TY - JOUR
T1 - The Internet and Competitive Advantage
T2 - A Study of Australia's Four Premier Professional Sporting Leagues
AU - Evans, Daniel M.
AU - Smith, Aaron C.T.
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - Sport and the Internet have shown early signs of a prosperous marriage. Web sites with sport content are among the most popular and well trafficked, with sport followers and web users sharing remarkably similar demographics. In the United States, the sport-Internet union is projected to generate US$6.27 billion in advertising revenue alone on sports-related web sites by 2005. Despite these compelling observations, limited empirical research has been undertaken exploring how to maximise the opportunities for competitive advantage that the Internet can provide to sport organisations. This research was a response to this void, and was undertaken in three stages. Initially, empirical and conceptual Internet literature was reviewed to establish theoretical "best practice". Secondly, the Internet goals, strategies and practices of the 55 teams competing in the Australian Football League (AFL), National Basketball League (NBL), National Rugby League (NRL), and National Soccer League (NSL) were examined, using a telephone-administered survey. An 87% (N = 48) response rate was achieved. Finally, seven recommendations for closing this gap were made, including the implementation of Internet project teams and the instigation of league forums.
AB - Sport and the Internet have shown early signs of a prosperous marriage. Web sites with sport content are among the most popular and well trafficked, with sport followers and web users sharing remarkably similar demographics. In the United States, the sport-Internet union is projected to generate US$6.27 billion in advertising revenue alone on sports-related web sites by 2005. Despite these compelling observations, limited empirical research has been undertaken exploring how to maximise the opportunities for competitive advantage that the Internet can provide to sport organisations. This research was a response to this void, and was undertaken in three stages. Initially, empirical and conceptual Internet literature was reviewed to establish theoretical "best practice". Secondly, the Internet goals, strategies and practices of the 55 teams competing in the Australian Football League (AFL), National Basketball League (NBL), National Rugby League (NRL), and National Soccer League (NSL) were examined, using a telephone-administered survey. An 87% (N = 48) response rate was achieved. Finally, seven recommendations for closing this gap were made, including the implementation of Internet project teams and the instigation of league forums.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33747799083&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S1441-3523(04)70044-3
DO - 10.1016/S1441-3523(04)70044-3
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:33747799083
SN - 1441-3523
VL - 7
SP - 27
EP - 56
JO - Sport Management Review
JF - Sport Management Review
IS - 1
ER -