Development of the Strategic Marketing Plan of the Handball Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mehrdad Nikzamir 1
Najaf Aghaei 2
Mohammad Hossein Ghorbani 3
Hamid Foroghi 4
1 PhD Student, Department of Sport Management, Borujerd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Borujerd, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Faculty of Physical Education, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
3 Associate Professor, Sports Sciences Research Institute, Tehran, Iran
4 Assistant Professor, Department of Sport Management, Borujerd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Borujerd, Iran
10.22034/ntsmj.2024.720022
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to develop a strategic marketing plan for the handball federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This research is practical in terms of purpose and the type of exploratory mixed research with qualitative and quantitative methods was used to collect and analyze data. The statistical population included executive managers, experts and academic experts in the field of handball sports. From this population, 44 people were selected for the strategic committee of the federation using the purposeful sampling method. In addition to descriptive statistics, the internal and external factor evaluation matrix, a strategic positioning matrix, and a TOWS matrix were used to analyze information by topic. Lack of hardware equipment needed for marketing was the most important weakness, paying attention to the championship sport in society was the most important opportunity and the lack of interest of women and families in handball was the most important threat to the handball federation. The strategic position of the Handball Federation was placed in the competitive area. Therefore, based on the results of the research, increasing the live broadcasting and coverage of the Iranian, Asian and world league matches on radio and television, covering the news and improving the value of the handball brand in mass communication media, increasing the media share of handball in digital media and social, increasing the Federation's income sources from charitable donations, creating advertising and marketing capacities and mechanisms to introduce to brand owners, attracting material support from international handball institutions and organizations, and upgrading the Federation's expert human resources Handball was considered the most important strategy of this federation in the field of marketing. Based on the results of the research, it is suggested that the handball federation, while maintaining the steering council, should hold regular meetings of all the developed strategies and programs in order to implement them more precisely.
Keywords
Strategic planning
SWOT analysis
Handball federation
Strategic position. Sports marketing

  1.  

    1. Biscaia, R., Ross, S., Yoshida, M., Correia, A., Rosado, A., & Maroco, J. (2016). Investigating the role of fan club membership on perceptions of team brand equity in football. Sport Management Review, 19, 157–170.
    2. Coakley, J. (2014). Sports in society: Issues and controversies (11th Ed.). McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
    3. Cuskelly, G., Hoye, R., & Auld, C. (2006). Working with volunteers in sport: Theory and practice, New York: Routledge.
    4. Dixon, M.A., Noe, R., & Pastore, D. (2008). Human resource management systems and organizational effectiveness in non-profit sport organizations: A multilevel approach. International Journal of Sport Management, 9, 22-45.
    5. England Handball Association. (EHA). (2022). Handball’s Winning Strategy for 2022-2030, retrieved from: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jBlMog0IGn3i1Hb04qUziqyNJa5HXDK/view.
    6. European Handball Federation. (2021). EHF supports growth of European handball with 6 million euro, retrieved from: https://www.eurohandball.com/en/news/en/ehf-supports-growth-of-european-handball-with-6-million-euro/
    7. Faganel, A and Bratina, D. (2013). Commercial sponsorship, brand image and WTA tournament. Social Sciences and Humanities International Journal of Academic Research, 5(2), 156–162.
    8. Guangze, H., Ziyi, S. (2022). Research Based on the Operation of NBA Marketing Strategy, SHS Web of Conferences.
    9. Harris, L.C., and Jenkins, H. (2001). Planning the future of rugby union: a study of the planning activities of UK rugby clubs. Marketing Intelligence and Planning, 19(2), 112-124.
    10. Hudson, S. (2002). Sport and Adventure Tourism, Published by Routledge.
    11. Karen, B. (2009). Sport management, Learning Matters Ltd.
    12. Kriemadis, T and Terzoudis, C. (2007). Strategic marketing planning in the sport sector, Sport Management International Journal, 3(1), 27-45.
    13. Kriemadis, T., Terzoudis, C., Kartakoullis, N and Kapnisi, D. (2021). An Examination of the Current Strategic Marketing Planning Practices in Professional Sport Clubs, Services Marketing Quarterly, 43(3), 353-373.
    14. Mirchevska P, T., Zoran, J and Angeloska-Dichovska, M. (2012). Importance of the social media and their Integration in the Internet Marketing Strategies of the Companies. E-society Journal, 3(2), 43-49.
    15. Nicos, K., Thanos K., Christos T., Dimitra K. (2021). An Examination of the Current Strategic Marketing Planning Practices in Professional Sport Clubs. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332969.2
    16. Parkhouse, ., Turner, B and Miloch, K. (2017). Marketing for Sport Business Success 1st Edition, Kendall Hunt Publishing.
    17. Pedersen P., Miloch K., Laucella P. (2007). Strategic sport communication. Human Kinetics.
    18. Pitts, B. G., and Stotlar, D. K. (2002). Fundamentals of sport Marketing, Fitness Information Technology, U.S.A.
    19. Schwarz E. C., Hunter J. D., Brannigan K. J. and Cattani K. P. (2022). Advanced theory and practice in sport marketing, fourth edition, Routledge.
    20. Sedky, D., Kortam, W., AbouAish, E. (2022). The role of sports marketing in attracting audiences towards less popular, Sports Journal of Humanities and Applied Social Sciences, 4(2), 113-131.
    21. USA Team Handball Board of Directors. (2018). USA Team Handball 2018 - 2028 Strategic Plan. Retrieved from: 2018 USA Team Handball Strategic Plan (teamusa.org)