Franchise relocation and sport introduction: a sports marketing case study of the Carolina Hurricanes’ fan adoption plan Kelley, Scott W; Hoffman, K Douglas; Carter, Sheila . The Journal of Services Marketing ; Santa Barbara

Vol. 13, Iss. 6,  (1999): 469-480.

ProQuest document link

ABSTRACT

Franchise relocation and sport introductions are becoming commonplace in professional sports. However, many

franchises have found that developing fan acceptance is often challenging. The fan adoption process is presented

as a systematic framework that guides strategy development from creating fan awareness through adoption. FULL TEXT

Scott W. Kelley: Associate Professor of Marketing, School of Management, Gatton College of Business and

Economics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA

K. Douglas Hoffman: Associate Professor of Marketing, College of Business, Colorado State University, Fort

Collins, Colorado, USA

Sheila Carter: Marketing Manager, Carolina Hurricanes Hockey Club, Morrisville, North Carolina, USA

Introduction

Franchise relocation and sport introduction, the introduction of a sport to new markets, are becoming frequent

occurrences across sport categories. Fan acceptance of these new “home teams” is crucial to the success of

these multi-million dollar moves and introductions. The consumer adoption process provides sports marketers

with a systematic framework for the development of strategies that facilitate fan movement from the awareness

stage to the adoption stage. When implemented effectively, the fan adoption plan converts potential fans into avid

fans.

Case study methodology

In this paper, we utilize a case study methodology to investigate a sports franchise’s marketing activities directed

toward the facilitation of fan adoption. Case study research methods have been advocated by a number of

researchers in the social sciences (e.g. Bonoma, 1985; Eisenhardt, 1989; Yin, 1989). Case study research is

particularly appropriate when the phenomenon under investigation does not lend itself to quantification and is

difficult to study outside of its natural setting (Bonoma, 1985). In general, these methods also offer the benefits of

currency and high generalizability (Bonoma, 1985). Consequently, the case study method utilized in this research

seems particularly appropriate and was designed and executed with the intent of shedding light on:

– the marketing of new and/or relocated sports franchises; and

– the introduction of a relatively “new” sport to locations that are unfamiliar with the sport being marketed.

Specifically, the marketing activities of the Carolina Hurricanes Hockey Club during their inaugural season (1997-

1998) are examined.

Strategic marketing activities

A case study of the Carolina Hurricanes marketing program provides marketing academicians with insight as to

how future research pursuits might be tailored to enhance our understanding of the marketing of new or relocated

sports franchises as it pertains to the fan adoption process. This case study may also prove to be a useful

teaching tool for academicians and a learning resource for practitioners. Ultimately, it is hoped that the strategic

marketing activities discussed here will provide a link between sports marketing academicians and practitioners

that will be mutually beneficial.

This research is organized as follows. First, some background information concerning the Carolina Hurricanes

Hockey Club is provided. Second, some unique marketing challenges associated with the Carolina Hurricanes are

discussed. Third, the marketing activities of the Hurricanes during their inaugural season are presented and

discussed in the context of the fan adoption process, followed by research implications resulting from this case

study.

Historical background

The history of the Carolina Hurricanes dates back nearly 30 years. In November 1971 the World Hockey

Association (WHA) awarded a franchise located in Hartford, Connecticut. This franchise was formally named The

Hartford Whalers in January 1972. The Whalers competed quite successfully in the WHA through the 1978-79

season. On June 22, 1979 the Whalers joined the National Hockey League (NHL) along with three other WHA

hockey clubs, as the WHA was disbanded. The Hartford Whalers were members of the NHL from the 1979-80

season through the 1996-97 season (Carolina Hurricanes 1997-98 Media Guide, 1997).

Original franchise On May 6, 1997, Peter Karmanos, the chief executive officer and governor of the Hartford

Whalers Hockey Club, announced that the Hartford Whalers had reached a 20-year lease agreement with city

officials in Raleigh, North Carolina. At this time it became official that the Whalers would be relocating to North

Carolina for the 1997-98 hockey season. The process of relocating the franchise was complicated by the fact that

there was not a hockey arena that met NHL regulations available in Raleigh at the time of the announcement. As a

result, the hockey club would play its games in the Greensboro Coliseum until a new arena was built in Raleigh.

