February 12, 2014 What do college sports rankings mean for a university?

What are amateur sports? Chapter 2.3

A professional athlete is someone who earns a living participating in a sport. An amateur athlete is someone who does not get paid but plays for enjoyment, challenge, or both. Amateur athletes can be of any age and physical challenges are not prohibitions.

Regardless of the sport, marketing and selling are essential. Amateur sports provide significant income for manufacturers of athletic uniforms, shoes, equipment, lawn chairs, portable stadium seats, and coolers.

Many communities rally around high school athletic teams. Businesses sponsor local teams and then print company names on uniforms. This form of promotion is good for the local team and gives the business an image of being an active participant in the community.

One of the strongest reasons for growth of certain amateur sports is the promotion that is used to elevate the attention of consumers. Television shows, movies, athletes, and media stars help to carry out successful promotional strategies for an amateur sport. Subaru features Armstrong in its commercials to emphasize its vehicles’ durability

Communities, cities, and states can gain from amateur sports as well as from professional sports. Often the gain is financial, but sometimes it is just goodwill, enjoyment of a well-played game, and the mental and emotional support of the athletes.

In 1987, the Minnesota State Legislature created the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission. The Commission’s tasks, which it has largely accomplished, are to bring out-of-state dollars into Minnesota through development of amateur sports events and to create partnerships between athletes or athletic associations and public, private, or governmental organizations to support amateur sports.

Goals of the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission 1. To create economic development through amateur sports 2. To create the maximum opportunity for sport participation for all Minnesotans 3. To establish Minnesota as a national model for the Olympic and amateur sports movement

The Commission had an impressive list of accomplishments during The 11 th and 12 th annual Star of the North State Games attracted the participation of 160,777 Minnesota athletes. The Commission was granted $2.5 million by 58 local units of government. The money was used to build new amateur sports facilities, particularly soccer fields.

Read pages 49 and 50: Economic Benefits of Specific Sports. Name three economic benefits of the following amateur sports: ▫Ice Skating ▫Soccer ▫Basketball ▫Baseball and Softball

How has the economy benefited from these sports? Ice Skating – The popularity of ice skating has risen even in warm climates such as Houston, Texas. Many shopping malls and galleria now include ice rinks in their complexes. Not only does this provide a service, but the skaters must pass by stores on their way to and from the rink, providing exposure for more promotion and sales.

Soccer – Success of the U.S. Women's Soccer Team packed over 600,000 fans into stadiums for 32 matches during the 2003 Women’s World Cup Soccer match. Marketers have found a new marketing niche – a sport represented by wholesome athletes and supported by suburban, affluent families who are brand loyal. Youth soccer has become extremely popular in the United States. Weekend soccer games fill the calendars of active young families.

Basketball – Amateur basketball is an extremely popular sport. “Pickup” games – unplanned match-ups between players who happen to be on the same court at the same time – are a popular form of recreation for people of all ages and backgrounds. Baseball and Softball – Not only is money spent on the equipment needed for baseball and softball, but the economy has benefited from families traveling to games.

High School Athletics Many communities rally around high school teams. Businesses sponsor local teams and then print the company name of their uniforms. For smaller communities high school sports are a big part of weekend life. Many local business gain from loyal communities that follow their armature high school teams.

Women’s College Sports In 1987, the NCAA created the Women’s Enhancement Program and continues to support women’s college sports today. Fan support for women’s athletic programs has increased dramatically in the last decade The success of women in sports has begun a tidal wave of marketing opportunities