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Thilo Kunkel

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Thilo Kunkel

  • School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management

    • Sport and Recreation Management

      • Associate Professor

Biography

My research is positioned on the intersection of strategic management and marketing. I analyze consumer data to help organizations build their brand, engage consumers, activate sponsorships and foster consumer loyalty. I am specialized in examining brands and brand relationships within different brand architectures to provide insights into the positioning of brands in a competitive environment. The application of my research provides relevant stakeholders with solutions to improve the consumer experience, foster stakeholder engagement, and increase revenues.

Research Interests

  • My research is positioned on the intersection of strategic management and marketing. I analyze consumer data to help organizations build their brand
  • engage consumers
  • activate sponsorships and foster consumer loyalty. I am specialized in examining brands and brand relationships within different brand architectures to provide insights into the positioning of brands in a competitive environment. The application of my research provides relevant stakeholders with solutions to improve the consumer experience
  • foster stakeholder engagement
  • and increase revenues.

Courses Taught

Number

Name

Level

SRM 3218

Organizational Strategy in Sport and Recreation

Undergraduate

SRM 3220

Special Topics in Sport and Recreation Management

Undergraduate

SRM 3220

Special Topics in Sport and Recreation Management: Personal Branding of Athletes: Name, Image, and L

Undergraduate

SRM 4296

Current and Ethical Issues in Sport and Recreation Management

Undergraduate

Selected Publications

Recent

  • Pizzo, A., Kunkel, T., Jones, G., Baker, B., & Funk, D. (2022). The strategic advantage of mature-stage firms: Digitalization and the diversification of professional sport into esports. Journal of Business Research, 139, 257-266. doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.09.057.

  • Kennedy, H., Kunkel, T., & Funk, D.C. Using Predictive Analytics to Measure Eff ectiveness of Social Media Engagement: A Digital Measurement Perspective. SPORT MARKETING QUARTERLY, 30(4), 265-277. 10.32731/SMQ.304.1221.02

  • Doyle, J., Filo, K., Thomson, A., & Kunkel, T. Large-Scale Sport Events and Resident Well-Being: Examining PERMA and the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. JOURNAL of SPORT MANAGEMENT, 35(6), 537-550. 10.1123/jsm.2020-0258

  • Kunkel, T., Baker, B.J., Baker, T.A., & Doyle, J.P. (2021). There is no nil in NIL: examining the social media value of student-athletes’ names, images, and likeness. Sport Management Review, 24(5), 839-861. Informa UK Limited. doi: 10.1080/14413523.2021.1880154.

  • Kunkel, T., Lock, D., & Doyle, J. (2021). Gamification via mobile applications: A longitudinal examination of its impact on attitudinal loyalty and behavior toward a core service. Psychology and Marketing, 38(6), 948-964. doi: 10.1002/mar.21467.

  • Su, Y., Kunkel, T., & Ye, N. (2021). When abs do not sell: The impact of male influencers conspicuously displaying a muscular body on female followers. Psychology and Marketing, 38(2), 286-297. doi: 10.1002/mar.21322.

  • Zhou, X., Funk, D., Lu, L., & Kunkel, T. (2021). Solving the Athleisure Myth: A Means-End Chain Analysis of Female Activewear Consumption. Journal of Sport Management, 35(1), 81-93. doi: 10.1123/JSM.2019-0358.

  • Doyle, J., Kunkel, T., Kelly, S., Filo, K., & Cuskelly, G. (2021). Seeing the same things differently: exploring the unique brand associations linked to women’s professional sport teams. Journal of Strategic Marketing. doi: 10.1080/0965254X.2021.1922489.

  • Pizzo, A., Jones, G., Baker, B., Funk, D., & Kunkel, T. (2021). Sensemaking of Novelty: The Dynamic Nature of Integrating Esports Within A Traditional Sport Organization. Sport Management Review, 1-23. doi: 10.1080/14413523.2021.1935609.

  • Lee, M., Kunkel, T., Funk, D., Karg, A., & McDonald, H. (2020). Built to last: relationship quality management for season ticket holders. European Sport Management Quarterly, 20(3), 364-384. doi: 10.1080/16184742.2019.1613438.

  • Kunkel, T. & Biscaia, R. Sport Brands: Brand Relationships and Consumer Behavior. SPORT MARKETING QUARTERLY, 29(1), 3-17. 10.32731/SMQ.291.032020.01

  • Su, Y., Baker, B.J., Doyle, J.P., & Kunkel, T. The Rise of an Athlete Brand: Factors Influencing the Social Media Following of Athletes. SPORT MARKETING QUARTERLY, 29(1), 33-46. 10.32731/SMQ.291.302020.03

  • Na, S., Kunkel, T., & Doyle, J. (2020). Exploring athlete brand image development on social media: the role of signalling through source credibility. European Sport Management Quarterly, 20(1), 88-108. doi: 10.1080/16184742.2019.1662465.

  • Kunkel, T., Biscaia, R., Arai, A., & Agyemang, K. (2020). The role of self-brand connection on the relationship between athlete brand image and fan outcomes. Journal of Sport Management, 34(3), 201-216. doi: 10.1123/JSM.2019-0222.

  • Su, Y. & Kunkel, T. (2020). The significance of a sponsored event on lesser-known brands in a competitive environment. Journal of Product and Brand Management, 30(4), 579-593. doi: 10.1108/JPBM-07-2019-2468.

  • Kunkel, T., Doyle, J., & Na, S. (2020). Becoming more than an athlete: developing an athlete's personal brand using strategic philanthropy. European Sport Management Quarterly, 1-21. doi: 10.1080/16184742.2020.1791208.

