Talia Londos, Makenna Kovach, Cian Kennedy, Hunter Harmon
MKTG 410W Spring 2018
May 17th, 2018
Table of Contents
Executive Summary………………………………………………………………………...... 3
Decision problem …………………………………………....……………………..... 3
Summary of methods ……………………………………….….…………………..... 3
Conclusions and recommendations...……………………....……………..…….….…
3
Problem background and definition…………………………..………………….....……..….
4
Managerial Decision Problem and Research
Questions……………………………...…….... 7
Summary of Phase I………………………………………..………………………………… 8
Research design………………………………………...…….………………………. 8
Primary data collection method……………………………………...……….………. 8
Primary data sources…………………………………….……….…………………... 9
Summary of key insights……………………………………...……….…………..... 10
Summary of Phase II..………………………………………………………..……………... 12
Research design………………………………………………….………………….. 12
Survey method of administration…………………………………………………… 12
Survey design………………………………………………….……………………. 13
Sampling Plan………………………………………………………………………..……... 14
Target population & sampling frame……………………………………………..…
14
Sample size & response rate procedures………………………………………...…..
14
Data Analysis……………………………………………………..………………………… 16
Limitations………………………………………………………..………………………… 24
Conclusions and recommendations………………………………………………..……...… 25
Appendix 1: References.……………………………………………..……...……………… 28
Appendix 2: Copy of final survey……………………………………………..………….....
29
Appendix 3: SPSS output from data
analysis………………………………………..…….... 40
Executive Summary
a. Decision problem
What are young Southern California consumers’ attitudes toward
LAFC and what is their likelihood of attending matches?
b. Summary of methods
In order to achieve the best response rate, we used a variety of
methods to reach our goal. From Qualtrics, we were able to obtain a
shareable link that was mobile friendly. We distributed the survey
link via text message, email, and Facebook to our target
population. We received promising results from that method but we
felt we needed to gain more responses. Direct contact around campus
helped us receive those responses. There was a higher amount of
responses when communicating with people in person. Overall we
achieved the amount of responses we needed to generate enough data
to analyze.
c. Conclusions and recommendations
In conclusion, we feel that LAFC is making the right decisions
overall in bettering the team’s awareness and fan participation.
However, we have some recommendations to further their success.
Being in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, the stadium has a
beautiful view and amazing features. We advise that they advertise
the power of the well-formed stadium to attract new fans. With
that, LAFC should make sure and focus on good food and beverages
options. Our survey respondents mentioned how important it was for
their overall experience. Recruiting high caliber players and
marketing them will also lead to higher fan participation. Fans
love the excitement of watching star players battle on the field.
LAFC should broaden their advertising reach to incorporate all of
the Southern California population. This will help generate new
fans outside the Los Angeles area.
Problem background and definition:
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a relatively new league compared to
the other professional sport leagues in the United States.
Established in 1993, with its first game being played in 1996, the
MLS started with ten teams, five located on the east and five on
the west. MLS has grown substantially over the years, currently
sitting at twenty-two teams both in the United States and Canada.
New teams are being established every year due to the young and
opportunistic atmosphere of soccer fans in the U.S. World-class
players like David Villa, Steven Gerrard, Andrea Pirlo, Frank
Lampard and, of course, David Beckham are having an enormous impact
on the popularity of MLS in recent seasons. Los Angeles soccer fans
and businessmen saw this great opportunity and created Los Angeles
Football Club (LAFC), the newest of the twenty-two teams, that is
located roughly twenty minutes north of their new rival Los Angeles
Galaxy. As a completely new club, LAFC have many sporting
competitors in Southern California and Los Angeles where they may
encounter potential problems.
In 2018, the Los Angeles locals and natives of Southern
California are now spoiled for choice throughout the sporting
calendar. NFL fans enjoyed both the LA Chargers and the LA Rams
this past season while MLB fans have the LA Dodgers, San Diego
Padres, and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to look forward to in
March. LA Lakers and LA Clippers provide the NBA entertainment, at
least until mid-April, while the Anaheim Ducks and LA Kings compete
in the NHL. With Los Angeles being a major hub for sports fans, it
seemed inevitable that the city would also become a major player in
the soccer uprising in the U.S LA Galaxy, five-time Major League
Soccer (MLS) champions, is an already established soccer club in
Los Angeles with a built-out academy system and a successful United
Soccer League (USL) affiliate stacked with Galaxy recruits. Club
Deportivo Chivas USA, based in Carson, was another MLS team in
Southern California before folding in 2014. With Chivas’ departure
from the league, there was a potential opportunity for another club
to be formed in ‘SoCal’. Many predicted a San Diego expansion team,
with former LA Galaxy player, Landon Donovan, at the forefront of
their project. However, it was the city of Los Angeles that
ultimately beat the other competitors and Los Angeles Football Club
was created. The rivalry between LAFC and LA Galaxy will be the
most interesting part of our research. There’s no doubt that this
will be a natural rivalry, but it will still take some time for
fans to define it. LA Galaxy President Chris Klein says “having
LAFC in the marketplace is going to create energy, is going to
create buzz. The storyline will be created if the games are
exciting and worth the rivalry.” Backed by $350 million in private
investing and $100 million from Banc of California for the stadium
naming rights, LAFC is looking to have an immediate impact on the
MLS and survive the test of time, unlike Chivas.
