Market Environment Within Which Sport Brand Operates

Introduction

As a group, we discussed a lot about our sports marketing idea before concluding the project. We decided to offer a service by looking at the opportunities in the existing Playertek/Statssport GPS product. With our intervention and improvement, the new GPS service will prove vital in the sporting industry as it will provide crucial information regarding players/performance. Through exploration, we found that despite the availability of past trackers in the market, there is none that focus primarily on the players' performance while considering the convenience of the subject person. As a result, our GPS units will be wearable where after we will collect the necessary information, analyze it and report the findings to coaches and managers of the football clubs that will use our service.

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By and large, the new service will seek to exploit the evident gap in sports science where many clubs at elite sub level do not take advantage of technology to improve players' condition and make decisions. In particular, our primary objective is helping clubs getting the accurate data regarding the situation of their players so that they can use the ones in optimum condition before matches. As a result, it is primarily intended to enhance performance by ensuring that everybody is in the right state before and after going to the field.

When launching the service, we will ensure that it meets two critical aspects in a way to make the market embrace it. Firstly, we think the issue of quality is vital. The other important factor is to set a realistic price. However, we must be prepared to overcome business competitors that imitate and improve other people's product and sell at a more competitive price. In this, we are vigilant of the activities of established sports brands in the world such as Adidas, Nike, Puma, and Umbro.

Market Analysis - Profile of Market Environment Within Which Brand Operates

The world of sports remains one of the most promising areas if one exploits the market with the required services or products. With our service applicable to every game, we intend to start with football and access other areas step by step. Approximately 78% of Irish nationals take part in sport at some point in their life (Sport Ireland, 2017, p.7). More so, and as nations expand, the need to nurture talents continues becoming a priority. Regarding that, there will be increased interests from various individuals and groups as they seek to improve the sport as an investment.

The reason for choosing an extensive market emanates from the fact that tracking of players' performance and their fitness information isn't only useful in football. Even if it is a major sport, we will still explore other areas as time goes by such as in volleyball, hockey, and rugby among others. Importantly, we will start with the Ireland market and explore other parts of Europe later. If resources, opportunities, and time allow we will offer the same services worldwide someday. However, we will keep tracking our performance in different timeframes, and if the conditions allow, we maximize our efforts and launch it in different countries simultaneously.

Another essential feature of this market is that it comprises different segments about age, interests, divisions, and gender compositions as well. For instance, it is possible to find in one team subgroups that include a team of ladies, men and junior team. Others are composed of under something category such as the case of under 21. Possibly, other clubs will also emerge and present an excellent opportunity for us to market our product. For now, we will focus on the highlighted aspects but try to maximize on every opportunity that pops up.

Positioning Statement/Brand Values

Our service is an entirely different thing from what the sporting world gets presently. While trackers have been in use for a long time, they haven't been objective like the way the GPS Units are programmed to do. Regarding that, our main difference will be the value addition. Secondly, our service will be passion driven; meaning that even if it is a business, our goal will be to improve the current processes to ensure sports reach a new level. Therefore, efficiency will be a signature characteristic. More so, we will be highly reliable such that we will be ready for consultation whenever needed. Most importantly, we will keep the information that the GPS Units collect confidential such that it is only our business partners can access and use it.

Until now, a prevalent problem in the sporting world is making correct decisions regarding training procedures and before matches, efficient use of sports' facilities, and sustained fan engagement (Sports Business Journal, 2016). Hence, if there is a way that the coaches can have their players' actual statistics before selecting their team, the better it will be to enhance performance as it will solve team selection problems. Indeed, many clubs have been depending on subjective physical assessment while making assumptions about their teams' performance and requirements (Lee, 2015). Therefore, the new devices will automatically address this problem; it will be an objective analysis based on accurate figures. Undoubtedly, the game plan will change, and productivity improves as well. Apparently, that is the central point of concern and the information that the different marketing techniques should sensitize when promoting the product. Above all, the sporting world will always require services that bring new sports product concepts (Shank & Lyberger, 2014, p. 261).

The brand values that our service represents are no doubt in line with what the sports culture endeavours to promote at all times. Firstly, everything in sports is about craze; sporting activities should enhance enthusiasm and passion. In connection, the GPS Units provision will improve the current situation so that services will be better as time advances. Secondly, innovativeness is a crucial consideration. Undoubtedly, we seek to provide a new service that solves problems. With the devices' accuracy, there will be reliable data to enhance decision-making. In this way, it will not just be a different service but one that addresses a critical need in the sporting world in the present day.