Greensboro is approximately a 90-minute drive from Raleigh.

On June 1, 1997, the Carolina Hurricanes set up their corporate offices in Morrisville, North Carolina. The team

name, colors and logo were introduced at a press conference held on June 16, 1997. Groundbreaking ceremonies

were held for the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena on June 21, 1997. This will be the permanent home of

the Carolina Hurricanes beginning in the 1999-2000 NHL season. On October 3, 1997 the Carolina Hurricanes

played their first regular season home game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Greensboro Coliseum. This was a

landmark event in the five month long odyssey of moving the operations of the hockey club from Hartford,

Connecticut to North Carolina.

Early marketing challenges

In their first season, the Carolina Hurricanes faced several challenges that are becoming increasingly common in

today’s sports marketing environment. However, many sport franchises have had a difficult time overcoming these

initial obstacles that hinder fan acceptance. For the Hurricanes, the most problematic challenges arose from

several circumstances including: the relocation of an existing team, the introduction of a “new” sport to an area

that was unfamiliar with the sport of hockey, and the temporary initial relocation of the franchise to Greensboro.

Relocation

Franchise location The Carolina Hurricanes were relocating from an existing franchise location. This has become a

much more common occurrence in the world of professional sports in recent years. For example, a number of

National Football League (NFL) franchises have moved in recent years. The Cleveland Browns relocated to

Baltimore, becoming the Baltimore Ravens in 1996. The Houston Oilers became the Tennessee Oilers prior to the

1997 NFL season and the Tennessee Titans at the conclusion of the 1998 NFL season. The Los Angeles Rams are

now the St Louis Rams. The St Louis (football) Cardinals are now the Arizona Cardinals; and the list goes on and

on.

Similarly, in recent years it seems there have been almost annual rumors concerning the relocation of various

Major League Baseball (MLB) franchises. Some of these rumors have involved longstanding MLB franchises such

as the Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Minnesota Twins. In summary, the relocation of sports

franchises is a more and more frequent occurrence across a variety of professional sports in recent years.

Sport introduction

The Carolina Hurricanes were also faced with circumstances such that the sport they play is relatively under-

exposed and unknown in the south-eastern region of the USA. The geographically closest NHL franchise is the

Washington Capitals which is approximately 275 miles from Raleigh/Greensboro, but would hardly be considered a

south-eastern location. Two relatively new NHL franchises are located in Florida – the Tampa Bay Lightning and the

Florida Panthers; and previously the Calgary Flames were less than successful when located in Atlanta. Based on

past history and existing conditions, the introduction of a “new” sport to an area (i.e. one in the introductory stage

of the product life-cycle) presents an interesting marketing challenge.

Product life-cycle The introduction of a “new” sport is not a totally uncommon problem. In fact, the diffusion of

innovations has been previously considered in a sports marketing context (e.g. Higgins and Martin, 1996). For

example, Major League Soccer (MLS) franchises are currently faced with a similar marketing problem as they

again try to “introduce” soccer to sports fans in the USA.

Other NHL clubs are, or have been, faced with this situation. For example, the Los Angeles Kings, the Dallas Stars,

the Phoenix Coyotes, and the Nashville Predators have all at some point in time been faced with introducing the

sport of hockey in their respective markets. The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the

bankrupt American Basketball League (ABL) have also faced the issue of introducing a “new” sport to their

respective markets.

Temporary tenant

The third challenge faced by the Carolina Hurricanes involved their facility location. During the first two years of

their relocation the Carolina Hurricanes will play all of their “home” games in Greensboro, North Carolina, a

distance of about 75 miles from their ultimate home in Raleigh, North Carolina. Marketing a franchise in a location

geographically removed from its ultimate location presents some unique marketing problems that the Hurricanes

were forced to address.