The club’s goal is long-term stability and to establish a loyal,
passionate fan base. Going into the new season, LAFC is not so
focused on getting people into the new stadium, as that will
naturally come in its first season, but rather understanding who is
coming in and why. Fan identity is key for LAFC, so that customer
engagement is their main level of focus. Once that is attained they
can not only show off the new stadium features, but also create a
game experience for everyone attending. Whether that be the newest
in-game technology, fashion and apparel, or a front row “standing
section,” LAFC adheres to all fan demographics. Their creative
director came from YouTube, while their team’s supporter relations
came from Apple. With entertainment already stemming from these big
companies, LAFC stresses creativity in the workplace and out on the
field. As this new opportunity is put into play, LAFC can now adapt
their team to how they want fans to see them compared to other MLS
teams. The team can market themselves toward the most influential
target audience today: millennials. LAFC wants to “engage and have
a conversation, that’s key.” In addition to creating a conversation
within Southern California, LAFC is utilizing a “go-slow approach”
according to the new marketing director Rich Orosco. He claims that
LAFC is not just building a new team, but a new and unique
experience and attending a LAFC game will feature music, art, and
fashion and will focus specifically on the design aesthetic they
bring to the overall experience. The board of LAFC has a strong
vision and mission, “The LAFC ownership group is dedicated to
building a world-class soccer club that represents the diversity of
Los Angeles and commitment to delivering an unrivaled experience
for fans,” showing their importance to the fans.
Throughout our research project we will not only address the
surrounding sporting competitors, but also we will dig further into
ways the LAFC can create a loyal fan base for their truly unique
new experience they are bringing to Southern California.
Managerial Decision Problem:
What are young Southern California consumers’ attitudes toward
LAFC and what is their likelihood of attending matches?
Research Problems:
1. What are the characteristics of consumers who are most
interested in attending LAFC games?
2. What features do young consumers value most when attending a
sports event?
3. How aware are young Southern Californians about LAFC and what
do they know about the club?
Summary of Phase I
Research Design:
Exploratory research is a fundamental step in the process of
clarifying the decision problem. This type of research helps to
discover real insights and obtain a broader understanding of the
real issue. Exploratory research is beneficial for getting
qualitative data, which is vital for our research of Los Angeles
Football Club. For this phase of the project, exploratory research
was used to keep the types of people we talk to broad and flexible.
On top of that, this procedure was a quick inexpensive process that
was done successfully at virtually no cost. Using exploratory
research enabled the team to achieve four separate hypotheses which
later we will validate through extensive descriptive research.
Primary Data Collection Method:
There are many ways that one could collect primary data for
exploratory research. Rather than turning our attention on focus
groups or ethnography, in-depth interviews benefited our research
to collect qualitative data. This method entailed speaking with
people one-on-one about their thoughts on Los Angeles Football Club
and other soccer related topics. Interviewing in a private setting
meant that the interviewees could provide great depth to their
insight and give a narrower, more personal perspective. It was
beneficial to focus on asking open-ended questions to the
interviewees to get a true sense of their beliefs. This was
intended to get them to talk, tell a story, and describe their
experiences in detail. The lack of social pressure allowed them
freedom to express their personal opinions, rather than succumb to
groupthink. A lot of genuine information was collected using this
method which definitely aided the research.
Primary Data Sources:
The in-depth interviews were focused on all types of people who
would attend sporting events, specifically targeting people in
Southern California. It is beneficial and important to get various
types of opinions and views to broaden the scope of our research.
For this research, millennials, parents, international soccer fans,
and Los Angeles residents were the selected groups. It is
significant to research what incentives will bring the most
millennials possible to a LAFC match, as millennials are the
largest and most influential generation of consumers today. In
terms of ticket sales and creating sustainable loyalty, LAFC’s
primary target market are millennials, which made it obvious to
further investigate this group. Parents were a way for us to
explore different point of views and investigate whether or not
they were a potential target segment. Understanding the purchasing
position of parents is important information for our research.
International soccer fans provide a global perspective to this
issue. It is important to know how the world views soccer in
America and what motivates foreign cultures to fall in love with
the game. In addition to the importance of international soccer fan
perspectives, Southern California happens to be one of the biggest
hubs for international migrants and visitors, therefore it’s
another reason to understand the traits of foreign diehard fans. It
is invaluable to the research process that the problem is looked at
from a worldwide standpoint. The stadium itself, located in south
Los Angeles makes it crucial for us to understand the attitudes of
the nearby residents. Insight from Los Angeles residents gives us
relevant information whether the people of LA would indeed attend
an LAFC game rather than the array of other sporting events. These
four types of interviewees are the backbone to our exploratory
research and facilitate sufficient data to establish an accurate
decision problem.
Summary of Key Insights from Exploratory Research:
Following the in-depth interview process of exploratory
research, four separate, but related, hypotheses were formed. After
interviewing three international soccer athletes, the hypothesis
that soccer fans in Southern California need to have an authentic
connection with Los Angeles Football Club for them to attend games
and become supports was formed. According to the international
soccer fans, Los Angeles is relatively unknown on the worldwide
soccer scene. The club needs to differentiate themselves from other
Major Soccer teams. The culture of soccer internationally revolves
one thing; relationships. The general consensus was that fans need
to have a relationship with the club in order for them to support.
