Sports Consumers' Impact

Lesson Overview

Year Level: Year 9
Curriculum Area: Health and Physical Education
Sub-Strand: Movement and physical activity - "Examine the role that physical activity, outdoor recreation, and sport play in the lives of Australians and investigate how this is influenced by different cultural beliefs and traditions" (AC9HP9M04)
Duration: 70 minutes
Class Size: 28 students

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this lesson, students will:

1. Understand the concept of sports consumers and their role in influencing sports marketing in Australia.
2. Analyse the connection between sports marketing decisions and consumer behaviours.
3. Apply critical thinking to develop a mini sports marketing plan based on consumer demographics and preferences.

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Lesson Plan

1. Warm-Up Activity: "Sports Fanatics" (10 minutes)

Purpose: Engage students with the topic and activate prior knowledge about sports consumers.

Activity:

1. Divide the class into 4 small groups (7 students each).
2. Provide each group with butcher's paper and colourful markers.
3. Pose the question:
   • Who do you think are the people (consumers) that love sport the most?
   • What kind of impact do they have beyond just watching games?
4. Groups will brainstorm and draw a "sports consumer profile" (e.g., gender, age, income, behaviours, and attitudes).
5. Display the profiles around the room and conduct a brief walk-through discussion.

Key Points to Reinforce:

• Sports consumers include fans, athletes, families, and even businesses.
• Economic influence: tickets, merchandise, broadcasting rights.

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2. Direct Teaching: "The Power of Sports Consumers" (15 minutes)

Purpose: Deliver foundational understanding of sports consumers’ impact on sport marketing.

Facilitation:

• Define sports consumers: Individuals or groups who interact with and engage with a sport product, service, or brand.
• Discuss key behaviours of sports consumers (e.g., attending events, purchasing merchandise, engaging with social media).

Australia-Specific Case Studies:

• The AFL Grand Final: Importance of fan attendance, TV ratings, and merchandise sales.
• NRL State of Origin Series: Leveraging rivalry to boost ticket sales and TV revenues.
• The role of consumers in growing women's sports (e.g., AFLW and Matildas).

Question to Pose:
How would sports teams adapt their marketing strategy if fewer people watch games on TV but fans are more active on social media?

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3. Collaborative Activity: "Create the Ultimate Sports Campaign" (30 minutes)

Purpose: Apply knowledge to a real-world scenario and foster creative and analytical thinking.

Activity Instructions:

1. Divide the class back into the same 4 small groups.
2. Each group will represent a fictional Australian sports team (e.g., Thunder Roos Basketball, Waverly Surf Club, Outback Strikers).
3. Teams must create a mini-marketing plan targeted at their identified sports consumers.

Marketing Plan Brief:

• Choose 1 primary target audience (e.g., teens aged 12-18, young families, corporate sponsors).
• Develop 2 marketing strategies customised to the target audience (e.g., TikTok challenges for teens, family bundles for tickets).
• Identify how they’ll measure success (e.g., survey ticket buyers, track social media engagement).

Deliverables:
Each team will pitch their ideas in 90 seconds at the end of the activity.

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4. Class-Wide Discussion: "The Future of Sports Consumers" (10 minutes)

Purpose: Reflect on key learnings and encourage critical thinking about the evolution of sports marketing.

Discussion Prompts:

• How is social media changing the way Australian sports teams engage with their fans?
• Should sports marketing become more focused on ethical issues (e.g., sustainability, diversity)? Why or why not?
• Predict: What might the typical "sports consumer" look like in 10 years?

Allow students to add their unique perspectives, then summarise major insights.

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5. Cool Down: Reflection and Exit Card (5 minutes)

Purpose: Consolidate learning and provide individual feedback.

Reflection Prompt:
Ask each student to reflect and write on an index card:
What’s one new thing you learned about sports consumers and marketing today, and how might this influence the way you view sports?

Collect the cards as students leave the room for quick feedback to inform the next lesson.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For visual learners: Incorporate infographics about sports consumers and Australian sports revenue.
• For auditory learners: Share a 1-2 minute audio clip of an AFL marketer discussing fan engagement (if pre-recorded material is available).
• For students needing extensions: Ask these students to refine or present their group’s marketing plan as a visually appealing pitch deck or poster.

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Assessment (Formative)

• Observe student discussion during brainstorming and group activities to ensure engagement.
• Evaluate the creativity and feasibility of ideas shared during group pitches.
• Exit cards provide evidence of individual understanding and personal reflection.

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Resources and Materials

1. Butcher's paper and markers.
2. Student index cards for reflection.
3. Case study examples of Australian sports marketing successes (verbal or written).
4. Pre-made team names (optional).

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Teacher Reflection

• Were all students engaged during group work and discussions?
• Did the "Create the Ultimate Campaign" activity highlight understanding of sports consumers?
• Were any concepts difficult to explain or warrant further revision in upcoming lessons?

By introducing a dynamic mix of discussion, collaboration, and application, this lesson empowers Year 9 students to critically analyse the role of sports consumers in marketing and prepares them for a deeper understanding of sports commerce in Australia.