Taking up temporary occupancy of an arena in a city different from the ultimate relocation destination of a

franchise would seem to be a rather unique circumstance. However, in this day and age of professional sports

franchise relocation this situation has occurred in the past and will no doubt occur again in the future. For

example, the Tennessee Oilers were faced with a remarkably similar situation as they played their “home” games in

Memphis, Tennessee during the 1997 NFL season despite the fact that ultimately their home field will be located in

Nashville, Tennessee approximately 180 miles away. Similarly, the Carolina Panthers played their inaugural season

(1995) in Clemson, South Carolina before moving to their ultimate home in Charlotte, North Carolina approximately

130 miles away.

Developing a fan adoption scheme

Sports marketing programs The consumer adoption process is the mental process that an individual passes

through upon first hearing about a new product through its final adoption (Kotler, 1997). Effective sports marketing

programs should develop effective fan adoption plans that facilitate fan movement through these stages. An

examination of the Carolina Hurricanes’ marketing activities suggests that several marketing objectives were

targeted during their initial season that fit within the consumer adoption framework. Our discussion of these

objectives is organized around the consumer adoption stages of:

(1) creating awareness;

(2) generating interest;

(3) facilitating evaluation;

(4) prompting trial; and

(5) ensuring adoption (see Table I).

The examples of fan adoption strategies discussed in this case study are replete with managerial implications that

will aid sports marketers in their efforts to attract fans and to help make franchise relocations and sport

introduction campaigns more successful.

Creating awareness

Marketing a brand Initially, it was imperative that the Carolina Hockey Club created fan awareness for their brand.

A brand is defined by the American Marketing Association as a “name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or

combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to

differentiate them from those of competition” (Keller, 1993, p. 2). In essence, aspects of sports marketing can be

viewed as a special case of marketing a brand (Keller, 1993, p. 18). During their first year of existence, brand-

related goals and objectives were deemed extremely important to the short- and long-term success of the Carolina

Hurricanes Hockey Club. The brand-related marketing activities of the Hurricanes first focused on building the

awareness of the Hurricanes brand.

Building brand awareness. It could be argued that nearly all of the Hurricanes’ marketing activities during their

inaugural season helped to create brand awareness. However, several marketing activities implemented during the

course of the 1997-98 hockey season were specifically focused on building brand awareness for the franchise.

Brand awareness focuses on the strength of customers’ ability to identify a brand under different conditions. A

high level of brand awareness is one of the essential outcomes of effective marketing strategy.

Recognition and recall The two key aspects of brand awareness are generally considered to be brand recognition

and brand recall. The relocation of the Hartford Whalers to North Carolina resulted in a situation where there was

essentially no history associated with the newly created Hurricanes franchise; hence, there was little to no brand

recognition or recall at this point. In order to address this issue, the Carolina Hurricanes took measures to make

available the history of the Hartford Whalers franchise through outlets such as the team media guide. However, the

main thrust in addressing the issue of team history was to entrench the team and its representatives in the

Carolina community. In essence the underlying philosophy of the franchise was that we do not have a franchise

history for our fans to draw upon; however, if we can become a viable part of the Carolina community, the lack of a

team history may be less important to the fans. In short, because the Carolina Hurricanes could not bring their own

ready-made history with them when they relocated, they took a community entrenchment approach in an effort to

become a part of the history and culture of the Carolinas’ past, present and future.

Because the Carolina Hurricanes were a new franchise, the process of building brand awareness started with the

actual creation of the brand. In a sense, the process began on May 6, 1997 when it was announced that the

Hartford Whalers would be moving their operations to North Carolina. A little over a month later on June 16, 1997 a

press conference was held in which the new team name, logo and colors were introduced. The new team name

reflected what was uppermost in many of the minds of its potential fans. Hurricanes Bertha and Fran had recently

ripped through the Carolinas. The new “brand name” was immediately identifiable. Thus, the process of

creating/building brand awareness was initiated in earnest at this press conference with the introduction of these

branding elements (see the Carolina Hurricanes’ Official Web site at http://www.caneshockey.com).