As broad as that might sound, it is the fundamental thing that
makes soccer what it is. Soccer fans will stop whatever they are
doing to watch Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Liverpool play in the
major European leagues. Soccer fans thrive in environments where
they can banter about the weekend matches and give each other grief
for following rival teams. In the eyes of international soccer
fans, that soccer culture just hasn’t reached the United States
yet.
After conducting three interviews with various millennials, it
was hypothesized that consumers are more likely to attend a LAFC
game when given an incentive such as an exciting at-game
experience, official and engaged fans, affordable ticket prices and
team popularity. Each of the interviewees, two being international,
explained the importance of soccer and its unification. It targets
people within any social class, any age, and any background. Each
millennial developed a passion for sports through their family
while attending a live game with them which suggests they like an
engaged in-stadium experience. A loyal fan base who come to watch
their favorite star players play is what continues to fill up the
stadium. However, committed fans need the ongoing popularity of a
team in order to generate ticket sales. The price of the tickets
seemed to be a consistent theme that was recognized. Specifically,
a lower ticket price would give millennials an incentive to
participate in a Southern California game. Additionally, the ticket
must represent some level of value in which it needs to be worth
the money spent.
After the exploratory research procedure, it was hypothesized
that consumers are more likely to attend an LAFC game if high
caliber professionals are performing and there is an electric
atmosphere within the venue. According to my research fans would be
more enticed to follow LAFC if there were specific players on the
pitch that could perform at the highest level of play. Fans become
associated with a team when their favorite players are playing day
in and day out. Los Angeles of all places is one of the more
bourgeoisie cities in the nation, and according to their residents,
having a modern style stadium with a sold-out crowd would create
the electric atmosphere they’re looking for. In general, the common
theme amongst Los Angeles residents is they need qualified players
in an adrenalin-filled crowd in order to attend a LAFC match.
Through in-depth interviews with three different parents, it was
synthesized that the unification a sporting event provides would
draw their attention to the LAFC. Parents are more likely to attend
a soccer match if there is an environment that creates a unifying
atmosphere for their families, over one that is bogged down with
their many deterrents. They are more likely to attend if it is a
safe environment where fans represent and portray the integrity of
the sport. They look at the fan base to see if their ideals match,
and notice if the players and coaches too encompassed a family
oriented feel. For LAFC to gain family loyalty they must focus on
the experience as a whole. The experience is key, and knowing their
audience and understanding their wants and desires is critical to
creating the loyalty that LAFC has worked so hard to initiate.
Summary of Phase II
Research Design:
In order to obtain adequate research, the research design we
used was descriptive research with a questionnaire. With this
research design, we wanted to figure out the common characteristics
and traits of particular groups in our target population. We
specifically used a cross-sectional study of descriptive research
in which the sample was selected to be representative of the target
population and in which the emphasis was on the generation of
summary statistics such as averages and percentages. We used a
large sample size (greater than 30) which makes it more rigid and
satisfies a normal distribution. One of the main purposes of
descriptive research is to collect quantitative data to test our
hypotheses. Descriptive research is used when there is a bigger
budget, when the researchers have more time, and there is a larger
sample space.
Survey method of administration:
Once we decided on a descriptive research design, we decided to
focus on an electronic questionnaire as our form of gathering
information. Questionnaires increase versatility, speed, and in our
case, they are less costly since we are distributing them online.
We used Qualtrics for the creation of the survey which was then be
distributed on various social media channels, email, or personal
texts. Electronic questionnaire was our preferred form of gathering
information since it is quick, inexpensive, and effective for our
targeted audience. Electronic questionnaires also allow for more
people to easily access the survey, and the potential for it the
spread among the population without too much attention.
Survey design:
The degree of disguise and the degree of structure were
important factors that we kept in mind when designing the online
survey. To ensure fair and accurate responses, we were cautious
with the phrasing of our introduction. We disclosed broad
information about our project without influencing the responders’
behavior when completing the survey. The purpose of our survey was
to understand how LAFC can create brand loyalty and keep people
coming to their games, therefore, we explained that our survey was
for research about LAFC and soccer in Southern California. In this
way, we simply gave them the simplified explanation of our project
and didn’t reveal too much about what we wanted to learn.
It was vital that we had a high degree of structure to our
survey to guarantee the type of data we wanted to collect. We
decided to focus on asking fixed alternative questions, where
everyone gets the same questions and everyone responds by choosing
from the same set of possible answers. The benefit of using fixed
alternative or close-ended questions is that the analysis is
usually easy to collect and interpret. The use of a highly
structured questionnaire greatly simplifies data coding and
analysis compared to the use of open-ended questionnaires. Using
this survey design, we ensure a great level of reliability and
regularity with the answers obtained. Fixed alternative questions
also force you to answer, rather than allowing the responder to
leave their answer blank. We felt that using both a highly
structured approach with an appropriate level of disguise would
greatly help the ease of taking our survey and the consistency of
our results.