  • Doyle, J., Su, Y., & Kunkel, T. (2020). Athlete branding via social media: examining the factors influencing consumer engagement on Instagram. European Sport Management Quarterly. doi: 10.1080/16184742.2020.1806897.

  • Gupta, K., Kunkel, T., & Funk, D. (2019). Examining gamified fantasy sport engagement to understand in-app purchases. Sport Marketing Association.

  • Huettermann, M. & Kunkel, T. (2019). The critical role of gender when examining transactional and non-transactional fan engagement. Sport Marketing Association.

  • Doyle, J., Filo, K., Thompson, A., & Kunkel, T. (2019). Do mega-events matter? Examining resident perceptions of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. Sport Marketing Association.

  • Su, Y. & Kunkel, T. (2019). The aspirational narcissist: The impact of athletic images on social media followers. Sport Marketing Association.

  • Huettermann, M. & Kunkel, T. (2019). The influence of non-transactional engagement behavior on merchandise consumption. European Association for Sport Management, Seville, Spain.

  • Kunkel, T. & Jessop, A. (2019). Organizational motivations and barriers of innovation through blockchain technology. European Association for Sport Management.

  • Kunkel, T., Baker, B., Baker, T., & Doyle, J. (2019). The social media value of college football players. European Association for Sport Management Conference.

  • Kunkel, T. (2019). Brand Platform in the Professional Sport Industry: Sustaining Growth Through Innovation. MASS COMMUNICATION and SOCIETY, 22(5), 689-690. 10.1080/15205436.2019.1616438

  • Gupta, K., Kunkel, T., & Funk, D. (2019). Paying while playing: Examining the role of in-app engagement on in-app purchase. North American Society for Sport Management, New Orleans.

  • Kennedy, H., Kunkel, T., & Funk, D. (2019). A predictive analytic approach to measure sport marketing efforts on Social Media. North American Society for Sport Management, New Orleans.

  • Kunkel, T., Walker, M., & Hodge, C. (2019). The influence of advertising appeals on consumer perceptions of athlete endorser brand image. European Sport Management Quarterly, 19(3), 373-395. doi: 10.1080/16184742.2018.1530688.

  • Na, S., Su, Y., & Kunkel, T. (2019). Do not bet on your favourite football team: the influence of fan identity-based biases and sport context knowledge on game prediction accuracy. European Sport Management Quarterly, 19(3), 396-418. doi: 10.1080/16184742.2018.1530689.

  • Su, Y. & Kunkel, T. (2019). Beyond brand fit: The influence of brand contribution on the relationship between service brand alliances and their parent brands. Journal of Service Management, 30(2), 252-275. doi: 10.1108/JOSM-02-2018-0052.

  • Daniels, J., Kunkel, T., & Karg, A. (2019). New brands: Contextual differences and development of brand associations over time. Journal of Sport Management, 33(2), 133-147. doi: 10.1123/jsm.2018-0218.

  • Jessop, A. & Kunkel, T. (2019). Digital bobbleheads and in-arena mining: Assessing the legal risks of American professional sport teams' use of blockchain technology and cryptocurrency. Sport and Recreation Law Association, Philadelphia, PA.

  • Kunkel, T. & Jessop, A. (2018). Leveraging blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies for organizational growth. Sport Marketing Association, Frisco Texas.

  • Su, Y., Kunkel, T., & Baker, B. (2018). Rise of an Athlete Brand: Factors influencing growth in athletes’ social media following after the NFL Draft. Sport Marketing Association, Frisco Texas.

  • Na, S. & Kunkel, T. (2018). The Influence of Athletes’ Social Media Activities on Perceived Brand Image and Fan Behavior. North American Society for Sport Management, Halifax, Canada.

  • Su, Y. & Kunkel, T. (2018). Social Media Self-Promotion: The Impact of Mindsets on Sport Content Effectiveness. North American Society for Sport Management Conference, Halifax, Canada..

  • Sotiriadou, P., Filo, K., & Kunkel, T. (2018). Challenges to sport development and sport participation from sport managers' perspectives. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 18(4), 267-284. doi: 10.1504/IJSMM.2018.093343.

  • Drayer, J., Kunkel, T., Greenhalgh, G., & Mahan, J. (2017). The Effectiveness of CSR Initiatives of the Master-Brand Versus the Sub-Brand. Gold Coast, AU.

  • Drayer, J., Kunkel, t., & Greenhalgh, G. (2017). LEEDing the Way to Revenue: Examining Fans’ Willingness to Pay to Support Green Initiatives. Boston, MA.

  • Sharpe, S., Kunkel, T., Scott, O., & Beaton, A. (2017). Managing Digital Content for a Professional Sport Team: An Interview With Bill Yole, Social Media Coordinator and Webmaster of the ACT Brumbies Super Rugby Franchise. International Journal of Sport Communication, 10(3), 318-324. doi: 10.1123/ijsc.2017-0060.

  • Kunkel, T., Funk, D., & Lock, D. (2017). The effect of league brand on the relationship between the team brand and behavioral intentions: A formative approach examining brand associations and brand relationships. Journal of Sport Management, 31(4), 317-332. doi: 10.1123/jsm.2016-0166.

  • Scott, O., Beaton, A., Kunkel, T., & Sharpe, S. Media strategies to engage stakeholders and navigate crises: An Interview with Paul Glover, Media Manager of the ACT Brumbies Super Rugby Franchise. International Journal of Sport Communication, 10(2), 224-232.

  • Kunkel, T., Doyle, J., & Berlin, A. (2017). Consumers' perceived value of sport team games-a multidimensional approach. Journal of Sport Management, 31(1), 80-95. doi: 10.1123/jsm.2016-0044.