Generating interest

The second stage in the fan adoption process focused on generating fan interest in the game of hockey in general

and the Carolina Hurricanes in particular. At this stage of the fan adoption process marketing, activities focused on

creating a brand image for the Hurricanes and educating fans about the game of hockey.

Interest stage Creating a brand image. It was important for the Hurricanes to create a distinct brand image that

would move fans from the awareness stage to the interest stage in the adoption process. Brand image involves

consumer perceptions about a brand. These perceptions are based on brand associations held in consumer (fan)

memory (Keller, 1998). There are three main types of brand associations used by consumers to formulate brand

image:

(1) attributes;

(2) benefits; and

(3) attitudes.

Because of the relatively new nature of the sport of hockey in the region, one aspect of the Hurricanes’ marketing

activities involved communicating attributes, benefits, and attitudes toward the game of hockey itself. Several

marketing vehicles were created in an effort to educate potential fans in the south-eastern region about various

aspects of the game of hockey. Marketing efforts were targeted toward creating a stronger understanding among

fans regarding:

– the rules of hockey;

– the NHL and its structure, hockey positions;

– hockey strategy; and

– the history of hockey.

The game of hockey. One of the strategic objectives of the marketing program for the Carolina Hurricanes during

their initial season focused on fan education. Specifically, if fans had a better understanding of the game of

hockey and its intricacies it was felt that they would find the games more enjoyable and entertaining (Zhang et al.,

1996). Toward this end the Carolina Hurricanes held a number of Hockey Clinics in communities and schools in the

region. The Hurricanes also produced a video entitled “Hockey 101” that explained the game of hockey and its

rules. In addition to the clinics and video, a brochure entitled “Hurricanes Hockey, Class In Session” was printed

and widely distributed at home games, hockey clinics, and community events. In this brochure the game of hockey

was broken down into six simple lessons covering topics such as player positions, speaking hockey, referees’

signals, and hockey equipment. Some of this information was also included on a panel of the Hurricanes’ pocket

schedule. Finally, a planned and concerted effort was made to provide explanations of the rules at the games

themselves via the public address announcer and the jumbotron screen.

Educating the fans The history of hockey. One of the common features of most collegiate or professional sports

teams with a strong fan base is a well-developed appreciation for the history of the game itself, as well as the

history of the team (Kelley and Tepper, 1998). From a marketing perspective this presented an interesting problem

for the Carolina Hurricanes. First, the game of hockey was a relatively new and unknown sport in the region.

Second, the Carolina Hurricanes were a new franchise in that they had been relocated from Hartford. Although

admittedly it is difficult if not impossible to develop an appreciation for the history of a hockey franchise when

there is none, the Hurricanes’ marketers did strive to develop an appreciation for the history of the game of hockey

among their fans.

Efforts in this regard covered a wide range of marketing activities. For example, attending the first Carolina

Hurricanes regular season home game was promoted as a chance to be a part of an historical night, and the

Hockey 101 video mentioned previously contained a segment focusing on great plays, players and teams in the

history of hockey. In a similar vein, after the Carolina Hurricanes inaugural season was completed, promotional

material promoting the second season included a list of the “firsts” occurring during the inaugural season (e.g. first

goal, first assist, first hat trick, first shutout, etc.). The Hurricanes occasionally even went as far as promoting

superstars on opposing teams, such as Wayne Gretzky and Eric Lindros, so that fans could literally watch history

in the making. Providing fans with an historical perspective during the Carolina Hurricanes’ first season generated

interest and helped to continue to build a loyal fan following.

Facilitating evaluation

Evaluation stage The major objective of the evaluation stage is to emphasize to potential fans the advantages of

the sport of hockey over the alternative forms of entertainment available. The Hurricanes responded to this

challenge in two ways. First, the content of promotions switched from informational and entertainment to

experiential. Traditional marketing media were used to communicate the experiential benefits pertaining to

attending a Hurricanes’ game.

This strategy was reinforced by uniting with NASCAR, the stock car racing circuit, in a cross-promotional effort.

