Conor Lilly

A Feasibility Study for a Professional Basketball Franchise: in Northern Ireland Conor Lilly

Having always had a great passion for sport and basketball in particular, the author found the prospect of utilizing his internship with the Melbourne Tigers Basketball Club to further his understanding of all aspects associated with a fully professional basketball club and the daily challenges they face as a purposeful challenge. The aim of this dissertation is to: 1. Research, in detail, the daily operations, protocols, processes and strategies developed and employed by professional basketball organisations in Australia, with a particular focus on the National Basketball League (NBL) and the Melbourne Tigers and apply the feasibility to creating a similar organisation to operate in Northern Ireland. The project will explore: 1. How professional sports teams operate, the potential challenges encountered and what strategies are applied to allow them to flourish financially, while maintaining a high brand awareness and fan loyalty level. 2. How the strategies implemented by professional franchises allow them to continue to be successful whilst adding commercial value to their respective organisations.