Sports teams could improve image with diversity advertising, study says

Sports teams and organizations may improve overall response to their advertising by embracing the LBGT market – that is, the market that comprises lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals – a new scholarly article suggests.

The article describes the results of research conducted by George Cunningham, a professor in the College of Education and Human Development at Texas A&M University, and E. Nicole Melton, assistant professor of sport management at Texas Tech University,

Cunningham and Melton examined a sample of 203 students enrolled at a large university. Results indicate that those who viewed LGBT-inclusive advertisements were more likely to believe the club was diverse and inclusive (based on racial diversity, sex diversity, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity) than those who viewed non-inclusive advertisements.

Cunningham and Melton also believe their findings may better inform practice and policy-making within sports organizations.

“Sport marketers and managers need to develop LGBT-inclusive policies for their organization,” they say. “Having such policies in place is not only socially responsible, but can also improve organizational processes and outcomes.”