My primary research interest revolves around sponsorship and endorsement. These interests formed while working as a consultant with a national sponsorship agency, Velocity Sports & Entertainment (now MKTG). Within the area of sponsorship, I plan to conduct research more focused on understanding differences in sponsorship effects among industry categories, both related to product/service characteristics and subsequent differences in leveraging (on-site event activation, social media activation, advertising, CSR, etc.) practices. Additionally, I am interested in studying the common but lightly-investigated sponsor-property-agency relationship as it functions in sponsorship leveraging and activation.
Secondary areas of research interest include fan experience, student-athlete experience, and event management practices. While still early in my journey as a researcher, below are the first-fruits of my endeavors.
Dissertation
Rich, G. A. (2017). Hometown sponsorships: A sustainable competitive advantage for building brand ambassadors. University of GA: Athens, GA
Publications
Luo, L. Qian, T.Y., Rich, G., & Zhang, J. J. (2021) Impact of core and peripheral market demand on event identification and behavioral intentions of recurring hallmark sporting event spectators: An empirical study of the Shanghai Masters. International Journal of Sport Marketing and Sponsorship, 23(2), 311-325. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-12-2020-0218.
Hanna, C., Barnhill, C., Rich, G., Rundio, A., & Gipson, C. (2020). Savannah Hockey Classic attendance and motivation. Journal of Tourism Insights, 10(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.9707/2328-0824.1149.
Rich, G., Kungu, K., & Boolani, A. (2020). Student-athletes at an historically Black university (HBU): Examining the relationship between student engagement on campus and career situation awareness. Journal of Athlete Development and Experience, 2(2), p. 83-102. https://doi.org/10.25035/jade.02.02.02.
Rich, G., Hall, J. N., and Hawkins, B. J. (2019). Conceptual distinctions in general and local sponsorship objectives: A qualitative inquiry. In J. J. Zhang & B. G. Pitts, (Eds.), Contemporary issues in global sport business: Management, marketing, and cultural perspectives (pp. 261 – 297). Routledge (Research article in book format)
Cobbs, J., Groza, M. D., and Rich, G. (2015). Brand spillover effects within a sponsor portfolio: The interaction of image congruence and portfolio size. Marketing Management Journal, 25(2), 107-122.
Presentations
Slavich, M., Rich, G., & Williams, D. P. (2020, May). A new player in town: Fan consumption behavior factors within a recently-competitive market. Presented at 2020 North American Society of Sport Management (NASSM) Conference, San Diego, CA.
Rich, G., Qian, Y., & Luo, L. (2021, October). Examining the relationship among market demand, event identification, and behavioral intentions at the Shanghai Masters. Presented at 2021 Sport Marketing Association Conference, Las Vegas, NV.
Rich, G., Kungu, K., & Boolani, A. (2020, April). Career situation awareness and on-campus engagement experiences of student-athletes: Examining racial majorities in an HBU and PWI context. Presented at 13th Annual College Sport Research Institute (CSRI) Conference on College Sport, Colombia, SC (Cancelled due to Coronavirus Pandemic)
Slavich, M., Rich, G. & Williams, D. P. (2019, November). Home fare advantage: An examination of the role of food and beverages in Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s spectator experience. Presented at 17th Annual Sport Marketing Association (SMA) Conference, Chicago, IL
Rich, G. Kungu, K., & Boolani, A. (2019, June). Student-athletes at an historically Black university (HBU): Examining the relationship between student-athlete engagement on campus and career situation awareness. Presented at the Tenth International Conference on Sport and Society. Toronto, Canada.
Rich, G., and Hawkins, B. J. (2015, October). Do millennial endorser preferences still match-up when considering race and gender? Presented at 13th Annual Sport Marketing Association (SMA) Conference, Atlanta, GA
Posters
Qian, Y., Rich, G., & Luo, L. (2021, October). Toward a better understanding of core and peripheral market demand for women’s sporting events: An importance-performance map analysis approach. Poster to be presented at 2021 Sport Marketing Association Conference, Las Vegas, NV.
Rich, G., Barnhill, C. R., and Hanna, C. (2018, November). Exploring work-integrated learning: A case study in course-driven management of a not-for-profit sporting event. Presented at 2018 Sport Entertainment & Venues Tomorrow (SEVT) Conference, Columbia, SC.
Rich, G., and Hawkins, B. J. (2014, October). Fan and consumer: A sponsor brand consumption model for consumer-focused sport sponsorship. Presented at 2014 Sport Marketing Association XII (SMA) Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
Rich, G., Hawkins, B. J., and Byon K. K. (2014, May). An interdisciplinary conceptualization of hierarchical leisure constraint theory, constraint negotiation, and endorsement. Presented at 2014 National American Society of Sport Management (NASSM) Conference, Pittsburgh, PA.
Rich, G., Byon K. K., and Baker, T. A. (2013, October). Sleeping bag sponsorship model: Warming up to corporate sponsors. Presented at 2013 Sport Marketing Association XI (SMA) Conference, Albuquerque, NM.
Gregg Rich | Portfolio 