sports industry and more so on matters that deal with Australian football. Research work with therefore get basis from which all their conclusions and recommendations would be referred to. This can fall in place in ter4ms of secondary sources of information. References Chadwick, S. (2012). Managing Football. New York City, NY: Routledge Nicholson, M. (2007). Sport and the Media: Managing the Nexus, Sport Management Series. California, CA: Routledge Stewart, B. (2005). Australian Sport - Better by Design?, The Evolution of Australian Sport Policy. Canberra: Routledge Collins, C., & Trenberth, L. (2005). Sport Business Management in Aotearoa/New Zealand. London: Cengage Learning Australia Shilbury, D., & Kellett, P. (2011). Sport Management in Australia: An Organizational Overview. Massachusetts, MT: Allen & Unwin Irwin, R.L., Sutton W.A., McCarthy L.M. (2008). Sport Promotion and Sales Management, London: Human Kinetics Horrow, R., Swatek, K., Tagliabue P., 2011, Beyond the Scoreboard: An Insider's Guide to the Business of Sport. Human Kinetics Kapferer, J. (2008). The New Strategic Brand Management: Creating and Sustaining Brand Equity Long Term 4th edition. London: Kogan Page Publishers Hoye R., Smith A.C.T., Nicholson, M., Stewart, B., & Westerbeek, H.M. (2012). Sport Management: Principles and Applications, Sport Management Series, Michigan, IL: Routledge Slack T., & Milena, M.M. (2008). International Perspectives on the Management of Sport. Sydney: Routledge. Rakowski, N. (2008). Sport Sponsorship as a Promotional Vehicle in Overseas Markets. Dallas, TX: GRIN Verlag McLeod A., & Jaques, T.D. (2006). Australian Football: Steps to Success, Steps to Success Activity Series. Canberra: Human Kinetics Blainey, G. (2010). A Game of Our Own: The Origins of Australian Football (Large Print 16pt). Sydney: HowYouWant. Australian Football League, & Kevin Sheedy. (2008). The Australian Game of Football: Since 1858. Melbourne: Slattery Media Group. Read More

This proposal seeks to get a chance to build a relationship with the AFL (Hoye, Smith, Nicholson, Stewart & Westerbeek, 2012). Great concern would be in facilitation of brand development of sports in Australia and beyond. This proposal provides the framework from which brand development of the sport can be enhanced. The research is also motivated by the need to find better ways of facilitating marketing for the sport now and in the future. This proposal; seeks to get a nod to have research that will incorporate comprehensive information on marketing dynamics in the sports industry and particularly on Australian football.

The research will build up from previous researches that delved into ways of promoting the sport. Overall research questions This proposal is founded on the basis of sports marketing and development. Precisely, this proposal seeks to get acts together of the concerned authorities and other development partners in sporting AFL and seeing to it that the sports keeps on growing faster than it is today. Consequently, this proposal seeks to; a. Find out the environment under which Australian football operates in b.

Find out the marketing approach taken by current stakeholders in the development of sports c. Devise better marketing approaches d. Find out better tools of marketing the sport e. Devise ways of developing a better Relationship between the AFL, sport, Australian society and national identity Hypotheses: From the analysis of data and my your knowledge of related and previously conducted research in this area, it is expected that the performance and growth of Australian Football has been poor due to poor marketing and management strategies.

In this respect, the need for a better marketing strategy cannot be understated. Through proper marketing, Australian football will be promoted and made to grow in all other parts of the worlds and not just confined to Australian and a few countries. The second hypothesis is that lack of knowledge on this sport has indeed been a factor to reckon in slow growth of the sport. Whereas the body in charge of the sport seeks to grow the sport, there is no adequate education and knowledge on Australian football, consequently, many have been left to participate and develop interest in the mainstream football instead as the best alternative (Hoye, Smith, Nicholson, Stewart & Westerbeek, 2012).

Logistical aspects have had an impact in the slow growth of the sport. Indeed, American sport is more costly to sponsor, given the nature of fields and equipments that are used in carrying out the sport. The cost of developing the playing field for Australian Football is quite high. With the attraction of fewer fans in the sport, remarkably few corporate organizations are willing to come up and help in developing sports facility for the game (Collins & Trenberth, 2005). The result of this has been that growth has been linked to certain areas in Australian and a few other countries.

Lack of adequate facilitates and poor coordination also contribute to the stagnation in the growth of the sports. Whereas as marketing for the sport are done, there is nothing to show at the ground level for the sport that is much popularized. This could be because of poor arrangement of Australian Football League and inadequacy of the sporting facilities. There has been the incorporation of a wrong marketing mix in promoting Australian football. Whereas there have been efforts to spread this sport and ensure it grows, the initiatives taken by AFL are totally out of touch with the ever changing sporting environment.

Consequently, the targeted persons, who are majorly the youth, are not attracted to the sports. Even where there is interest amongst them, the sport id too remote due to lack of proper knowledge and capacity building. Methodology and Research Design This research proposal is founded on the qualitative research method. Indeed, the need to get an in-depth analysis of sporting activities and the role of AFL in development of Australian Football calls for more of descriptive approach than are the statistical methods.

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