This strategy made good sense. NASCAR and professional hockey share similar target market profiles, and a great

deal of the hockey season occurs during NASCAR’s off-season. In addition, fans experience many of the same

sensations at a hockey game as they do attending a NASCAR event.

Furthermore, NASCAR is highly revered in the Carolinas. Jeff Burton, a prominent NASCAR driver, served as a

spokesperson for the Hurricanes and drove a car with the Hurricanes’ logo prominently displayed at several

NASCAR events. This not only increased the Hurricanes’ exposure to potential fans, it also helped legitimize the

sport of hockey to its potential target market. This strategy became particularly effective when Jeff Burton spoke

of the entertainment value offered by professional hockey.

Prompting trial

Behavioral perspective Building brand loyalty. The fourth stage of the fan adoption process focuses on prompting

fan trial. In the case of the Carolina Hurricanes, fan trial was pursued with the ultimate objective being the building

of brand loyalty. Brand loyalty is generally viewed from a behavioral perspective (Keller, 1995). That is, brand

loyalty is inferred through repeat purchase behavior. Although brand loyalty was the ultimate goal, in the initial

year of the Hurricanes’ franchise a primary objective in this regard was prompting fan trial. In other words, in order

to gain repeat purchasing loyal customers, the Hurricanes first had to convince fans that attending a hockey game

for the first time was a good idea.

Toward this end, the Hurricanes offered a number of game night promotions to attract new fans. Special ticket

package promotions were developed for and marketed to selected demographic groups. For example, the “Student

Rush” program allowed students to purchase a discounted ticket upon presenting their student ID. This program

was heavily promoted on regional college campuses. The “Family Night” program offered a package of four tickets

with concessions and merchandise included as an incentive for families to attend more games. This program was

heavily advertised through print ads and the Internet. In addition to all of the promotional mechanisms created to

attract first time fans, a concerted effort was also made to make sure that the experience of the first time fan was

a good one. This was deemed extremely important to the goal of building brand loyalty and moving fans from the

trial stage to the final stage of the fan adoption process.

Creating/building brand awareness One promotion was sponsored by the Carolina Ford dealers and involved giving

away Ford vehicles. Individuals test driving a Ford vehicle received a pair of free Hurricanes tickets. In addition,

during the season Carolina Ford dealers gave away vehicles at 20 home games. This was an expensive promotion

from the perspective of the Hurricanes (i.e. the attendance bump did not cover the cost of the promotion).

However, from the perspective of creating/building brand awareness and facilitating fan movement from the

evaluation stage to the trial stage this was an extremely successful promotion. It attracted a great deal of

attention from Hurricanes fans, non-fans, and the media as well. Consequently, marketing strategies utilized to

achieve objectives associated with later stages in the adoption process, such as the trial stage, may reinforce the

achievement of earlier stage objectives as well.

Ensuring adoption

As fans progressed through the adoption process, the ultimate goal of the Carolina Hurricanes’ marketing program

was to ensure the long-term adoption of their product – a fast paced, family oriented entertainment experience.

Toward this end, marketing activities intended to deepen the relationship between the Hurricanes organization and

its fans and strengthen the brand equity of the Hurricanes Hockey Club were pursued.

Emphasis on entertainment value Relational strategies. The multi-pronged effort to educate fans about the game

of hockey and facilitate the earlier stages of the fan adoption process was generally well accepted by the targeted

audiences. However, after some time, marketers in the Hurricanes organization realized that an over-emphasis on

the rules and intricacies of the game might be detracting from the Hurricanes game experience. As a result, the

earlier focus on fan education regarding the rules of the game was reduced. Instead, a stronger emphasis on the

entertainment value of Hurricanes hockey was put in place. In short, it was decided that fun was more important

for the development of a strong fan base than a detailed understanding of the rules and intricacies of the game of

hockey. Hence, the building of relationships and fan satisfaction with the “sporting experience” became the

focuses of the Hurricanes’ marketing efforts.

