The Relationship between Marketing Strategies and Relationalism in Sport Marketing Networks

Present research aims to investigate the relationship between marketing strategies and relationalism in sport marketing networks. Statistical population of the study comprised of managers of all body building clubs (public and private ones) of Karaj city (N=884). Using Morgan’s table a sample of 269 managers was selected in a random way. After distribution and collection of questionnaires finally 237 completed ones were analyzed. Slater (2001)’s marketing strategy scale and Goffman’s (1992) relationalism scale were used for data collection. Sport experts and professionals were consulted to verify validity, content and number of questions of marketing strategy questionnaire and relationalism questionnaire. Conducting a pilot study on 30 respondents, reliability of the above-said two questionnaires were respectively verified by Cronbach’s Alpha values of 0.84 and 0.79. Present research was a descriptive- correlational one and conducted in the form of field study. Descriptive measures and statistical tests including kolmogorov-smirnov’s test, Pearson’s coefficient, stepwise multi-regression and path analysis were used for data analysis. Results showed that there was a positive and significant relationship between marketing strategy (p=0.004, r=0.186), aggressive marketing dimensions (p=0.017, r=0.156) and price leadership (0.027, r=0.156). Also there was a significant relationship between product presentation and relationalism (p=0.212, r=0.081). Results of regression analysis showed that relationalism in the regression equation was able to predict aggressive marketing strategy. Results of path analysis showed that marketing strategy had a positive significant effect on relationalism (t-value=2.09, r=0.28).