In a still-uncertain economic climate, sports marketers are rightfully putting greater emphasis on customer loyalty and fan experience.
One of my favorite movies is the old Peter Sellers classic, "Being There." Sellers plays Chance, an illiterate live-in gardener who, upon the death of his wealthy proprietor, is cast into a real world that he has been totally sheltered from. A comedy of events brings him inside the power circles of U.S. political might, where his literal musings about the coming "growth of the garden in Spring" are misinterpreted as brilliant metaphor for the future of the U.S. economy.
SI Columnist Gary Van Sickle's 2011 golf season preview roundtable discussion includes comments from Sports and Leisure Research Group President Jon Last on topics including an outlook for the year ahead, the state of private clubs, equipment launches and the opportunities presented by custom fitting and women friendly initiatives.
The winter 2011 issue includes commentary by SLRG President Jon Last on how a variety of evolving societal values and demographic changes are creating challenges for the golf industry, as well as some ideas on what can be done to stem the tide.
We are still clawing our way out of an economy that has not fully righted itself, and the current consumer mindset brings significant implications for sports marketers. The prevailing attitude has become one of calculated rather than conspicuous consumption.
SLRG research on the golfer mindset in 2010 and its implications for golf facility operators is highlighted in this feature story from the March 2010 issue of Activate!
Gilford Securities extensively quotes Sports and Leisure Research data.
by Jon Last, Tues, Jan 12, 2010. As we bid goodbye to the first decade of the 21st century, I'm reminded of the often-quoted first line of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times"
by Jon Last, Tuesday, Nov 10, 2009. It's bothersome that, for many, discounting appears to be the catch-all cure to attempt to win back consumers who have cut back on their sports-related spending.
Jon Last was featured in GolfWeek columnist Brad Klein's June 20th, 2009 article on the state of private clubs and the impact of changing consumer demand dynamics on attracting and retaining members.
Jon Last is quoted on the potential impact of the changing golfer mindset on participation and equipment purchasing, in Bradley Klein's latest column