Sampling Plan
Target population & sampling frame:
Our target population was consumers located in Southern
California with emphasis on families and millennials. We decided to
focus on people who we thought would be interested in attending
soccer matches in Southern California. Families are always looking
for fun experiences to do together. By including them in our
survey, we were trying to see what factors would best fit their
needs in order to draw them to watch the LAFC. In addition, parents
tend to share great outings with other families, which would help
increase their awareness and overall following. Millennials make up
the largest population within Southern California, and easily
influence others through social media channels.
After we agreed on a clear target population we moved forward
and fashioned a sampling frame. In our sampling frame we decided to
address many organizations on campus such as fraternities,
sororities and sport clubs. We then added to our list, the
players on the University of San Diego soccer team. Reaching out to
organizations at the University of San Diego met our target
population of sport fanatics in Southern California, but to
encompass families, we included alumni’s and parents of students to
the list.
Target sample size & Procedures for maximizing response
rate:
Getting precise and confident results was our main objective for
this survey, therefore we have a minimum of thirty respondents and
a goal of one hundred or more responses. We made it mandatory for
our sample to be greater than thirty because as the central limit
theorem states the further we exceed thirty samples the more
accurate and normally distributed our evidence will be. We decided
that one hundred or more responses would be enough information to
give our sample an accurate representation of the entire population
and later leading to useful conclusions.
In order to reach our goal of one hundred or more respondents we
used a few methods within our survey to increase the response rate.
First off, we guaranteed confidentiality to each and every
respondent before the survey even begins to avoid skepticism.
Secondly, we made it obvious the survey would take no more than
five minutes to complete. It was important for us to make this
survey as short as possible because due to the sampling frame we
constructed, a majority of the people on our list will be
constantly busy and always on the move. As respondents start the
survey they will approach engaging yet simple questions to avoid
respondents from only conducting half the survey. Lastly, we ended
the survey reminding them that it is one hundred percent
confidential and gave them a set of quick and easy demographic
questions. We also sent out reminder messages and indicated that
the purpose of our survey was for a class project to appeal to
respondents’ good will to help students.
Data analysis and results
Makenna Research Hypothesis:
Consumers are more likely to attend an LAFC game when given an
incentive such as an exciting at-game experience and official and
engaged fans.
Statistical Tests:
In order to test the mean of MLS game attendance, I created a
null hypothesis as the first step in evaluating my data. Within the
population of consumers, the mean likelihood of attending an MLS
soccer game in Southern California is not less than 3. To analyze
this data, I conducted a one sample t-test to compare the mean of
one variable, being MLS attendance, for one group, being consumers,
to a specified value. The type of data is interval scale (1-5)
because the categories go in order from low to high and there are
equal jumps of likelihood in between each phrase. This is a
one-tailed test because it is a one directional result and the
significant value will be compared to the alpha set at 0.05.
Sample size
Test Value
Mean (1-5 scale)
t-value
Sig. One-tailed (p-value)
107
3
2.66
-2.304
0.023/2=0.0115
Because the significance value (p-value) is less than the alpha
set at 0.05, the null hypothesis is able to be rejected. I am 95%
confident that within the population of consumers the mean
likelihood of attending an MLS soccer game in Southern California
is less than 3. Because the null can be rejected, it is unlikely
that the consumers who completed the survey will attend an MLS
soccer game within Southern California. This shows that most
consumers who took the survey selected the below neutral option,
that being, either unlikely or very unlikely.
In order to compare the mean likelihood of attending an LAFC
soccer game and the mean likelihood of attending an LA Galaxy
soccer game, I first created a null hypothesis to evaluate my data.
In the population of consumers, the mean likelihood to attend an LA
Galaxy soccer game is not greater than the mean likelihood to
attend an LAFC soccer game. To analyze this data, I conducted a
two-tailed paired sample t-test to compare the means of the two
variables to show if one is greater than the other. The original
type of data is ordinal scale (1-5) because the order of the
numbers has meaning within the ranking question, however the gap
distance is unknown. Nevertheless, because I am conducting a paired
t-test of just two of the variables within the ranking question,
the data will be represented as interval scale. The significance
value will be compared to the alpha set at 0.05.
Sample Size
Mean LA Galaxy
Mean LAFC
t-value
Sig. two-tailed (p-value)
107
2.87
2.36
2.063
0.042
Because the significance value (p-value) is less than the alpha
set at 0.05, the null is able to be rejected. I am 95% positive
that within the population of consumers, the mean likelihood to
attend an LA Galaxy soccer game is greater than the mean likelihood
to attend an LAFC soccer game. This shows that when consumers took
the survey they reported the likelihood of attending LA Galaxy
above the likelihood of attending LAFC on the ranking scale.
Talia Research Hypothesis:
Parents are more likely to attend a soccer match if there is
environment that creates a unifying atmosphere for their families,
over one that is bogged down with their stated deterrents.
Statistical Test:
Based on my research hypotheses from Deliverable 2, I choose
three tests that would provide data for why families would be
interested in attending an LAFC game, and what would be their
strongest deterrents. I started by looking through the data to see
which statistical tests would provide the most value for
understanding what exactly would draw families to soccer matches,
or what the LAFC could avoid when creating an experience for
fans.
