Sports Management – Page 5 – The Sport Journal

How the Houston Astros Cheating Scandal Affected Public Trust in Major League Baseball: A Historical Research Approach

Authors: Ben Donahue

Corresponding Author:
Ben Donahue
8665 N. Farmdale Street
Spokane, WA 99208

Ben Donahue has worked for over 25 years in sports at the k-12, college, and professional levels. His experience includes athletic director, game-day operations and guest relations, football operations, coach, and baseball scout. Currently, he is a private-school teacher and contributing writer for brownsnation.com and profootballhistory.com

ABSTRACT

This study used historical research methods to assess how Major League Baseball (MLB) disciplined the Houston Astros in response to the cheating scandal that surfaced in 2019. Furthermore, this study examined how the public reacted to MLB’s sanctions imposed on the Astros and how those sanctions affected public trust (including media and fans). The author researched several responses from the national media and baseball fans that were made during the MLB investigation and following the league’s publicity of the selected disciplinary actions. After interpreting the public statements from various media reports, the author coded the responses into specific themes and then analyzed and interpreted the themes. This analysis was used to better understand how and why the scandal happened in the first place and the public’s visceral reaction to it.

The results of the study show that, while cheating in baseball has long been recognized with a wink by MLB insiders; media and fans have a harsh and negative reaction to cheating. Key to these reactions is how cheating ruins the integrity of the game, how the guilty player or team benefited from their deceptive practices, how guilty parties were disciplined, and if the event was likely to happen again based on how the action was disciplined. The conclusions of this study suggest that MLB administrators should invoke harsher penalties on their players, coaches, and teams who engage in willful deceit. The consequences of lighter penalties run the risk of public alienation and loss of revenue. The applications of this study can be used by other sports organizations as a guide on how to resolve sensitive matters while upholding the integrity of the sport and appeasing their fan base.

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U.S. Sports Academy2022-05-25T14:45:03-05:00May 27th, 2022|Research, Sports Management|Comments Off

Changes in Vertical Jump Height and Sprint Time During a Congested Match Schedule in Youth Female Soccer Players

Authors: Joanne Spalding¹, Andrew R. Dotterweich², Jeremy Gentles², Brandi Eveland-Sayers², Adam L. Sayers²

¹Department of Health & Human Performance, Milledgeville, United States of America
²Department of Sport, Exercise, Recreation, and Kinesiology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, United States of America

Corresponding Author:
Andrew R. Dotterweich
East Tennessee State University
Department of Sport, Exercise, Recreation and Kinesiology
P.O. Box 70671
Johnson City, TN 37614
O: 423-439-5261
F: 423-439-5383
dotterwa@etsu.edu

Andy R. Dotterweich, PhD, is a Professor of Exercise Science at East Tennessee State University. His research interests include youth sport, recreation management and policy, physical activity, long-term athlete development and community development.

Joanne Spalding, PhD, is a lecturer in Exercise Science at Georgia College and State University. Her research interests include long term athletic development and monitoring at the club, high school, and college level.

Jeremy Gentles, PhD is an Associate Professor of Sport Science and Coach Education at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN. His research interests include long term athlete monitoring, biochemical responses to exercise and sport technology.

Brandi Eveland-Sayers, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Exercise Science at East Tennessee State University. Her research interests include physical literacy, exercise adherence in youth, and long term athlete development.

Adam L. Sayers, PhD, is a faculty member in Global Sport Leadership at East Tennessee State University. He is also a network professional sport scientist for the United States Soccer Federation Youth Women’s National Teams, and a national instructor for USSF Coach Education.

Changes in Vertical Jump Height and Sprint Time During a Congested Match Schedule in Youth Female Soccer Players

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine changes in jump height and sprint time and to assess the relationship between relative changes in jump height and accumulated training load during a congested match schedule in youth female soccer players. Methods: This study included data from 14 youth female soccer players who performed countermovement jump testing pre- and post-match, post-tournament, as well as sprint testing pre- and post-tournament. A one-way repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to compare changes in jump height over the course of the tournament. A paired sample t-test was performed to compare sprint time between pre- and post-tournament, and Pearson product moment correlations were used to determine the relationship between percent change in jump height and accumulated training load. Results: Jump height decreased significantly (p < 0.001) between time periods during the tournament, and sprint time increased significantly (p = 0.001). There was no significant relationship between percent change in jump height and accumulated training load. Conclusion: This study found that jump height decreased over the course of the tournament and there was a significant increase in sprint time from pre- to post-tournament. Applications in Sport: These results suggest that appropriate recovery strategies and training are needed to assist players in coping with the demands of a congested youth soccer schedule.

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U.S. Sports Academy2022-03-10T08:29:19-06:00March 11th, 2022|Research, Sports Management|Comments Off

Servant Leadership and the Relationship to Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness in Division I Athletic Departments

Authors: R. Michael Ross, Mark C. Vermillion

Department of Sport Management, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS, USA

Corresponding Author:
R. Michael Ross, EdD
1845 Fairmount, Campus Box 127
Wichita, KS 67260-0127
mike.ross@wichita.edu
316-978-5980

R. Michael Ross, EdD, is an Assistant Professor of Sport Management at Wichita State University in Wichita, KS. His research interests include organizational leadership in sport, and best practices in sport management education.

Mark C. Vermillion, PhD, is currently a Professor and Interim Associate Dean of the College of Applied Studies at Wichita State University in Wichita, KS, and serves as the Chair of the Department of Sport Management at WSU.

