Continued SWOT Analysis of Big South Conference
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Continued SWOT Analysis of Big South Conference
Demand Trends
Big South Conference operates within the sports industry where the demand for live attendance of matches is growing steadily. For instance, the number of people engaging in live match attendance in a single game in the Big South Conference men’s basketball tournament in 2019 was 2,772 (Archdiocese of Philadelphia Schools, 2014). In the women’s edition of this tournament, the live match attendance in a single game in 2018 was 4,610. The NCAA (2018) attests to these figures and confirm that statistically, all-time attendance for women tournaments has grown significantly from a total of 11,210,832 in 2012 to 11,495,642 in 2018. On the part of men, the total attendance has grown in similar trends.
With hundreds of thousands of fan increase in live attendance in 6 years, it is evident that the popularity of Big South Conference is growing, explaining why the association began sponsoring football events in 2002 and women lacrosse in 2013 (Big South Conference, 2019). Big South Conference is continuing its growing presence in NCAA athletic events due to many athletic accomplishments and excellence in the community, classroom, and the field. Based on these trends, Big South Conference needs to continue delivering an appealing and outstanding experience for fans to ensure that it continues to attract large attendance rates. Big South Conference can also augment attendance rates by making ticket purchasing more flexible, participating in building awareness, and leveraging marketing communications to reach new remote attendees. Lastly, Big South Conference can consider the importance of expanding its media partnerships towards enhancing the demand for its offerings in the American community.
Technology Trends
The sports industry has benefited momentously from new digital technologies and the associated advancements. Currently, Big South Conference leverages innovative media and marketing technologies to increase its television packages while expressing its commitment to using technological solutions to foster academic, athletic, and social development of student-athletes (Big South Conference, 2019). Media channels that broadcast different sporting events sponsored by Big South Conference help to spread information about the association fast, increasing its popularity among different populations. Social media such as Facebook and Twitter offer remarkable platforms that make it easier for athletes and fans to connect, which can enable Big South Conference to enhance fan contribution and zeal for sporting events. The availability of smartphones allows for easier, faster, and broader access to news and updates about sporting events for both athletes and fans.
Other technologies that influence Big South Conference and its sports offerings include the availability of ticket processing machines and online application platforms that allow sports attendees to purchase their tickets conveniently and with ease, thus improving their experience. Big South Conference can also take advantage of wearable technology, which includes implements such as fitness and activity trackers and smart watches, to facilitate exercises for athletes and augment its reputation. On the negative side, the availability of streaming sites and contemporary television sets can reduce attendance to sporting events sponsored by Big South Conference as fans may opt to stream live sporting events and watch them from home, Sell (2015) submits.
References
Archdiocese of Philadelphia Schools. (April 04, 2019). 2019 PCL basketball doubleheader among the most well-attended championship events nationally. Philadelphia, PA. Archdiocese of Philadelphia Schools. Retrieved February 16, 2020, from https://www.aopathletics.org/news/2019/3/28/boys-basketball-2019-pcl-basketball-doubleheader-among-the-most-well-attended-championship-events-nationally.aspx?path=xc.
Big South Conference. (2019). Big South Conference History. Charlotte, NC. Big South Conference. Retrieved February 16, 2020, fromhttp://bigsouthsports.com/sportfile.aspx?filename=ALL_0630161346&file_date=6/30/2016.
NCAA. (2018). NCAA women’s basketball attendance records through 2017-18. NCAA.
Sell, J. J. C. (2015). E-sports broadcasting (Doctoral dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