Test 1: After looking through the data, I noticed that most
people claimed having poor food and beverage options is their most
important deterrent in comparison to the parking, customer service,
bathroom facilities, and merchandise options.
The goal of Test 1 was to compare the means of all the
deterrents to see how important certain factors are for fans. The
null hypothesis for the mean ranking of the importance of food and
beverage is not more than a neutral ranking within the population.
The alternative hypothesis was that food and beverage is the most
important deterrent in comparison to parking, customer service,
bathroom facilities, and merchandise options based on the sample
population. I used a one-sample t test because I wanted to compare
the mean of food and beverage to the other options within the
survey. Since the hypothesis is directional, I used a one-tailed
t-test. The original survey had the sample proportion rank their
deterrents in order of importance from 1-5 with 1 being the least
important, and 5 being the most important. The results for the
one-sample t-test are as followed.
Sample Size
Mean
Test Value
T- Value
P- Value
101
3.73
3
5.618
0.000
Based on the one-sample t test, I will reject the null
hypothesis. The p-value was less than the 0.05/2 significance
level. This lead me to be 95% confident that the mean ranking of
the importance of food and beverage is more than the neutral
ranking of 3 on a 1-5 scale in comparison to the other options in
the sample population. In order for the LAFC to create the best
experience possible for fans, they should focus on the food and
beverage options they provide. The sample population is more likely
to return to games if they are presented with valuable food and
beverage options.
Hunter Research Hypothesis: Consumers are more likely to attend
an LAFC game if high caliber professionals are performing and there
is an electric atmosphere within the venue. Statistical Tests:The
first statistical test that I want to analyze is, if consumers
believe that high caliber players are important while attending a
game. In the survey that I had respondents complete, I provoked
them to state their level of importance with the following
statement, “How important are high caliber players when attending a
game?” Out of 108 completed surveys, 99 answered this question
leaving 9 unanswered. The sample mean was calculated 3.92. This
value gives us a decent representation that consumers feel that it
is somewhat important for high caliber players to be playing in
order to attend a game. A statistical test (One Sample t-Test) must
be completed in order to see if this value is different from the
neutral point of 3 (on a 1-5 scale, 1 being extremely unimportant
and 5 being extremely important). Therefore, the null hypothesis is
that within the population of consumers the mean importance of high
caliber players when attending a game is not greater than 3. For a
One Sample t-Test we are using a one-tail test with a 5%
significance level to test against. When I ran the test on SPSS,
the significance (2-tail) is computed as .000. Because the
significance is value is less than 5% we can reject the null
hypothesis. Therefore, I am 95% confident that within the
population of consumers the mean importance of high caliber players
when attending a game is more than 3. My managerial interpretation
of this analysis is that consumers honestly believe games are more
important when they are capable of watching a high caliber player
perform.
Cian Research Hypothesis:
Southern Californians are more likely to attend an LAFC game if
they know the players on the team or if they are impressed with the
team’s home stadium.
Statistical Tests:
Sample Size (N)
Neutral Value
Sample Mean (Players)
Sig. (2-tailed)
p-value
98
3
3.96
0.000
Firstly, I wanted to analyze whether or not Southern
Californians are more likely to go to a soccer game if they know
the players on the team. In our Qualtrics survey, I prompted the
respondents to state their level of agreement with the following
statement on a 1-5 scale, “I am more likely to attend a soccer game
if I am familiar with at least one of the players on the team.” The
results are in the table below:
The sample mean value gives us a decent representation that our
sample are more likely to go to a soccer game if they know the
players on the team. However, this only our “best guess” for the
population. A statistical test (One Sample t-Test) must be done in
order to see if this value is a fair representation of the real
population. The best way to do this is comparing the mean of this
variable to a neutral value on a 5-point scale. Therefore, the null
hypothesis is that the mean likelihood that Southern Californians
will attend a soccer game if they are familiar with at least one of
the players on the team is not greater than a neutral value of
3.
For this One Sample t-Test, I am using a one tail test with a 5%
significance level. When I run the test on SPSS, the Sig. (2-tail)
is computed as 0.000. Because the significance value is less than
5% (i.e. 0.000/2 < 0.05, one tail test) I can reject the null
hypothesis. Therefore, I am 95% confident that the mean likelihood
that Southern Californians will attend a soccer game if they are
familiar with at least one of the players on the team is greater
than the neutral value of 3.
My managerial interpretation of this analysis is that it’s more
likely that Southern Californians will go to the LAFC games if they
are familiar with the players on the team. As a result, LAFC should
push for getting players more involved with the public and increase
player awareness. Alternatively, LAFC could recruit world-class
talented players that are already household names in the soccer
world.
Sample Size (N)
Neutral Value
Sample Mean (Stadium)
Sig. (2-tailed)
p-value
98
3
3.73
0.000
The second statistical test that I want to analyze is the
whether or not Southern Californians are more likely to go to a
game if they think the stadium is impressive. In our Qualtrics
survey, I prompted the respondents to state their level of
agreement with the following statement, “I am more likely to go to
a soccer game if the team’s stadium is impressive.” on a scale of
1-5. The results are in the table below:
The sample mean value gives us a good impression that our sample
are more likely to go to a soccer game if they think the team’s
stadium is impressive. Again, a One Sample t-Test must be done in
order to see if this value is a fair representation of the real
population. The best way to do this is comparing the mean of this
variable to a neutral point on our 5-point scale. In this case, the
null hypothesis is that the mean likelihood that Southern
Californians will attend a soccer game if they think the team’s
stadium is impressive is not greater than the neutral value of
3.
