Prior to beginning work on this assignment, read Chapter 13: Financial Ratio and Chapter 14: Moving From Strategy to Action in your textbook.
The final paper culminates your learning achieved in the course bydemonstrating your understanding and application of knowledge in the field of sport finance.
In this assignment, you will create a condensed business plan for purchasing and operating a professional sports team. This is a hypothetical sports team, and you may make assumptions to support your key points.
Important Note: Use a spreadsheet program such as Excel to create the financial statements. If needed, review the recommended video Tutorial: Using Excel to Prepare Financial Statements (Links to an external site.). Then, embed the statements by copying and pasting them into the final Word document. If needed, consult the Writing Center’s Tables, Images, and Appendices (Links to an external site.).
In your paper,
- Introduce your sports business (e.g., football team, location, etc.) (Overview).
- Explain the importance of having diversity, equity, and inclusion in your leadership team and how it can add value (Leadership Team).
- Discuss how specific marketing promotions will help drive revenue and profitability for your sports organization. Consider trends, diverse audience segments, market strategy, pricing, sponsorships, advertising, and revenue generation sources, and so on (Marketing).
- Explain why diversity and inclusion is important in securing sponsorship deals. Describe at least one sponsor or advertiser your sports business can partner with that would demonstrate a commitment to diversity (Sponsorship Deals).
- Discuss at least one tax and one legal issue you may face in the purchase or operation of your sports business (Tax and Legal Issues).
- Develop pro forma financial statements (5 years) for your sports business (Financial Plan):
- A monthly income statement for Year 1, quarterly for Year 2, and annually for Years 3, 4, and 5.
- A balance sheet on a monthly basis for Year 1, a quarterly basis for Year 2, and annual basis for Years 3, 4, and 5
- A statement of cash flows on a monthly basis for Year 1, a quarterly basis for Year 2, and an annual basis for Years 3, 4, and 5
- Include a list of key assumptions that drive your financial plan for all financial statements (Financial Plan Assumptions).
- Describe three financial metrics or ratios that you will use to analyze the health of your business (Financial Analysis).
- Explain three potential financial risks for your sports business (Financial Risks).
- Describe possible ways to mitigate each of the risks listed above (Mitigate Risks).
- Describe what you will offer potential investors to seek funding for your business. Consider types of ownership, stocks, dividends, interest payments, royalty fees, merchandise profit sharing, perks, and so on (Investor Return on Investment).
- Describe your exit strategy assuming you are ready to sell the sports business in 10 years (Exit Strategy).
The Business Plan final paper
- Must be eight to 10 double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA Style (Links to an external site.) as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA Formatting for Microsoft Word resource.
- Must include a separate title page with the following:
- Title of paper in bold font
- Space should appear between the title and the rest of the information on the title page.
- Student’s name
- Name of institution (The University of Arizona Global Campus)
- Course name and number
- Instructor’s name
- Due date
- Title of paper in bold font
- Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic Voice (Links to an external site.) resource for additional guidance.
- Must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph. Your introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis statement that indicates the purpose of your paper.
- For assistance on writing Introductions & Conclusions (Links to an external site.) and Writing a Thesis Statement (Links to an external site.), refer to the Writing Center resources.
- Must use at least five scholarly or credible sources in addition to the course text.
- The Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources (Links to an external site.) table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source.
- To assist you in completing the research required for this assignment, view the Quick and Easy Library Research (Links to an external site.) tutorial, which introduces the University of Arizona Global Campus Library and the research process, and provides some library search tips.
- Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your Paper (Links to an external site.) guide.
- Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center. See the APA: Formatting Your References List (Links to an external site.) resource in the Writing Center for specifications.
Grading Rubric:
Total Possible Score: 18.00
Overview – Introduces the Sports Business
Total: 1.00
Distinguished – Thoroughly introduces the sports business.
Proficient – Introduces the sports business. Minor details are missing.
Basic – Minimally introduces the sports business. Relevant details are missing.
Below Expectations – Attempts to introduce the sports business; however, significant details are missing.
Non-Performance – The introduction of the sports business is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.
Leadership Team: Explains the Importance of Having Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in a Leadership Team and How It Can Add Value
Total: 1.50
Distinguished – Thoroughly explains the importance of having diversity, equity, and inclusion in a leadership team and how it can add value.
Proficient – Explains the importance of having diversity, equity, and inclusion in a leadership team and how it can add value. Minor details are missing.
Basic – Minimally explains the importance of having diversity, equity, and inclusion in a leadership team and how it can add value. Relevant details are missing.
Below Expectations – Attempts to explain the importance of having diversity, equity, and inclusion in a leadership team and how it can add value; however, significant details are missing.
Non-Performance – The explanation of the importance of having diversity, equity, and inclusion in a leadership team and how it can add value is either nonexistent or lacks the components as described in the assignment instructions.