Coincidentally, in recent years there has been a change in the focus of marketers in general from an emphasis on

individual transactions to an emphasis on relationships (Webster, 1992). While this change has been occurring in

the general marketplace, it seems that it may be taking place in the realm of sports marketing as well (Brenner,

1997; McDonald and Milne, 1997). Relationship marketing involves a focus on the attraction, maintenance, and

enhancement of customer relationships (Berry, 1995). It is a philosophy of doing business that focuses on keeping

and improving existing customer relationships (Zeithaml and Bitner, 1996).

Several different levels of relationship marketing have been identified by marketing researchers. Level one

relationship marketing focuses primarily on pricing as a mechanism to attract customers and build their loyalty

(Berry, 1995). In the case of the Hurricanes some of their marketing efforts (e.g. discount ticket prices) were

focused on building level one relationships. Strategic marketing activities relying on pricing to attract fans

facilitated level one relationships. Because level one relationships are typically built on pricing incentives, they are

also the easiest type of customer relationship to break. In many instances a competitor’s larger price break is all it

takes to break a level one relationship.

Social aspects Level two relationship marketing efforts focus strongly on the social aspects of the service offering

(Berry, 1995). The Hurricanes’ marketing efforts evolved during their first season towards the building and

fostering of level two relationships. It was recognized that the social aspects of the hockey entertainment

experience were vital to ensuring long-term fan adoption and fan satisfaction with their night at the hockey arena.

In a similar vein, a greater emphasis was placed on community relations activities undertaken by the Hurricanes.

This helped to foster the social bonds between the hockey club and its fans. Hence, the stronger level two type of

relationship marketing was pursued.

In his writings on the consumption of performance, Deighton (1992) notes that there are some different types of

performances that individuals consume. In the case of Hurricanes’ hockey two of these types of performance

seem most relevant – skill performance and thrill performance. Skill performance and thrill performance both occur

in a naturalistic setting, with tension and uncertainty and circumstances leading to the testing of values (Deighton,

1992). The distinctions between skill performance and thrill performance arise when one considers the role of the

consumer in the event. In the case of skill performance, the emphasis is on the consumers’ role as an observer

where the activity is seen as relatively passive, with a strong focus on the actors (i.e. the hockey players). On the

other hand, in the case of thrill performance, the emphasis is on the consumers’ role as an active participant in the

event where the activity is seen as involving, the audience is integrated into the performance, and does not

maintain a single focus.

Thrill performance One might argue that the Hurricanes’ marketing focus was initially on promoting Hurricanes’

hockey as a skill performance in which it was important for the fans to understand the intricacies of the game and

focus on the skills of the players. As the marketing activities of the Carolina Hurricanes evolved during the course

of their first season, a greater emphasis was placed on the thrill performance aspects of Hurricanes’ hockey.

Instead of a single-minded focus on the hockey game and its participants, other foci became important.

Hurricanes’ hockey promotions began to focus on the entertainment value and the social aspects of the event,

which in turn, facilitated the fan adoption process.

Strengthening brand equity. A final brand-related objective of the Carolina Hurricanes Hockey Club involved the

strengthening of the brand equity of the Hurricanes brand. Customer-based brand equity is the differential effect

brand knowledge has on customer responses to the marketing of a brand (Keller, 1993). In the case of the

Hurricanes, it was hoped that as the equity of the Hurricanes brand was built up, fans who had adopted the

Hurricanes would respond more favorably to the team and its other marketing efforts (e.g. team merchandise,

clinics, and sponsored charitable events) simply because the Hurricanes brand was associated with the event or

promotion. Ultimately, the strengthening of the Hurricanes’ brand equity was accomplished through the cumulative

efforts directed toward building brand awareness, creating a distinct brand image, and building brand loyalty,

thereby facilitating the long-term adoption of the Hurricanes Hockey Club and their products.