For this One Sample t-Test, I am using a one tail test with a 5%
significance level. When I run the test on SPSS, the Sig. (2-tail)
is computed as 0.000. Because the significance value is less than
5% (i.e. 0.000/2 < 0.05, one tail test) I can reject the null
hypothesis. Therefore, I am 95% confident that the mean likelihood
that Southern Californians will attend a soccer game if they think
the team’s stadium is impressive is greater than the neutral mean
of 3.
My managerial interpretation of this analysis is that it’s more
likely that Southern Californians will go to the LAFC games if they
are impressed with the team’s stadium. As a result, they should
make a huge effort to promote the cool features of their new
stadium, Banc of California stadium.
Limitations
With any market research, there are some limitations to the
accuracy and development of that research. Our research on Los
Angeles Football Club was no exception. We were somewhat limited in
our research and we understand that we could have performed better
analysis and achieved more reliable results if we weren’t hindered
by some constraints.
The main constraint that we were challenged with was the lack of
a marketing research budget. We conducted all of our research and
analysis with no monetary aid. This made it very difficult to
expand our research and form more accurate conclusions for LAFC. We
feel that our analysis could have been better if we had some sort
of funding. Due to the lack of funding, we weren’t able to sample
an accurate representation of Southern California consumers. The
majority our survey respondents were educated millennials from San
Diego. Although, this is a target market for LAFC, there are many
more areas of Southern California and other generations of people
that we didn’t fully get a picture of. Our research would have been
more accurate had we sampled more Los Angeles residents, as they
are the closest people to LAFC, and older soccer fans, as these are
the people that have money to afford season tickets and other
memberships to LAFC. Also, our research would have been more
accurate had we sampled those who actually attend LAFC games right
now. If we had the funding, we could have attended an LAFC game and
surveyed fans before, during, and after a game. These fans would
enable us to achieve more accurate results about what fans want at
a soccer game, however, they potentially could skew the results of
our findings about the likelihood they would attend an MLS game in
Southern California and the likelihood they would attend an LAFC
game over an LA Galaxy game.
Overall, we experienced some limitations to our research,
however, we are confident that our findings and our results are a
fairly accurate representations of Southern California
consumers.
Conclusions and recommendations
In order to create the best experience, the LAFC needs to
eliminate any deterrents that could potentially sway fans from
returning. Through our exploratory and descriptive research
techniques, we found certain factors that should be a top priority
for enhancing fan’s overall experience while attending sporting
events. Based on our statistical analysis, food and beverage
options are the most important factors when looking at what draws
and keeps fans at sporting events. People look for the best options
in order to to enjoy their time watching a match. The LAFC should
ensure they create great partnerships that attract their target
market, and make sure their partners execute their food and
beverage options properly and efficiently. Despite food and
beverage being the top deterrent, other factors would eliminate fan
loyalty due to the strong disliking. Poor parking, customer
service, bathroom facilities, and poor merchandise options are
additional factors that limit the ability to create a great overall
experience for fans. By eliminating any of the named deterrents,
the LAFC can focus on other enhancing techniques to produce an even
better sporting event for fans to enjoy and initiate a loyalty
with.
Furthermore, through our extensive research, we have concluded
that how impressive a stadium is can be an influential factor when
enticing sports fans to go to sporting events. We recommend that
LAFC promote the impressiveness of their stadium in order to drive
fans to their games. LAFC’s new stadium, Banc of California
Stadium, creates an exhilarating atmosphere for soccer fans and the
LAFC marketing team need to heavily promote this. From what we have
seen on social media, their marketing team is doing a good job in
advertising the cool features of this stadium and should continue
to promote it. On top of social media advertising, another way to
highlight the impressiveness of this stadium is to actually bring
fans into the stadium and do an “all access” tour. If LAFC
can create an experience that really impacts and awes fans, then
fans would be more likely to come to a game.
Another way for LAFC to get more young fans into the Banc of
California stadium and attending games is to do a lot of public
relations between the players and the fans. From our research, we
have found that consumers are more likely to go to a game if they
know the players or have a connection to the players. This is why
we feel it is vital for LAFC to allow the fans an opportunity to
meet the current players so they feel like a part of the club. LAFC
could do a number of things to get the fans engaged with the
players, from signing shirt events to Q&As. From what we have
seen, LAFC have been doing well in this marketing effort. After
LAFC victories, the players stay on the field and sing with the
fans. The players take pictures and sign autographs with the fans
which makes the experience extremely memorable. LAFC should
continue to focus on player promotion and interacting with the fans
in order to bring young Southern Californians to their games.
