University of Bayreuth at the largest European sports management conference

At the beginning of September, a delegation from the University of Bayreuth presented current research findings at the 32nd conference of the European Association for Sport Management - and won two prizes.

Von Theresa Hübner · 06.10.2024

The Bayreuth delegation at the 32nd EASM conference, from left to right: Yassin Philipp, Francis O'Neill, Matthias Anderski, Lars Brand, Tim Ströbel, Pascal Stegmann, Herbert Woratschek, Markus Kurscheidt, Sören Bär, Chris Horbel and Bastian Popp. Not in the picture: Christian Brandt, Claas Christian Germelmann, Tino Siegl.

The European Association for Sport Management (EASM) is the largest scientific exchange platform in the field of sport management in Europe. The University of Bayreuth was also represented at this year's EASM in Paris: The teams of the chairs of Marketing & Sport Management (Prof. Dr. Tim Ströbel) and Sport Governance & Event Management (Prof. Dr. Markus Kurscheidt) as well as some former research assistants of the University of Bayreuth presented current research projects in the fields of Sport Marketing and Sponsorship, Sport Governance as well as Sustainability and Sport Management. Prof. Kurscheidt and Prof. Dr. Sören Bär, who is an Associate Researcher at the University of Bayreuth, reached the final of the Best Conference Paper Award with their contributions.

Prof. Dr. Herbert Woratschek was also presented with the EASM Chelladurai Award. This prize is the most prestigious award presented by the EASM. It is awarded to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the development of sport management as an academic discipline. Woratschek held the Chair of Marketing & Service Management until 2022 and is the author or co-author of more than 400 publications. He carried out outstanding research work and supervised numerous doctoral students and postdocs during his time as Chair. Many of them are now heavily involved in the EASM community as professors. Woratschek has also supported the EASM and the global sport management community in various capacities for more than two decades.

Presentation of the EASM Chelladurai Award to Prof. Dr. Herbert Woratschek by EASM Board Member Aila Ahonen (left) and EASM Vice-President Karin Book (right).

His most significant research contribution is the application and transfer of Stephen Vargo and Robert Lusch's Service-Dominant Logic to sports management research. According to the Service-Dominant Logic, not only companies and organizations create value, but many players contribute to value creation. This core aspect is referred to as value co-creation. His subsequent work on the Sport Value Framework has changed the way of thinking in sport management research. Sports sponsorship or sporting events are no longer seen as products, but rather as platforms on which a wide variety of players contribute to value co-creation. Since Woratschek's publication, numerous academics in this field have based their research on his theoretical framework.

Presentation of the EASM Best Conference Reviewer Award to Dr Pascal Stegmann (centre) by the Co-Chairs of the EASM Scientific Committee Prof. Dr. Tim Ströbel (left) and Prof. Dr. Kostas Alexandris (right).

In addition, Dr. Pascal Stegmann, who worked as a research assistant at the Chair of Marketing & Sport Management at the University of Bayreuth from 2022 to 2023, was presented with the EASM Best Conference Reviewer Award at the EASM conference. This award recognizes outstanding commitment to the review process, which ensures the highest academic standards. The award was presented by the co-chairs of the EASM Conference Scientific Committee, Prof. Dr. Tim Ströbel and Prof. Dr. Kostas Alexandris (University of Thessaloniki).

Theresa Hübner

Stellv. Pressesprecherin

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