Research implications

Academic and marketing implications The initial marketing experiences of the Carolina Hurricanes Hockey Club

suggest some interesting issues for academic researchers and practitioners to consider. A great deal of the

marketing activity conducted in the Hurricanes’ first season focused on fan education. Marketing efforts were

directed toward educating fans about the rules of hockey, the history of hockey, hockey strategy, and the history of

the Carolina Hurricanes (i.e. Hartford Whalers). Researchers should consider these educational marketing efforts

in detail in an effort to determine ways to enhance their efficiency and effectiveness. The body of literature

focusing on the socialization of customers may provide a mechanism for the further consideration of fan

education efforts (e.g. Kelley et al., 1989).

A second avenue of interest might be the whole issue of extreme fan loyalty or fanaticism. Researchers might

consider questions such as:

– What constitutes an extremely loyal fan?

– What are the common characteristics of extremely loyal fans?

– What can sports marketers do to hasten the development of an extremely loyal fan base?

Mainstream marketing literature focusing on brands, brand loyalty and brand equity may be useful in this regard

(e.g. Aaker, 1991; 1996; Keller, 1993; 1995).

Product development literature Another related set of research issues deal with the development of a strong

appreciation for the sport itself. Research investigating how a sports organization or league can develop a fan

base with a strong appreciation for a relatively new sport would seem to be a research area of interest to both

sports marketing academics and practitioners. One possible starting point for researchers might be the new

product development literature (e.g. Ayers et al., 1997; Bayus et al., 1997; Rao, 1997).

Another research issue of interest concerns the notion of geographic loyalty. In the case of the Carolina

Hurricanes, their first two seasons in North Carolina will be spent in Greensboro, with their ultimate home ice arena

being located about 75 miles away in Raleigh. Researchers might consider the impact of geographic location on a

sports franchise. The body of literature devoted to retail location models and theory may prove useful as sports

marketing researchers begin focusing on this and related issues (e.g. Craig et al., 1984).

Another issue researchers might consider concerns the role of sponsors in the world of sports today. Researchers

have investigated the role and effectiveness of sponsorships (Cornwell and Maignon, 1998; Hoek et al., 1997).

Research might consider addressing some of the following issues from a relationship marketing perspective:

– What constitutes a good sponsoring opportunity from the sponsoring organization’s perspective?

– What constitutes a good sponsoring opportunity from the sports franchise’s perspective?

– What potential advantages and disadvantages should be considered prior to entering into a sponsorship

agreement?

Finally, researchers may want to consider the effects of brand equity in the case of franchise relocation.

Specifically, what are the brand equity-based trade-offs for a relocating franchise? When a franchise does move

should it maintain its former name as was the case with the St Louis Rams, the Indianapolis Colts, and Calgary

Flames, among others? Or should the franchise be renamed as was done with the Carolina Hurricanes?

References

1. Aaker, D.A. (1991), Managing Brand Equity, The Free Press, New York, NY.

2. Aaker, D.A. (1996), Building Strong Brands, The Free Press, New York, NY.

3. Ayers, D., Dahlstrom, R. and Skinner, S.J. (1997), “An exploratory investigation of organizational antecedents to

new product success”, Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 34, February, pp. 107-16.

4. Bearden, W.O., Ingram, T.N. and LaForge, R.W. (1998), Marketing, 2nd ed., Irwin McGraw-Hill, Boston, MA.

5. Bayus, B.L., Jain, S. and Rao, A.G. (1997), “Too little, too early: introduction timing and new product performance

in the personal digital assistant industry”, Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 34, February, pp. 50-63.

6. Berry, L.L. (1995), “Relationship marketing of services – growing interest, emerging perspectives”, Journal of the

Academy of Marketing Science, Vol. 23 No. 4, pp. 236-45.

7. Bonoma, T.V. (1985), “Case research in marketing: opportunities, problems, and a process”, Journal of Marketing

Research, Vol. 22, May, pp. 199-208.

8. Brenner, S. (1997), “Pursuing relationships in professional sport”, Sport Marketing Quarterly, Vol. 6 No. 2, pp. 33-

4.