Another recommendation we have for LAFC is to start scouting
high caliber players leaving the European leagues to finish their
careers in Los Angeles. If LAFC wants to remain competitive,
especially with LA Galaxy they need high caliber players like
Carlos Vela to attract fans year in and year out. Because soccer is
a rapidly growing industry in the states it is key to acquire
famous European stars such as Zlatan Ibrahimović, David Beckham and
David Villa to build awareness for the franchise. High Caliber
players not only attract fans in desperate need to watch their
favorite soccer player growing up but also builds loyalty within
the younger crowd. For example, Fernando Torres or Wayne Rooney are
approaching the end of their careers and we would highly recommend
for LAFC to seek after one of these world class players to enhance
future sales.
Overall, the LAFC is doing a good job at advertising and
creating brand awareness. However, they should broaden their
advertising reach to incorporate all of the Southern California
population. Los Angeles is already highly saturated with sports
teams and an established fan based. Sports teams also have the
beach as their competitor. LAFC should market up the coast to
generate new fans outside the Los Angeles area. Because other
cities outside of Los Angeles have less established sports teams,
this could in turn create more foot traffic for LAFC and result in
fans from a variety of places. People love to be a part of
something new and trending, LAFC should market this opportunity as
much as possible as they begin the new season. We found that people
are likely to travel for world class players, but also marketing
the celebrity owners is a great way to attract new and official
fans. Generally, LAFC is reaching lengths to create a new and
accepted team, and with our recommendations their brand awareness
can thrive.
Appendix 1: References
1. French, S. J. (2018, February 08). LA Galaxy keep their
powder dry as rivalry for Los Angeles looms vs. LAFC. Retrieved
February 11, 2018, from
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/02/07/la-galaxy-keep-their-powder-dry-rivalry-los-angeles-looms-vs-lafc
2. French, S. J. (2018, February 08). LA Galaxy keep their
powder dry as rivalry for Los Angeles looms vs. LAFC. Retrieved
February 11, 2018, from
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/02/07/la-galaxy-keep-their-powder-dry-rivalry-los-angeles-looms-vs-lafc
3. Surane J, Faux Z, Campbell D. (2016, September 12). Why Would
a Bank… You’ve Never Heard of… Buy Stadium-Naming Rights From a
Soccer Team… You’ve Never Heard of… For $100 Million?. Bloomberg
Businessweek [serial online]. Available from: Business Source
Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed February 13, 2018.
4. Smith, C. (2017, December 18). LAFC Signs SeatGeek As
Official Ticketing Partner. Retrieved February 14, 2018, from
https://www.forbes.com/sites/chrissmith/2017/12/18/lafc-signs-seatgeek-as-official-ticketing-partner/#39383c634960
5. Baxter, Kevin (2015, September 14). Marketing to millennials,
Los Angeles Football Club looking to stand apart. (n.d.). Retrieved
February 13, 2018, from
http://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/la-sp-la-football-club-20150915-story.html
6. 7. 8. 9. Baxter, Kevin (2015,
September 14). Marketing to millennials, Los Angeles Football Club
looking to stand apart. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13, 2018, from
http://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/la-sp-la-football-club-20150915-story.html
Appendix 2: Copy of final survey
LAFC Marketing Research Survey
Start of Block: INTRODUCTION
Introduction We are a group of students in a marketing research
class at the University of San Diego. We are working on a class
project about soccer in Southern California and the new Major
League Soccer team Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC). Your responses
will be completely confidential. The survey will take less than 5
minutes to complete. Your participation will help us achieve a good
grade on the project. Thank you for your time.
End of Block: INTRODUCTION
Start of Block: Screening Questions
FavSport What are your favorite sports? Check all that
apply.
▢ Basketball (1)
▢ Soccer (2)
▢ Hockey (3)
▢ Football (4)
▢ Baseball (5)
▢ Lacrosse (6)
▢ Other (7)
SocLeague Do you follow any soccer leagues? Check all that
apply.
▢ English Premier League (1)
▢ German Bundesliga (2)
▢ Spanish La Liga (3)
▢ Major League Soccer (4)
▢ Italian Serie A (5)
▢ French Ligue 1 (6)
▢ Other (7)
WatchSoc If you watch soccer, how do you watch soccer? Check all
that apply.
▢ I watch games when they are on television (1)
▢ I watch games through online streaming (2)
▢ I watch highlights online (3)
▢ I go to soccer games (4)
▢ I don't watch soccer (5)
WhoSoc If you watch soccer, who do you watch it with? Check all
that apply.
▢ Family (1)
▢ Friends (2)
▢ Coworkers (3)
▢ Sports teammates (4)
▢ Other (5)
▢ I don't watch soccer (6)
End of Block: Screening Questions
Start of Block: Makenna's Questions
MLS game How likely are you to attend an MLS Soccer Game in
Southern California?
o Extremely unlikely (1)
o Somewhat unlikely (2)
o Neither likely nor unlikely (3)
o Somewhat likely (4)
o Extremely likely (5)
at-game experience How important is an at-game experience when
you attend a live sports event?
o Extremely unimportant (1)
o Somewhat unimportant (2)
o Neither important nor unimportant (3)
o Somewhat important (4)
o Extremely important (5)
official fan group How important is the presence of official fan
groups and engaged fans when you attend a live sports event?
o Extremely unimportant (1)
o Somewhat unimportant (2)
o Neither important nor unimportant (3)
o Somewhat important (4)
o Extremely important (5)
exciting atmosphere A stadium filled with official and engaged
fans creates a more exciting atmosphere.
