Strategic repositioning and growth of the Sports Fan Coalition

Organized Intersets and Lobbying

Organized interests and lobbying

The Sports Fan Coalition is in dire need of a strategic approach to reposition itself within the market in such a manner that it attracts more members. It is also necessary for it to grow. In these endeavors, a specific need arises in that of mitigating the free rider problem. Ultimately, consideration should be granted to the possibility of turning the Sports Fan Coalition into a lobbying organization.

a) Organizational growth

The objective of organizational growth ought to be approached from two distinct angles. On the one hand, there is the growth in terms of the products and services offered, which would serve as a primary mechanisms of attracting new members. On the other hand, there is the growth through expansion into new markets -- this would also constitute mechanism for gaining new customers.

At an initial level, it would be necessary to develop new products and services which serve the sports entertainment needs of a wider audience base. In this order of ideas, the new products would have to meet several requirements, such as increased diversity, easy accessibility as well as affordability.

At the level of growth through market expansion, it would be necessary to conduct research and identify the regions which generate demand for the services provided by the Sports Fan Coalition. Specifically, the company would launch operations in regions where sports are cherished, but where the field of sports entertainment services is underdeveloped or underserved.

b) the attraction of new members

As it has been mentioned throughout the previous section, the main means of attracting new members are those of creating new services and launching the company's operations onto new markets. These strategies however only represent starting points and bases for the attraction of new members, but the actual attraction is the result of intense marketing efforts. In other words, it would be necessary to develop and implement a complex marketing strategy by which the company is repositioned in a means that best appeals to the prospective customers.

The sports entertainment products and services offered by the Sports Fan Coalition would be presented in a means in which they promote and represent the fun associated with sports, as well as the thrill of the competition and team spirit. These features are the ones most likely to attract sports fans (Berger, 2008).

d) Lobbying organization

By becoming a lobbying organization, the Sports Fan Coalition would gain an increased ability to influence the decisions of policy makers (Wright, 1989). In other words, it would reveal a real ability to influence legislations in favor of the sports entertainment industry. Today however, the company's ability to become an effective lobbying organization is rather restricted and this is because of the company's restricted size and importance within the field.

However, once it implements its growth strategies and becomes a stronger economic agent, it stands increased chances of enhancing its capabilities as an efficient lobbying organization. This virtually means that it would reemerge as a reliable organization, able to gain the support of other players in the industry, and also able to attract the attention of political parties.

Overall, the Sports Fan Coalition is a reputable player in the sports entertainment industry, with tremendous potential. For the immediate period however, it is necessary for it to develop and implement a complex strategic endeavor, focused onto three directions -- expanding the operations and the size, attracting new members and mitigating the free rider problem. Each of these objectives can be attained through particular organizational strategies, such as growth through product development or market expansion, new positioning strategy, the replacement of free services with demonstrative solutions, and finally, the strengthening of the organization to develop strategic partnerships within the industry and build power to influence legislators.

References:

Berger, C., 2008, Strategic sports marketing -- the impact of sport advertising upon consumers: Adidas -- a case study, GRIN Verlag

Hall, R.L., Wayman, F.W., 1990, Buying time: moneyed interests and the mobilization of bias in congressional committees, the American Political Science Review, Vol. 84, No. 3

Wright, J.R., 1989, PAC contributions, lobbying and representation, the Journal of Politics, Vol. 51, No. 3

Yoho, J., 1995, Madison on the beneficial effects of interest groups: what was left unsaid in "federalist" 10, Polity, Vol. 27, No. 4

Growth through product development, Business Link, http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/layer?topicId=1079050015 last accessed on December 15, 2010