Authors
Nels Popp – University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
Jonathan A. Jensen – University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
Chad McEvoy – Northern Illinois University
James Weiner – University of Tampa
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Abstract
In an effort to improve generated revenue by selling more tickets, many NCAA Division I college athletics departments have hired proactive, outbound ticket sales personnel. Based on the tenants of Relationship Marketing Theory (RMT), it would be expected that athletics departments employing a ticket sales force to help cultivate two-way relationships with consumers would see greater long-term ticket profits, although such a relationship has yet to be tested empirically. Using longitudinal ticket and donation revenue figures, the researchers develop multiple mixed effects, within-subject regression models to determine whether the hiring of proactive, outbound sales teams has a significant impact on ticket revenue and donations for Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) athletics departments. Thirteen years of panel data werecollected, including several control variables, to conduct the analysis. The results suggest proactive, outbound ticket sales efforts result in increases of over $1 million in both ticket revenue and donations, for each of the first three years after a ticket sales team is implemented. Number of home football games, prior year’s football attendance, and total student enrollment were also significant control variables for both ticket revenue and donations./em>