From our marketing research, physical evaluation, and critical thinking, we found that our primary target market will be football clubs. We will explore other sectors after assessing the performance in this area. Vitally, we have football expertise and some useful contacts. More so, we understand the dynamics of the game, and there is no doubt that it requires significant improvement. Nonetheless, we will keep on consulting on the needs we might not initially identify so that we can seek intervention strategies.

Secondly, either currently or in the past, we are conversant with the working, coaching, and playing dynamics of Cork, Carlow, Kilkenny, and Galway. Other areas we are conversant with include Waterford and Wexford. This way, we have beneficial ground contacts that will enhance our experience and knowledge.

From our surveys, the other areas that we will establish contacts include schoolboy/girl clubs u12-u18. Apparently, this is an area that is significantly growing in the football world and provides a promising market as well. While exploring these areas, we will keep in touch with the league and team representatives at these age groups. Also, the emerging talent centres/academies will be a significant area of interest. Above all, we will explore the current and emerging opportunities in junior/senior clubs at the specific levels in under 19, 20, and 21 years.

Marketing Objectives

From our analysis, the objectives we have will focus on several crucial areas; everything is intended to make the market more aware of the service and the need to use it for all events. The first will involve launching the brand. Herein, the GPS Units will reach the market while describing their vital role in sports development. Secondly, creating awareness as we build more contacts regarding our brand is a priority too. In this scenario, product promotion will take centre stage as we try to convince the current and emerging markets on the need to seek our services.

Far from that, it is necessary to leverage the existing contacts. When a business wishes to advance its methods, there is always a reliable segment of the market that has developed trust in it. This way, we seek to maximize the potential of the current market; it will help us to reach other areas as well as helping to promote our business through referrals. As we link up with our target areas, our primary connection technique will be showing the customers demos. In particular, it will be an opportunity to showcase our expertise in using the GPS Units as well as interpreting their data to illustrate its practicality.

Market Research

When marketing something, there are several factors along the political, economic, technological, and social-cultural lines that affect its profitability hence the need to evaluate how they apply to this scenario. Nevertheless, it is fortunate that the situation is somewhat favourable; therefore, there's a higher chance of GPS Units to perform excellently. Apparently, the political dynamics in Ireland depict an encouraging position for sporting services considering that the government, institutions, and the club are sufficiently aware of their roles to provide better facilities (Taylor, 2017). In this respect, they are more committed to supporting an invention that seeks to improve the current conditions hence a higher chance of the units' service to succeed.

In connection, a service in sports will also stand a better chance to succeed if the economy is supportive. More so, there need to be new developments in the industry that provide new opportunities for emerging innovations. Luckily, the Irish government is continuously funding women activities in sport (Sport Ireland, 2017). In such a case, there will be increased opportunities for women-related sporting events that our facility can exploit as time advances. Importantly, the country's GDP is somewhat stable since the current forecasts expect it to hit 4.2% in 2018 (Taylor, 2017). Regarding that, we hope for low sensitivity in matters concerning the cost of service hence a better chance to succeed too.

In marketing, the social-cultural environment is an important area to evaluate as well. Reason being, even if the political and economic segments might be supportive of our GPS Units services, people's attitude and perception towards sports and its improvement can affect profitability to a significant extent. It is motivating to notice that over 84% Irish nationals embrace sport and perceive it as a health and economic gain. More so, people engage in sports to enhance their lifestyle dynamics and sacrifice to improve it in many ways. Above all, adult participation is significantly high considering that approximately 38% of the Irish population has a sports club membership. Indeed, 89% believe it improves reputation (Federation of Irish Sport, 2016).

Nevertheless, the essential part concerning market research is on the current technological developments and their role in improving sports in Ireland. Partly, the fact that perception towards technology is highly favourable, market entry in new areas as well as leveraging the current market will be somewhat less challenging. For instance, technology involving performance analysis is emerging with goal-line technology and Video-Assisted Referee (VAR) facility on the rise too. In the same way, sports science knowledge is becoming a crucial part of the process, and its acceptance is evident at all levels. With all these developments, we believe th...