Melissa Davies

Education

• Ph.D., Sport Administration, Minor in Applied Statistics and Research Methods, University of Northern Colorado, 2014
• Master of Science, Sport Management, California University of Pennsylvania, 2010
• Bachelor of Science, Sport Management, California University of Pennsylvania, 2008

Research Interests

• Sport Consumer Behavior
• Brand Management
• Participant Motivation

Publications

Journal Publications

• Wanless, E., Kennedy, H. , Davies, M.,Naraine, M., & Pegoraro, A. (In Press). Look what we have here: exploring brand-related sport consumer twitter conversation topics. Sport Marketing Quarterly.
• Davies M., Blaszka, M., & Armstrong, C.G. (In Press). Exploring the managerial perspective in developing a new team brand. Journal of Applied Sport Management.
• Davies, M.,Hungenberg, E., Aicher, T, & Newland, B. (In Press). Work[out] from home: Examining brand community among connected fitness brand users. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing.
• Smith, D., & Davies, M.(2023). Developing segmented marketing plans for the next-generation women’s sport franchise. Case Studies in Sport Management, 12(S1), S26-S30.
• Mooney, P. & Davies, M. (2023). Evaluating NIL Partnerships for Women in the NCAA. Case Studies in Sport Management , 12(S1), S13-S17.
• Armstrong, C.G. Davies, M.,& Blaszka, M. (2023). The Kraken Awakens: Exploring the Digital Launch of a New Sport Team Brand During a Global Pandemic. International Journal of Sport Communication , 16(4), 1-11.
• Davies, M.,& Strobel, T. (2022). Global sport management learning from home: Expanding the international sport management experience through a collaborative class project. Sport Management Education Journal. * 2022 Best Paper award finalist
• Davies, M., Armstrong, C.G., & Blaszka, M. (2022). No name, no logo, no problem?: Examining early fan connections to NHL Seattle. Sport Management Review. DOI: 10.1080/14413523.2021.1937894
• Mudrick, M., Sauder, M., & Davies, M.(2021). An examination of fan support of tanking in the NBA. Journal of Sport Behavior, 44(3).
• Newland, B., Aicher, T., Davies, M.,& Hungenberg, E. (2021). Sport and ecotourism: Sustainability of trail racing events in US National Parks. Journal of Sport & Tourism. doi./10.1080/14775085.2021.1902374
• Strode, J., Davies, M., & Lawrence-Benedict, H. (2020). Missing the mark: Gathering better data from student-athlete exit interviews. Case Studies in Sport Management, 9, 25-31.
• Mudrick, M., Sauder, M., & Davies, M.(2019). When athletes don’t “stick to sports”: The relationship between athlete activism and sport consumer behavior, Journal of Sport Behavior , 42(2).
• Davies, M.,Naraine, M., & Mastromartino, B. (2019). Puck drop in the Pacific Northwest: Building brand equity for a new professional sport franchise, Case Studies for Sport Management, 8, 18-24.
• Pierce, D., Davies, M., & Kryder, B. (2019). Innovate with design thinking in the sport management capstone course, Sport Management Education Journal, 13, 26-34.
• Hungenberg, E. & Davies, M.,Bailey, A. (2019). Understanding the Adventure Sportscape's Impact on Consumers' Destination Image and Behavioral Intentions, Event Management , 23, 329-346.
• Davies, M.,Babkes Stellino, M., & Gray, D. (2019). Basic psychological needs satisfaction and self-determined motivation among Canadian golf league members, Leisure/Loisi r, 42(4), 453-480.
• Davies, M., Hungenberg, E., & Aicher, T. (2019). The relationship between runners' environmental paradigm and their motives to participate in an urban or rural marathon. International Journal of Event and Festival Management ,10(1), 48-66. 
• Davies, M. & Hungenberg, E. (2018). Volunteer interactions at PGA Tour Events, Journal of Contemporary Athletics, 12(2), 83-103.
• Davies, M.& Mudrick, M. (2017). Brand management in a niche sport: An LPGA golfer's use of Instagram , Global Sport Business Journal, 5(1), 1-22. 
• Davies, M.& Gray, D. (2016). Exploring the information source preferences among adult golf league members, Journal of Amateur Sport , 2(2), 1-28.
• Davies, M., Coleman, L., & Babkes Stellino, M. (2016). The relationship between basic psychological need satisfaction, behavioral regulation, and participation in CrossFit. Journal of Sport Behavior, 39(3), 239-254.
• Davies, M., Babkes Stellino, M., Nichols, B., & Coleman, L. (2016). The relationship between other-initiated motivational climate and youth hockey players’ good and poor sport behaviors. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 28(1), 78-96.
• Davies, M.,& Burakowski, K.A. (2015). A qualitative analysis of athletic apparel and equipment sponsorship and student-athlete recruitment at the football championship. The Qualitative Repor t, 20(3), 271-285. http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR20/3/davies7.pdf

