ABSTRACT
There is little doubt that in order to make informed decisions, organisations need information—and lots of it. There are two major sources of data for any marketing information system: external and internal. External data may be primary or secondary, and have been collected by the sporting organisation or an external agency. Internal data include all the information—such as basic enquiries— that the organisation collects during the day-to-day operation of its business. Numerous sources of secondary data can be used by sporting organisations to assist in the formation of strategic marketing plan. Primary data may be internal or external, and are a product of collection methods and purpose. Usually, the general information requested focuses on demographics, psychographics and product usage. Sport- or activity-specific questions often relate to attendance patterns, influences to buy or consume, and levels of satisfaction with various aspects of sport or sporting event. Sport organisations can no longer rely solely on general sport market research to inform decision-making.
