Marketing Problems Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Faces
Objective
The main objective of the critical report is to research and analyse a real brand. The selected brand is the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Students should focus on applying the concepts learned in the first two lectures.
WNBA
The WNBA is the American professional basketball league. It is composed of twelve teams, all based in the United States. The league was founded on April 22, 1996, as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association (NBA). WNBA is considered the best women’s basketball league in the world. Despite that, the league struggles to gain sponsors and increase ratings. Lisa Borders, the WNBA commissioner, mentioned that the league has a marketing problem. Adam Silver, the NBA commissioner, echoes the same sentiment and stated that he was “particularly frustrated that we’ve been unable to get young women, girls, to attend those games”. The inability to connect with young women and girls is only one of the many marketing issues the WNBA face.
Deliverable
Students need to submit a report identifying the marketing problems that the WNBA face and propose how the league can address them. Thinking critically is key.
The submission deadline is on 6 Apr 2023 at 13:00 via Moodle.
Research and analyses
There are three main parts to the report:
1. Research on the WNBA:
a. Conduct environmental analyses.
b. Consider the segmentation strategy.
2. Identify the marketing problems based on the research.
3. Propose how the WNBA can address the identified problems.
The research component essentially requires students to apply what they learned in the first lecture. Secondary research alone is sufficient, and primary research is not required. Students should discuss the micro and macroenvironment factors relevant to the WNBA. To demonstrate critical thinking, students should not list every factor mentioned in lecture or textbook and instead consider the key factors that are relevant to decision makings. This section should also include the segmentation used by the WNBA. Next, based on the research conducted, the report should identify the marketing problems. Students should apply the concepts learned in the first two lectures. Being able to critically think about various factors and identify the connections is important. For example, one could argue that the disposable income of consumers after COVID has dropped (i.e., economic factor), but the ticket price of the WNBA has gone up (i.e., price of marketing mix). This then creates an unattractive product for the target segment. Lastly, students should briefly discuss how the WNBA can address the problems identified.
Content and requirement
The report must have the following:
- Cover page
- Declaration form
- Main content (no more than 4 pages)
* Environmental analyses and segmentation (around 2 pages)
* Identifying problem (1-1.5 pages)
* Propose solution (0.5-1 page)
- References
Please adhere to the formatting guidelines outlined below:
- Spacing – 1.5 line spacing.
- Font – Times New Roman size 12.
- Standard of English – spelling, grammar, sentence structure, etc.
- Cover page, as per on Moodle must be included on page 1.
- Declaration form, as per on Moodle must be included on page 2.
- Include page numbers on all pages, except the cover page and the declaration form.
- A list of references as per Harvard style must be included at the end. Grading criteria
Environmental analyses and segmentation (40%)
- Demonstrate understanding of micro and macroenvironment.
- Demonstrate understanding of segmentation.
Problem identification (40%)
- The problem(s) identified is appropriate and insightful.
- The problem(s) identified is well linked with research.
Propose solution (15%)
- The solution(s) is well linked with the rest of the report.
- The solution(s) is realistic and actionable.
Writing and formatting (5%)
ANALYZING THE WNBA
By (Name)
Course Name
Professor’s Name
University
City, State
Date of Submission
The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Environmental Analysis
A wide range of political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal factors affect the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Political factors include government stability, trade blocks, competition regulation, and tax policy. Precisely, favorable tax policies enable the WNBA to easily expand and enhance economic value for the business and the country as a whole (Fink, 2015). The WNBA can also capitalize on existing trade treaties and blocks to make their services and products accessible through various distribution agencies and channels. Notable economic factors in the environment include inflation rates, unemployment trends, clientele spending trends, and interest rates (Liao, 2014). Moderate interest rates allow organizations such as the WNBA to take loans from lending institutions. Also, high consumer spending points toward high product consumption and purchases. High unemployment rates reflect an existing gap in knowledge and labor skills and lead to reduced disposable income within the economy, which can adversely affect the WNBA.
Health consciousness, family structure and size, education, and demographics are some of the key social factors influencing the WNBA and its operations. For instance, a substantial portion of the young generation will benefit the WNBA by affording a considerable consumer base (Spiteri et al. 2019). Also, high education levels point toward knowledgeable, skilled, and talented people in the talent pool for the organization in question. What is more, the family size and structure determine the nature and frequency of purchases, which prompts the WNBA to leverage push and pull approaches to enhance its appeal (Togiai, 2020). Besides, the augmented health consciousness has pushed the WNBA to collaborate with different agencies that focus on well-being as well as emotional, mental, and physical health. The use of social media, internet penetration, and technological infrastructure are key technological factors that affect the WNBA. The WNBA must also be aware of technology trends that heavily impact the macro-environment, which may include the use of big data analytics and machine learning to predict clientele behavior, as well as growing developments in artificial intelligence (Spiteri et al. 2019). Renewable energy investments, research and development initiatives, green consumption, and waste management are some of the notable environmental factors impacting the WNBA. Markedly, environmental factors are gaining traction among policymakers, regulators, and consumers in the same vein. Changing ecosystems and climate change are leading to extinction and pose a huge threat to the WNBA. A considerable number of legal factors also affect the WNBA. These factors include transparency in the Judicial System, consumer protection laws, adherence to common law, laws regarding restrictive trade practices and monopolies, health and safety laws, and data protection laws (Rugg, 2021). Thus, a keen awareness of the delineated environmental factors will benefit the WNBA and its core operations.
Segmentation Strategy
The WNBA leverages a combination of behavioral, psychographic, and geographic segmentation approaches to reach its target market. The WNBA has consumers of age groups 45-60 years and 20-45 years (Eden et al. 2013). It has a wide product portfolio for both females and males. The organization’s operations are spread across developed countries such as the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the US. The WNBA also targets hardworking, ambitious, confident, and determined consumers. The consumer segments involve frequent and regular product users who seek functional benefits. Most consumers are emotionally attached to the WNBA and remain loyal to the brand (Niemiera, 2017). The WNBA also focuses on upper and middle-upper social classes, especially those living in urban centers. Therefore, the organization’s segmentation strategy allows it to reach its most desirable customer base.
Marketing Problems
Lack of a connective medium, poor sense of inclusion, and starless nights are some of the most profound marketing problems facing the WNBA. The effective use of social networking sites can help fans connect to their teams. Most varsity sports operate their social media platforms, especially at the collegiate level, which...