SRM 320 UArizona Global Campus Sports Marketing Program Discussion

As defined by McCarthy and Perreault (1988), the marketing mix refers to the controllable variables the company puts together to satisfy a target group. The marketing mix, then, is the recipe for creating a successful marketing campaign. The elements of the marketing mix most commonly associated with sport are often referred to as the “four P’s”: product, price, place, and promotion (Kotler, 2003). In sport marketing, we often refer to the “five P’s,” including public relations as its own P (instead of lumping it in with promotion), given the significant role it plays in sport marketing. In comparison with the marketing of a laundry detergent, soup, car, or telephone, there are some unique aspects of marketing the sport product that must be accounted for when discussing the marketing mix. Some of the most important differences are presented in Table 3-1. These differences and their relevance to sport marketers will be discussed throughout the rest of this chapter.