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An Exploration of whether Munster Rugby Supporters are a representation of a Brand Community

McGarry, Aidan (2020) An Exploration of whether Munster Rugby Supporters are a representation of a Brand Community. Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

With sport and rugby sitting within a multi-billion industry, the competition amongst sports organisations off the field is equal to what is experienced on the field. Supporters and fans are critical to the financial success of a club, and that is often influenced by the level of success experienced by the team. An organisation like Munster Rugby must compete to recruit, retain, and develop their supporter base, in the same way, any other organisation must do. They must filter their potential market down the funnel to the ideal target of creating active, loyal customers.

The brand community offers organisations means to develop and utilise a unique competitive advantage. The explosion of online platforms and mobile usage now means supporters always have the means to communicate and interact with a brand community and this “always-on” is of particular interest for an organisation such as Munster Rugby whose supporters are so passionate and enthralled.

This thesis, by the use of netnography, content analysis and a series of in-depth interviews, determines if Munster Rugby supporters represent a brand community and discusses the critical literature on the subject. Throughout this thesis, relevant primary and secondary research is used to highlight the practical benefits of what a successfully managed brand community might mean to Munster Rugby.

Item Type: Thesis (Masters)
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > Marketing > Branding
H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > Marketing
Divisions: School of Business > Master of Science in Marketing
Depositing User: Dan English
Date Deposited: 08 Feb 2021 14:33
Last Modified: 08 Feb 2021 14:33
URI: https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/4699

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