A Qualitative Examination of Disability Sport Executives’ Perceptions of Sport Promotion and the Acquisition of Sponsors, pp. 92-100

Michael Cottingham
Brian Gearity
Kevin K. Byon

While research exists on the marketing of disability sport (Byon, Carroll, Cottingham, Grady, & Allen, 2011), researchers have not yet examined disability sport executives’ perspectives on marketing, promotion, and sponsorship. The purpose of this study was to examine three disability sport (i.e., International Wheelchair Rugby Federation, International Tennis Federation, and United States Tennis Association) executives’ perspectives of sport marketability and the acquisition of sponsors. Key findings include executives’ mixed-support for webcasting, television coverage, and the need to develop strategic partnerships and effective implementation of traditional sponsorship (e.g., corporate social responsibility and specific product sponsorship). Notwithstanding some reservations, executives also stated that presenting athletes with disabilities as inspirational would likely benefit visibility and market share.