Using Experiential Client-Based Projects in Sport Sales Courses

Saleshasgraduallygainedtractioninthesportmanagementprogramsoverthepast 15years.Thisarticleexaminestheextenttowhichclient-basedexperientialprojects areusedinsportsalescoursesanddeterminesifteachingpracticesaredifferentin client-basedandnon-client-basedcourses.Onlinesurveyresponseswerereceivedfrom 36of85sportmanagementprogramsthatofferasportsalescourse.Resultsindicated that58.3%of sport sales coursesutilizeda client-basedexperiential salesproject. Thesportsproperties thatpartnerwithsalesclasses themostarecollegeathletics, minorleagueteams,andBigFiveprofessionalsportsteams.Clientsprovidedstudents with leads in55%of theprojects.Themostpopularorganizationalmodelwas the independentmodel,whichwasemployedby70%ofthecoursesengaginginaclientbasedproject,followedbytheon-campusandin-venuesmodels.Client-basedcourses weremorelikelytousemocksalescalls,guestspeakers,andtheSalesHuddlegame. Implicationsforteachingclient-basedexperientialcoursesareaddressed. KEywoRdS Experiential learning, Sales education, Sport management education, Sport management, Sport sales International Journal of Marketing and Sales Education Volume 1 • Issue 1 • January-June 2018 2 INTRodUCTIoN Using Experiential Client-Based Projects in Sport Sales Courses Despitethefactthatsalesisacareerpursuedbymanymajorsoncollegecampuses,a shortageofsalestalentexistsinmanyfields,includingsportmanagement(Cummins, Peltier, Erffmeyer, & Whalen, 2013; Popp, Simmons, McEvoy, 2017). Within the sportindustry,thegrowthofbusiness-to-consumerinsidesalesteamsinprofessional sports and college athletics has created demand for qualified salespeople (Pierce, Popp, & McEvoy, 2017). Sales positions outnumber all other types of entry-level positionsbya3-to-1margin,accordingtodataavailableonleadingsportsjobsearch siteTeamworkOnline.Forexample,ticketsalesandservicepositionsaccountedfor 34%ofallentry-leveljobsonTeamworkOnlineinOctober2017,andthisnumber risesto41%whenincludingjobsinsponsorshipsales.Insum,ticketandsponsorship salespositionsaccountedfor24%ofalljobsonthesite.Anotherleadingwebsitefor jobsearches,WorkInSports,estimatedthat53%ofjobpostingsrequiresomelevel ofsalesexperienceorcompetence(Clapp,2016).Despite theprevalenceofentrylevel jobs in sales, sportmanagementprogramshavebeen slow to respond to this marketplacereality.Acomprehensivereviewofsportmanagementprogramsrevealed thatonly22%ofundergraduatesportmanagementprogramshaveacourseinsport sales(Pierce,inpress).Thisadoptionratemirrorsthe21%adoptionofsalescourses inAACSB-accreditedinstitutionsinbusinessschools(Fogel,Hoffmeister,Rocco,& Strunk,2012).Theunderrepresentationofsaleseducationinthesportmanagement curriculumisproblematicgiventhesignificantquantityofentry-levelpositionsand theabove-averagecompensationlevelsandupwardmobilityforthosesuccessfulin thoseentry-levelpositions(Pierceetal.,2017). Thepaucityofsaleseducationwithinthesportmanagementcurriculumhasresulted in a void of sales talent prepared to fill the available positions. Compounding the problemontheacademicsideoftheequationaretheineffectivesalesmanagement strategiesusedtoprepareentry-levelsalespeopleforsuccess.Kirby(2017)notedthe highturnoverratestemsfromforcingentry-levelsalespeopleintheirearly20s,who rarelyusetheirsmartphoneforphonecalls,tomake100scriptedcallsperdayina boilerroomenvironment.Thiscreatesatop-downindoctrinationstructurethatdoes notallowforcreativethinkingandofferslittleprofessionaldevelopmentandtraining. Infact,Poppetal. (2017)foundnearlyaquarterofsaleshires incollegeathletics receivedfewerthantwohoursoftrainingbeforemakingtheirfirstsalescall.Even moreshocking,halfof the respondents to thesurvey indicated that theiremployer providedfewerthantwohoursofmonthlyon-goingtraining.Asaresult,entry-level sportsalespositionshaveseenhighratesofturnover.Itisestimatedthatfiveoutof sixentry-levelticketsalespeopleeitherchoosetoleavesalesorareletgofromtheir positions(King,2010),aratesignificantlyhigherthanthe28%annualturnoverinother businesses(Fogeletal.,2012).Therefore,itiscriticalthatsportsaleseducatorsprovide studentswithhigh-qualitysaleseducationthatsimulatesreal-worldenvironmentsto bestpreparethemtosucceedintheirfirstsalesposition. 17 more pages are available in the full version of this document, which may be purchased using the "Add to Cart" button on the product's webpage: www.igi-global.com/article/using-experiential-client-basedprojects-in-sport-sales-courses/216123?camid=4v1 This title is available in InfoSci-Educational Leadership, Administration, and Technologies eJournal Collection, InfoSci-Digital Marketing, E-Business, and E-Services eJournal Collection, InfoSci-Journals, InfoSci-Journal Disciplines Business, Administration, and Management, InfoSci-Journal Disciplines Library Science, Information Studies, and Education, InfoSci-Select, InfoSci-Education Knowledge Solutions – Journals, InfoSci-Business Knowledge Solutions – Journals. Recommend this product to your librarian: www.igi-global.com/e-resources/libraryrecommendation/?id=161