9. Carolina Hurricanes 1997-98 Media Guide (1997), The Carolina Hurricanes Hockey Club, Morrisville, NC.

10. Carolina Hurricanes’ Official Website (1999), <http://www.caneshockey.com>.

11. Cornwell, T.B. and Maignan, I. (1998), “An international review of sponsorship research”, Journal of Advertising,

Vol. 27 No. 1, pp. 1-21.

12. Craig, C.S., Ghosh, A. and McLafferty, S. (1984), “Models of the retail location process: a review”, Journal of

Retailing, Vol. 60, Spring, pp. 5-36.

13. Deighton, J. (1992), “The consumption of performance”, Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 19, December, pp.

362-72.

14. Eisenhardt, K.M. (1989), “Building theories from case study research”, Academy of Management Review, Vol.

14, pp. 532-50.

15. Higgins, S.H. and Martin, J.H. (1996), “Managing sport innovations: a diffusion theory perspective”, Sport

Marketing Quarterly, Vol. 5 No. 1, pp. 43-50.

16. Hoek, J., Gendal, P., Jeffcoat, M. and Orsman, D. (1997), “Sponsorship and advertising: a comparison of their

effects”, Journal of Marketing Communications, Vol. 3, pp. 21-32.

17. Keller, K.L. (1993), “Conceptualizing, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity”, Journal of

Marketing, Vol. 57, January, pp. 1-22.

18. Keller, K.L. (1995), “Brand marketing: an information-processing perspective”, Harvard Business Review, Vol. 73,

May-June, p. 13.

19. Kelley, S.W. and Tepper, K. (1998), “Sports fanatics: an in depth look at Wildcat mania”, The 17th Annual

Advertising and Consumer Psychology Conference.

20. Kelley, S.W., Donnelly, J.H. Jr and Skinner, S.J. (1990), “Customer participation in service production and

delivery”, Journal of Retailing, Vol. 66, Fall, pp. 315-45.

21. Kotler, P. (1997), Marketing Management, 9th ed., Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.

22. McDonald, M.A. and Milne, G.R. (1997), “A conceptual framework for evaluating marketing relationships in

professional sports franchises”, Sport Marketing Quarterly, Vol. 6 No. 2, pp. 27-32.

23. Rao, V.R. (1997), “Resources for research and pedagogy on new product development processes”, Journal of

Marketing Research, Vol. 34, February, pp. 185-92.

24. Webster, F.E. Jr (1992), “The changing role of marketing in the corporation”, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 56,

October, pp. 1-17.

25. Yin, R.K. (1989), Case Study Research: Design and Methods, Sage Publications, Newbury Park, CA.

26. Zeithaml, V.A. and Bitner, M.J. (1996), Services Marketing, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.

27. Zhang, J.J., Smith, D.W., Pease, S.G. and Mahar, M.T. (1996), “Spectator knowledge of hockey as a significant

predictor of game attendance”, Sport Marketing Quarterly, Vol. 5 No. 3, pp. 41-8.

Illustration

Caption: Table I.; Carolina Hurricanes fan adoption process

DETAILS

Subject: Sports; Market research; Consumer attitudes; Marketing; Professional football

Location: North Carolina

Company / organization: Name: Carolina Hurricanes; NAICS: 711211; SIC: 7941

Classification: 8307: Arts, entertainment &recreation; 7000: Marketing; 7100: Market research

Publication title: The Journal of Services Marketing; Santa Barbara

Volume: 13

Issue: 6

Pages: 469-480

Number of pages: 0

Publication year: 1999

Publication date: 1999

Publisher: Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Place of publication: Santa Barbara

Country of publication: United Kingdom, Santa Barbara

Publication subject: Business And Economics–Marketing And Purchasing

ISSN: 08876045

e-ISSN: 20541651

Source type: Scholarly Journals

Language of publication: English

LINKS Check for full text in other resources

Database copyright  2020 ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. Terms and Conditions Contact ProQuest

Document type: Feature

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/08876049910298748

ProQuest document ID: 212652751

Document URL: https://search.proquest.com/docview/212652751?accountid=8289

Copyright: Copyright MCB UP Limited (MCB) 1999

Last updated: 2019-09-06

Database: ProQuest Central