Servant Leadership and the Relationship to Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness in Division I Athletic Departments

ABSTRACT

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between observed servant leadership behaviors of Division I athletic directors and self-reported basic work-related psychological needs satisfaction of Division I administrative (e.g., non-coaching) athletic department employees. This study examined the relationship between servant leadership behaviors in Division I athletic directors and the three elements of basic work-related psychological needs satisfaction including autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Methods

A sample of athletic department employees in 35 randomly selected Division I athletic departments (n = 230) were sent an electronic survey via email that included questions on demographics, the seven-item Servant Leadership Scale (SL-7), and the 12-item adapted Work-Related Basic Need Satisfaction Scale (W-BNSA).

Results

The results of this study revealed a statistically significant, positive relationship exists (p < .001) with observed servant leadership behaviors in athletic directors and the athletic department employees’ work-related psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Conclusions

This finding supported the view that greater levels of servant leadership behaviors in Division I athletic directors were associated with greater work-related basic psychological needs satisfaction of Division I athletic department employees.

Applications in Sport

The results of this research provide an opportunity for athletic directors at the highest level of intercollegiate competition (Division I) to adopt a leadership style that can contribute to the three components of basic psychological needs satisfaction in their employees.

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U.S. Sports Academy2022-02-17T08:06:07-06:00February 11th, 2022|Research, Sports Management|Comments Off

Evaluating the Impact of Concentrated Match Scheduling in College Volleyball during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors: Mark Mitchell, Yoav Wachsman, and Monica Fine

Corresponding Author:
Mark Mitchell, DBA
Professor of Marketing
Associate Dean, Wall College of Business
NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR)
Coastal Carolina University
P. O. Box 261954
Conway, SC 29528
mmitchel@coastal.edu
(843) 349-2392

Mark Mitchell, DBA is Professor of Marketing at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC.

Yoav Wachsman, PhD is Professor of Economics at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC.

Monica Fine, PhD is Professor of Marketing at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC.

Evaluating the Impact of Concentrated Match Scheduling in College Volleyball during the COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT

Athletic conferences worked to lower the cost of delivering athletic programs while operating during the COVID-19 global pandemic. One strategy was the use of concentrated schedules for competitions. For example, the Sun Belt Conference focused on divisional play and a concentrated schedule for women’s volleyball for the 2020 season. Schools played three matches in a two-day period against the same team. This practice lowered travel costs and isolated player contact in the event of needed contact tracing as part of player safety protocols. This study evaluates the impact of this scheduling format on player performance and the overall quality of competition. Gathering data from the box scores from all Sun Belt Conference volleyball matches, the impact of player fatigue (daily and cumulative) is not present in the team statistics. Player performance and the overall quality of team play did not decline, even when playing three matches in a two-day period. Conference personnel and university athletic administrators may take comfort that their efforts to lower costs and ensure player safety during a global pandemic did not affect player performance and the overall quality of competition. It remains to be seen if this new scheduling approach will be used in the post-COVID period in women’s volleyball and possibly expanded to other sports. The need to control/lower operating costs will not disappear. This constraint may lead to the adoption of new conference scheduling formats in the future.

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U.S. Sports Academy2021-10-04T09:51:12-05:00October 8th, 2021|Sports Management|Comments Off

On the Development and Application of an Expected Goals Model for Lacrosse

Authors: Bret R. Myers, Ph.D.¹, Michael Burns², Brian Q. Coughlin³, Edward Bolte⁴

¹Department of Management and Operations, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA
²Villanova School of Business, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA
³Department of Athletics, Villanova University, Villanova PA, PA, USA
⁴Department of Athletics, Villanova University, Villanova PA, PA, USA

Corresponding Author:
Bret R. Myers, Ph.D.
800 E Lancaster Avenue
Villanova, PA 19085
bret.myers@villanova.edu
(804) 357-5876

Bret R. Myers, Ph.D. is a Professor of Practice in the Department of Management and Operations in the Villanova School of Business. His research interests focus on sports analytics, specifically, in the areas of team evaluation and managerial decision-making. He is also an Analytics Consultant for the Columbus Soccer Club of Major League Soccer

Michael Burns is an MBA Candidate and Graduate Research Fellow at Villanova School of Business. Michael is also the Director of Operations for the Men’s Soccer team at Villanova University.

Brian Q. Coughlin is the Director of Men’s Lacrosse Operations at Villanova and also has both a BBA and MBA from Villanova School of Business. Brian is also a Data Analyst at goPuff.

Edward Bolte is a student at Villanova University and student manager on the Lacrosse team. Edward is majoring in Civil Engineering

On the Development and Application of an Expected Goals Model for Lacrosse

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to develop and apply an Expected Goals metric in lacrosse for team evaluation. Expected Goals is a metric that is used to represent the likelihood of a shot being a goal. The metric has gained traction in both soccer and hockey and has proven to add information and value in both team and player evaluations in both sports respectively. Like in soccer and hockey, the Expected Goals model for lacrosse in this paper is developed using logistic regression. Specifically, two metrics are created through this technique: 1) The standard Expected Goals model (xG) based on characteristics of the scoring opportunity before the shot is taken and 2) Post-shot Expected Goals (xGOT) which is updated to reflect whether or not the shot is on target.

Results: In terms of development, the logistic regression models used for the development of the xG and xGOT models both yield high levels of significance for fit (p < 0.001). The xG and xGOT metrics have higher correlations to team winning percentage (0.65 and 0.75) than their counterpart statistics of shots and shots on target. In terms of application, teams in the sample that had more xG than their opponents won 73% of the time as opposed to winning only 65% of the time when they outshoot their opponents. Similarly, teams in the sample that had more xGOT than their opponents won 71% of the time as opposed to only 62% of the time when they have more shots on target than their opponents. The evidence in this study suggests that using Expected Goals as a measure of attacking performance adds both value and information that can be useful for team evaluation.

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U.S. Sports Academy2021-08-20T13:33:17-05:00September 17th, 2021|Research, Sports Management|Comments Off