Marketing: Discusses How Specific Marketing Promotions Will Help Drive Revenue and Profitability for the Sports Organization
Total: 1.50
Distinguished – Thoroughly discusses how specific marketing promotions will help drive revenue and profitability for the sports organization. Fully considers trends, market strategy, pricing, sponsorships, advertising, and revenue generation sources, etc.
Proficient – Discusses how specific marketing promotions will help drive revenue and profitability for the sports organization. Considers trends, market strategy, pricing, sponsorships, advertising, and revenue generation sources, etc. Minor details are missing.
Basic – Discusses how marketing promotions will help drive revenue and profitability for the sports organization and somewhat considers trends, market strategy, pricing, sponsorships, advertising, and revenue generation sources, etc. Relevant details are missing.
Below Expectations – Attempts to discuss how marketing promotions will help drive revenue and profitability for the sports organization; however, does not consider trends, market strategy, pricing, sponsorships, advertising, and revenue generation sources, etc. and significant details are missing.
Non-Performance – The marketing plan is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.
Sponsorship Deals: Explains Why Diversity and Inclusion Is Important in Securing Sponsorship Deals and Describes at Least One Sponsor or Advertiser a Sports Business Can Partner With That Would Demonstrate a Commitment to Diversity
Total: 1.50
Distinguished – Thoroughly explains why diversity and inclusion is important in securing sponsorship deals and comprehensively describes at least one sponsor or advertiser a sports business can partner with that would demonstrate a commitment to diversity.
Proficient – Explains why diversity and inclusion is important in securing sponsorship deals and describes at least one sponsor or advertiser a sports business can partner with that would demonstrate a commitment to diversity. Minor details are missing.
Basic – Minimally explains why diversity and inclusion is important in securing sponsorship deals and partially describes at least one sponsor or advertiser a sports business can partner with that would demonstrate a commitment to diversity. Relevant details are missing.
Below Expectations – Attempts to explain why diversity and inclusion is important in securing sponsorship deals and describe at least one sponsor or advertiser a sports business can partner with that would demonstrate a commitment to diversity; however, significant details are missing.
Non-Performance – The explanation of why diversity and inclusion is important in securing sponsorship deals and description of at least one sponsor or advertiser a sports business can partner with that would demonstrate a commitment to diversity are either nonexistent or lack the components of the assignment instructions.
Tax and Legal Issues: Discusses at Least One Tax and One Legal Issue That Will Be Faced in the Purchase or Operation of the Sports Business
Total: 2.00
Distinguished – Thoroughly and accurately discusses at least one tax and one legal issue that will be faced in the purchase or operation of the sports business.
Proficient – Accurately discusses at least one tax and one legal issue that will be faced in the purchase or operation of the sports business. Minor details are missing.
Basic – Partially discusses at least one tax and one legal issue that will be faced in the purchase or operation of the sports business. Relevant details are missing and/or inaccurate.
Below Expectations – Attempts to discuss at least one tax and one legal issue that will be faced in the purchase or operation of the sports business, but significant details are missing and/or inaccurate.
Non-Performance – The discussion of at least one tax and one legal issue is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.
Financial Plan and Assumptions: Develops Five Years of Pro-Forma Financial Statements Including Key Assumptions Used to Drive the Financial Plan
Total: 2.00
Distinguished – Develops comprehensive financial reports including well developed key assumptions. All supporting documentation is included.
Proficient – Develops financial reports including well developed key assumptions. All supporting documentation is included, but the financial reports are slightly underdeveloped.
Basic – Develops financial reports including partial key assumptions. Supporting documentation is minimally included and the financial reports are underdeveloped.
Below Expectations – Attempts to develop financial reports and include key assumptions; however, supporting documentation is not included and the financial reports are significantly underdeveloped.
Non-Performance – The financial statements and assumptions are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.
Financial Analysis, Risks and Mitigate Risks: Describes Three Financial Metrics or Ratios Used to Analyze the Health of the Business and Three Potential Financial Risks the Business May Face and Describes Possible Methods to Mitigate These Risks
Total: 2.00
Distinguished – Thoroughly describes three financial metrics or ratios used to analyze the health of the business, three financial risks the business may face, and the possible methods to mitigate these risks.
Proficient – Describes three financial metrics or ratios used to analyze the health of the business, three financial risks the business may face, and the possible methods to mitigate these risks. One of these descriptions is slightly underdeveloped.
Basic – Describes three financial metrics or ratios used to analyze the health of the business, three financial risks the business may face, and the possible methods to mitigate these risks. At least one of these descriptions is underdeveloped.
Below Expectations – Attempts to describe three financial metrics or ratios used to analyze the health of the business, three financial risks the business may face, and the possible methods to mitigate these risks; however, the descriptions are significantly underdeveloped.
