IDENTIFYING AND PRIORITIZING THE MOST IMPORTANT CUSTOMER ATTRACTION AND RETENTION MARKETING STRATEGIES IN SPORTS VENUES IN TEHRAN IN THE COVID-19 ERA (A QUALITATIVE STUDY)

Fateme hakimi¹ Azam ebrahimi²

1) 1M.A. student in sports management, Adib of Mazandaran Institute of Higher Education, Sari, Mazandaran, Iran.
2) Assistant Professor, Adib of Mazandaran Institute of Higher Education

IOI Code : XCGG-EKKFF
Publication : Second International Conference and Fourth National Conference on Innovations Sport Sciences(umasport2020.ir)
Abstract :
    The current pandemic has made attracting and retaining customers to sports venues a major challenge, and many sports venues have been closed for months. This research was carried out by an applied qualitative approach, i.e. it was applied in terms of purpose and was performed qualitatively, which included the three sections of the background study, semi-structured interviews with sports business experts, and finally the use of the Delphi technique to reach a consensus. The statistical population of this study was all professors and academic elites in the field of sports management and managers of sports complexes in Tehran province who have a license by the bureau of sports training to perform sports-related activities. The sampling method was the non-probability sampling method, of the purposive and convenience type, which continued until reaching the saturation stage. Data collection tools included background study and semi-structured in-person or telephone interviews, which were of conceptual interview type. 15 interviews were conducted and open coding was performed. For coding reliability, each interview was verified by the interviewee. Inter-rater agreement was used to calculate the coding reliability. Reliability between the two encoders was obtained as 88%, which was higher than 60%, and the reliability of the encoders was confirmed. The extracted items were presented to the Delphi group consisting of 13 experts (selected from the same interview group) in two rounds for consensus. The criterion for consensus was the 70% consensus of the opinions of the experts on each item. Eight factors were extracted from different stages of the research and given to the Delphi group, among which the seven factors of sports venue branding , proper information spreading , market role and performance investigation , endorsement , paying attention to the promotional services of the club , using traditional advertisements alongside modern advertisements, word of mouth advertisements were approved, and only the factor of fluency in English by the staff of the sports complex marketing department was eliminated. Based on the obtained results, optimal information spreading and branding in cyberspace through the methods of designing special and distinctive logos, names, and signs are recognized as the most important strategies. Keywords: Customers, Customer Attraction, Customer Retention, Sports Venues, Marketing Strategies, Delphi Method

Keywords : customers customer attraction customer retention sports venues marketing strategies delphi method