S.W.O.T. Analysis Making sure you see the big picture Sport Marketing Dr. Sutton Fall 2005 1 S.W.O.T Analysis • A S.W.O.T Analysis identifies and analyzes the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats an organization faces in the near and short/long term depending upon organizational goals and objectives • Each of these elements can have internal and external aspects 2 S.W.O.T Analysis - Strengths • Strengths can be defined to include in past/historical accomplishments – history and tradition and so forth • Strengths also refer to the present – conditions that define an advantageous market position or a current situational condition 3 S.W.O.T Analysis - Weaknesses • Like strengths, weaknesses can refer to past difficulties that have contributed to the current situation as well conditions derived from the current marketing climate • Weaknesses may be factual or fictional in any case Perception is Reality for the marketer 4 S.W.O.T Analysis - Opportunities • Opportunities are defined as possibilities that have not become realities at the current time – while they are primarily future focused they can occur in the present or in the short term 5 S.W.O.T Analysis - Threats • Similar to Opportunities, Threats can be defined as potential problems. A threat, like an opportunity can exist in the present if that particular situation has not directly impacted the marketing conditions. In fact, it is common for threats to be current market conditions outside the geographic scope of a particular organization. 6 S.W.O.T Analysis • Let us examine the WNBA in terms of the SWOT Analysis Outline we have presented 7 WNBA S.W.O.T Analysis • Strengths – NBA Brand and Association – NBA Corporate Partners – Experienced sales and sponsorship staff – Television contract – Most successful women’s professional team sport – Huge participant base 8 WNBA S.W.O.T Analysis • Weaknesses – 5 teams have folded in the past 2 seasons – Perceived to be an inferior product in terms of skill levels – ESPN no highlights – Not embraced internally by business staff – Salary levels not growing – losing players to international opportunities – Male support lacking on several key levels – Lack of profit making history 9 WNBA S.W.O.T Analysis • Opportunities – Olympics as tool to promote awareness and create a marketing window during the Olympics – International expansion – DT --The next MJ? – Investors purchasing and running teams independent of – but in an alliance with the NBA – Connecticut, Chicago 10 WNBA S.W.O.T Analysis • Threats – The Olympics altering the season – Lack of viable markets for expansion/relocation – NBA ownership could pull the plug – Sponsors may not be interested in supporting the WNBA thru their NBA agreements – Continued flat/decreasing attendance 11 YOUR TURN………………….. • Give some thought about this prior to coming to class – what are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the DeVos Sport Business Program? 12