o Strongly disagree (1)
o Disagree (2)
o Neither agree nor disagree (3)
o Agree (4)
o Strongly Agree (5)
Rank sports teams I am more likely to attend which of the
following sports games in Los Angeles? Please rank from 1-5. (5 =
MOST likely, and 1= LEAST likely)
______ LAFC (1)
______ LA Galaxy (2)
______ LA Lakers (3)
______ LA Clippers (4)
______ LA Dodgers (5)
End of Block: Makenna's Questions
Start of Block: Talia's Questions
LAFC Match How likely is it that you would travel to a LAFC
match?
o Very unlikely (1)
o Unlikely (2)
o Neither likely nor unlikely (3)
o Likely (4)
o Very likely (5)
Important Factors On a scale totalling 100, rank the factors you
look for at a sporting event.
Overall experience : _______ (1)
Price : _______ (2)
Location : _______ (3)
Devoted fan base : _______ (4)
Other : _______ (5)
Total : ________
Deterrents
What would make you not want to attend a soccer match?
Rank in order, where 1 = LEAST Important, 5 = MOST
Important,
______ Poor customer service (1)
______ Poor parking (2)
______ Poor bathroom facilities (3)
______ Poor merchandise options (4)
______ Poor food and beverage options (5)
Winning How important is a team's winning record to you as a
fan?
o Extremely unimportant (1)
o Unimportant (2)
o Neither important nor unimportant (3)
o Important (4)
o Extremely important (5)
Fan Base How important is the fan base to you?
o Extremely important (1)
o Important (2)
o Neither important nor unimportant (3)
o Unimportant (4)
o Extremely unimportant (5)
End of Block: Talia's Questions
Start of Block: Hunter's Questions
HighCal1 How important are high caliber players when attending a
game?
o Extremely unimportant (1)
o Somewhat unimportant (2)
o Neither Important nor unimportant (3)
o Somewhat Important (4)
o Extremely Important (5)
high caliber players
High caliber players are important to me when attending a
game.
o Strongly disagree (1)
o Somewhat disagree (2)
o Neither agree nor disagree (3)
o Somewhat agree (4)
o Strongly agree (5)
`HighCal3
How likely are you to attend a LAFC game if there are high
caliber professionals on the team?
o Very unlikely (1)
o Unlikely (2)
o Neither (3)
o Likely (4)
o Very likely (5)
RankCal
What drives you to attend a game? Please rank 1-5. (5 = MOST
likely, and 1 = LEAST likely)
______ High caliber players (1)
______ Energetic fans (2)
______ Location (3)
______ Venue (4)
______ Food and drink options (5)
End of Block: Hunter's Questions
Start of Block: Cian's Questions
Connection Please indicate your agreement with the following
statements.
I am more likely to attend a soccer game if I am familiar with
at least one of the players on the team.
o Strongly disagree (1)
o Disagree (2)
o Neither agree nor disagree (3)
o Agree (4)
o Strongly agree (5)
Venue
I am more likely to go to a soccer game if the team's stadium is
impressive.
o Strongly disagree (1)
o Disagree (2)
o Neither agree nor disagree (3)
o Agree (4)
o Strongly agree (5)
LAFC connection How likely are you to attend a LAFC game if you
had the opportunity to meet with the players?
o Extremely unlikely (1)
o Somewhat unlikely (2)
o Neither likely nor unlikely (3)
o Somewhat likely (4)
o Extremely likely (5)
Preferences Which of the following would most likely attract you
to go to a soccer game? Check all that apply.
▢ Connection with the players (1)
▢ Ticket prices (2)
▢ Fan experience and atmosphere (3)
▢ Easy accessibility to the venue (4)
▢ Impressiveness of the stadium (5)
▢ Quality of the players (6)
Preferences 2 How likely is it that the following would bring
you to a soccer game?
Check the boxes that apply.
Very unlikely (1)
Somewhat unlikely (2)
Neither likely nor unlikely (3)
Somewhat likely (4)
Very likely (5)
Connection with the players (1)
o
o
o
o
o
Ticket prices (2)
o
o
o
o
o
Fan experience and atomsphere (3)
o
o
o
o
o
Easy accessibility to the venue (4)
o
o
o
o
o
Impressiveness of the stadium (5)
o
o
o
o
o
Quality of the players (6)
o
o
o
o
o
End of Block: Cian's Questions
Start of Block: Demographic Questions
Confidential REMINDER: Your responses are completely
confidential. The information you provide will be used only for
research purposes.
Gender Please indicate your gender.
o Male (1)
o Female (2)
Age Please indicate your age.
o under 18 (1)
o 18-24 (2)
o 25-34 (3)
o 35-44 (4)
o 45 or older (5)
Education What is the highest level of education you have
completed?
o Some High School or Less (1)
o High School Graduate (2)
o Technical or Trade School (3)
o Some College (4)
o College Graduate (5)
o Some Graduate School (6)
o Complete Graduate Degree (7)
Location Where are you from?
________________________________________________________________
End of Block: Demographic Questions
Appendix 3: SPSS output from data analysis
Makenna SPSS Output:
Talia SPSS Output:
Hunter SPSS:
Cian SPSS Output:
5