Book Chapters and Industry Press

• Brown, M., Davies, M., & Smith, D. (2022). If classrooms and industry can align, new lessons can propel the future of women’s sports. SportsBusiness Journal. https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/SB-Blogs/COVID19-OpEds/2022/03/31-BrownDaviesSmith.aspx
• Davies, M. (2021). ‘Maybe they just aren’t interested’: How psychology can recruit women to golf. SportsBusiness Journal. https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2021/07/19/Opinion/Davies.aspx
• Davies, M. (2021). Market research and analytics in the sport industry. In W. Dees, P. Walsh, C.D. McEvoy, S. McKelvey, B.J. Mullin, S. Hardy, & W.A. Sutton (Eds.) Sport Marketing (5th ed). Human Kinetics.
• Davies, M. (2020). Adventure races [micro chapter]. In Lawrence, H., & Wells, M. (Eds.), Event Management Blueprint: Creating & Managing Successful Sports Events (2nd ed).
• Davies, M. & Hungenberg, E. (2019). Management of professional women’s golf in the United States. In. N. Lough, & A. Guerin (Eds.), Handbook of the Business of Women's Sport.
• Davies, M. (August, 20, 2018). LPGA schedule hurts its domestic potential . SportsBusiness Journal. 
• Davies, M. (2017). Global sport management: Contemporary issues and inquiries: Book Review. International Journal of Sport Communication, 10(4).
• Davies, M. (August 17, 2015). Modernized rules could remove hurdles for millennial fans . SportsBusiness Journal. 

Select Presentations

• Newland, B., Davies, M., Hungenberg, E., & Aicher, T. (2022). Somebody high-five me!: Exploring motivations of connected fitness brand users. North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) Conference [published abstract].
• Davies, M., Hungenberg, E., Aicher, T, & Newland, B. (2021). Work[out] from home: The relationship between brand community and brand equity among connected fitness brand users. Sport Marketing Association Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada.
• Mudrick, M., & Davies, M. (2021). The impact of local sport broadcasting on brand equity. Sport Marketing Association Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada.
• Davies, M., Armstrong, C., Blaszka, M., Koczak, C., & Nunez, V. (2021). Exploring managerial perspectives on developing a new sport team brand in the MLS. North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) Conference [published abstract].
• Armstrong, C., Davies, M., Pegoraro, A., & Blaszka, M. (2020). Release the Kraken: An analysis of a virtual brand launch during a global pandemic. Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand (SMAANZ) Conference.
• Newland, B., Aicher, T., Davies, M., & Hungenberg, E. (2020). Mass Sport Events and the Environment: Can One Exist Without Destroying the Other? North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM), virtual conference [published abstract]."
• Davies, M., Armstrong, C. & Blaszka, M. (2019). No name, no logo, no problem?: Examining early fan connections to NHL Seattle. Sport Marketing Association Conference, Chicago, IL [published abstract].
• Davies, M. (2019). Putting the fan in the sport media driver’s seat. Sport Marketing Association Conference, Chicago, IL. [Ignite Symposium].
• Sauder, M., Mudrick, M., Davies, M., & Curtain, K. (2019). Past, present, future: An exploration of domestic LPGA fan motivation and identification, North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM), New Orleans, LA. [published abstract].
• Mudrick, M., Davies, M., & Sauder, M. (2018). Trust the process?” An investigation of fan support during periods of tanking. Sport Marketing Association Conference, Dallas, TX [published abstract].
• Davies, M. (2018). Design thinking in the sport management classroom. Sport Marketing Association Conference, Dallas, TX. [Professional Development Session].
• Mudrick, M., Sauder, M., & Davies, M. (2018). When athletes don’t “stick to sports”: The relationship between athlete political activism and sport consumer behavior. North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) Conference, Halifax, NS, Canada [published abstract].
• Davies, M. (2017). Design thinking in the classroom. Sport Marketing Association Conference, Boston, MA. [Ignite Symposium] *Won best Ignite Presentation.
• Burakowski, K., DaviesM., & Killick, L. (2017). Strategic Planning and Climate Change: A Case Study in the Ski Industry. European Association for Sport Management Conference, Bern, Switzerland.
• Aicher, T., Davies, M., & Hungenberg, E. (2017). The relationship between runners' environmental paradigm and their motives to participate in an urban or rural marathon. North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) Conference, Denver, CO [published abstract].
• Rufer, L. & Davies, M. (2017). The Adoption and Preferences Among Sport Fans for In-Stadium Sport Team Apps. North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) Conference, Denver, CO [published abstract].
• Mudrick, M., & Davies, M. (2016). An Examination of NCAA Conference Change, Fan Identification, and Consumer Behavior. Sport Marketing Association Conference, Indianapolis, IN [published abstract].
• Hungenberg, E., & Davies, M. (2016). Understanding the Adventure Sportscape's Impact on Consumers' Destination Image and Behavioral Intentions. Sport Marketing Association Conference, Indianapolis, IN [published abstract].
• Davies M., & Mudrick, M. (2016). Brand management in a niche sport: An LPGA golfer's use of Instagram. North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) Conference, Orlando, FL [published abstract].
• Davies, M., & Wyant, J. (2015). Technology preparation for future sport management professionals. Sport Marketing Association Conference, Atlanta, GA.
• Davies M. (2015). The Relationship between Basic Need Satisfaction and Self-Determined Motivation among Canadian Golfers. North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) Conference. Ottawa, Canada [published abstract].
• Davies, M. (2014). Information source preferences among older adult golfers. Sport Marketing Association Conference, Philadelphia, PA.

Biography

Melissa Davies, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Sport Administration at Ohio University. Davies earned a Ph.D. in Sport Administration with a minor in Applied Statistics and Research Methods from University of Northern Colorado. Her research is focused on brand management and consumer behavior in sport. Outside of school, Davies has worked as a Director of Marketing for an Independent League Baseball Team, as a City Recreation Programmer, and has an extensive history playing and coaching golf. Davies is an active member of the Wasserman Collective Think Tank, a global consortium academic and industry leaders working together on insights that drive actions to grow the business of women’s sport.