Non-Performance – The descriptions of three financial metrics or ratios used to analyze the health of the business, three financial risks the business may face, and the possible methods to mitigate these risks are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.
Investor Return on Investment: Describes What Will Be Offered to Potential Investors in Order to Seek Funding for the Business
Total: 2.00
Distinguished – Thoroughly describes what will be offered to potential investors in order to seek funding for business. Fully considers types of ownership, stocks, dividends, interest payments, royalty fees, merchandise profit sharing, perks, etc. All supporting documentation is included.
Proficient – Describes what will be offered to potential investors in order to seek funding for business. Considers types of ownership, stocks, dividends, interest payments, royalty fees, merchandise profit sharing, perks, etc. All supporting documentation is included, but the description is slightly underdeveloped.
Basic – Partially describes what will be offered to potential investors in order to seek funding for business. Somewhat considers types of ownership, stocks, dividends, interest payments, royalty fees, merchandise profit sharing, perks, etc. Minimal supporting documentation is included and the description is underdeveloped.
Below Expectations – Attempts to describe what will be offered to potential investors in order to seek funding for business; however, does not consider types of ownership, stocks, dividends, interest payments, royalty fees, merchandise profit sharing, perks, etc., does not include supporting documentation, and/or the description is significantly underdeveloped.
Non-Performance – The incentive plan is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.
Exit Strategy: Describes the Exit Strategy Assuming Sale of the Sports Business in 10 Years
Total: 1.50
Distinguished – Presents a thorough description of the exit strategy assuming sale of the sports business in 10 years.
Proficient – Presents a description of the exit strategy assuming sale of the sports business in 10 years. Minor details are missing.
Basic – Presents a partial description of the exit strategy assuming sale of the sports business in 10 years. Relevant details are missing.
Below Expectations – Attempts to present a description of the exit strategy assuming sale of the sports business in 10 years, but significant details are missing.
Non-Performance – The exit strategy is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.
Conclusion
Total: 0.50
Distinguished – Conclusion thoroughly summarizes the content discussed and reiterates and supports the thesis statement fully.
Proficient – Conclusion summarizes the content discussed and reiterates and supports the thesis statement. Minor details are missing.
Basic – Conclusion partially summarizes the content discussed and somewhat reiterates and supports the thesis statement. Relevant details are missing.
Below Expectations – Conclusion attempts to summarize the content discussed and reiterate and support the thesis statement, but significant details are missing.
Non-Performance – The conclusion is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.
Critical Thinking: Explanation of Issues
Total: 0.50
Distinguished – Clearly and comprehensively explains the issue to be considered, delivering all relevant information necessary for a full understanding.
Proficient – Clearly explains the issue to be considered, delivering enough relevant information for an adequate understanding.
Basic – Briefly explains the issue to be considered, delivering minimal information for a basic understanding.
Below Expectations – Briefly explains the issue to be considered, but may not deliver additional information necessary for a basic understanding.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.
Written Communication: Control of Syntax and Mechanics
Total: 0.50
Distinguished – Displays meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains no errors and is very easy to understand.
Proficient – Displays comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains only a few minor errors and is mostly easy to understand.
Basic – Displays basic comprehension of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains a few errors which may slightly distract the reader.
Below Expectations – Fails to display basic comprehension of syntax or mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains major errors which distract the reader.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.
Written Communication: APA Formatting
Total: 0.50
Distinguished – Accurately uses APA formatting consistently throughout the paper, title page, and reference page.
Proficient – Exhibits APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout contains a few minor errors.
Basic – Exhibits limited knowledge of APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout does not meet all APA requirements.
Below Expectations – Fails to exhibit basic knowledge of APA formatting. There are frequent errors, making the layout difficult to distinguish as APA.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.
Written Communication: Page Requirement
Total: 0.50
Distinguished – The length of the paper is equivalent to the required number of correctly formatted pages.
Proficient – The length of the paper is nearly equivalent to the required number of correctly formatted pages.
Basic – The length of the paper is equivalent to at least three quarters of the required number of correctly formatted pages.
Below Expectations – The length of the paper is equivalent to at least one half of the required number of correctly formatted pages.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.
Written Communication: Resource Requirement
Total: 0.50
Distinguished – Uses more than the required number of scholarly sources, providing compelling evidence to support ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.
Proficient – Uses the required number of scholarly sources to support ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.
Basic – Uses less than the required number of sources to support ideas. Some sources may not be scholarly. Most sources on the reference page are used within the body of the assignment. Citations may not be formatted correctly.
Below Expectations – Uses an inadequate number of sources that provide little or no support for ideas. Sources used may not be scholarly. Most sources on the reference page are not used within the body of the assignment. Citations are not formatted correctly.
Non-Performance – The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.
