Complete 11 pages APA formatted article: 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games.

Complete 11 pages APA formatted article: 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games. The particular aspects of the marketing strategies applied during these Games are analyzed highlighting the importance of following specific rules when using marketing in the area of sports activities. On the other hand, the particular characteristics of marketing are presented taking into account the fact that marketing is significant for the successful completion of sports activities worldwide. More specifically the financial support offered to athletes and sports organizations because of the promotion of specific products/ services helps the sports activities to be more approachable to people of all social classes. In the case of Special Olympic Games, the development of appropriate marketing strategies can have two significant results: a) the promotion of the efforts made by the athletes (this would lead to the increase of the number of people watching these Games) and b) the provision to the athletes of the adequate financial support in order to continue their efforts in the future. The organizations that support the athletes would be also supported financially ensuring that they could keep on providing the athletes will all necessary guidance and support at least for quite a long period.

The examination and analysis of the role of marketing within sports have been extensively examined in the literature. In accordance with a definition given by AMA (American Marketing Association): ‘Marketing is an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating, and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders’. Other definitions have been also formulated for marketing. A characteristic definition is that of Welsh (2003, 45) who supported that marketing is ‘the proactive identification and exploitation of opportunities.