Providing a Model of Media-Facilitating Factors in the Marketing Activities of the Iraqi Wrestling Federation

Ameer Ayyed Abdalaimah  Al-Shammari; Mohammad Reza Esmaili; Alaa Hasan Ali  Alturki; Alireza  Zamani Nokabadi

Authors

Ameer Ayyed Abdalaimah Al-Shammari PhD Student, Department of Educational Management, Isf.C., Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9014-5240
Mohammad Reza Esmaili Associate Professor, Department of Sports Management, CT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5692-8025
Alaa Hasan Ali Alturki Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Babylon, Iraq Author https://orcid.org/0009-0000-0582-2570
Alireza Zamani Nokabadi Assistant Professor, Department of Sports Management, Isf.C., Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran. Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7958-6387

Keywords:

Digital Innovation, Sports Storytelling, Cultural Branding, Organizational Synergy, Audience Engagement

Abstract

This study was conducted with the aim of identifying and explaining the media-facilitating factors in the marketing activities of the Iraqi Wrestling Federation. The research adopted a qualitative approach and employed thematic analysis as its methodological framework. The research population consisted of experts in sports media, marketing, and managers affiliated with the Wrestling Federation. Participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling, and ultimately 19 individuals were interviewed using semi-structured interviews until theoretical saturation was achieved. After full transcription, the interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. To ensure the trustworthiness of the data, participant validation, concurrent coding by independent researchers, and data triangulation were employed. The findings revealed three overarching themes as the principal media-facilitating factors. First, sustainable media and advertising strategies, which include the targeted use of digital media, continuous advertising, and synergy between the federation and media institutions. Second, the development of the wrestling brand through media and personalized content, emphasizing storytelling, the promotion of champions, and the production of exclusive and user-friendly content. Third, the utilization of local media and emerging technologies, encompassing the exploitation of local media capacities, innovation in digital tools, and the integration of domestic and global media platforms. These results indicate that media should be regarded not merely as a communication instrument but as a core mechanism in sports marketing, playing a decisive role in enhancing the status of wrestling in Iraq. In addition to offering a conceptual model, the findings are applicable to federation managers, media planners, and sports marketing specialists, and can serve as a foundation for macro-level policy formulation and the design of innovative advertising strategies.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

1. Shekhar SK, Shah MA. Sports Marketing and Conceptual Evolution: A Bibliometric Analysis. SAGE Open. 2023;13(3):21582440231192915.

2. Stegmann P, Nagel S, Ströbel T. The Digital Transformation of Value Co-Creation: A Scoping Review Towards an Agenda for Sport Marketing Research. European Sport Management Quarterly. 2023;23(4):1221-48.

3. Williams J, Chinn SJ. Meeting Relationship-Marketing Goals Through Social Media: A Conceptual Model for Sport Marketers. International Journal of Sport Communication. 2016;3(4):422-37.

4. Vieira CB, Sousa B. The Brand Attachment and Consumer Behaviour in Sports Marketing Contexts: The Case of Football Fans in Portugal. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing. 2020;20(1-2):29-46.

5. Bahrami S, Kiani M. The Impact of Social Media and the Internet on the Marketing of Sporting Events. Communication Management in Sport Media. 2023;10(3):15-31.

6. Romero-Jara E, Solanellas F, López-Carril S, Kolyperas D, Anagnostopoulos C. The More We Post, the Better? A Comparative Analysis of Fan Engagement on Social Media Profiles of Football Leagues. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship. 2024;25(3):578-99.

7. Ahmed S, Hamza M, Shareef M. Impact of Digital Media on the Sports Marketing: A Case Study of Govt. Institutes of Punjab Province. Journal of Development and Social Sciences. 2023;4(1):507-20.

8. Alghizzawi M, Habes M, Hailat KQ, Safori A, Angawi M. Understanding the Effectiveness of Digital Media Marketing on Sports Brand Loyalty: A Review: Business Analytical Capabilities and Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Analytics: Applications and Challenges in the Digital Era; 2024. 215-25 p.

9. Bashar A, Wasiq M, Nyagadza B, Maziriri ET. Emerging Trends in Social Media Marketing: A Retrospective Review Using Data Mining and Bibliometric Analysis. Future Business Journal. 2024;10(1):23.

10. Yu C. The Application Practice of Sports Marketing and Branding in Social Media: A Case Study of Li-Ning. Highlights in Business Economics and Management. 2023;23:1071-81.

11. Marthinus J, Duffett RG, Knott B. Social Media Adoption as a Marketing Communication Tool by Non-Professional Sports Clubs: A Multiple Case Study Approach. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship. 2025;26(6):14-31.

12. Mumcu C, Fried G. Analytics in Sport Marketing. Sport Management Education Journal. 2017;11(2):102-5.

13. Tarighi R, Salehi Rostami M. Identifying Effective Factors on Sport Marketing Capability Development Through Social Medias. Strategic Studies on Youth and Sports. 2023;22(60):431-48.

14. Jankovic M, Jaksic-Stojanovic A. Challenges of Sports Branding. Sport Mont. 2019;17(1):75-8.

15. Kylasov AV, Gureeva EA. Ethnic Sports Branding and Promotion Aspects. Theory and Practice of Physical Culture. 2017(5):18.

16. Monteiro PRR, De Souza Dias P, Carvalho LC. Brand Love in Sport Marketing: Proposition of a Relational Model of Emotional and Affective Attachments for the Fan Membership Programs. Revista Brasileira de Marketing. 2019;18(2):54.

17. Goebert C. Augmented Reality in Sport Marketing. Sports Innovation Journal. 2020;1:134-51.

18. Shi Y, Song Q, Li L. Research on the Factors and Path of Sports Industry Development in China: A fsQCA Study of 31 Provinces. PLOS ONE. 2024;19(4):e0298167.

19. Orunbayev A. Social Sports Marketing. American Journal of Social Sciences and Humanity Research. 2023;3(12):121-34.

20. Yuksel M, McDonald MA, Joo S. Cause-Related Sport Marketing: An Organizing Framework and Knowledge Development Opportunities. European Sport Management Quarterly. 2016;16(1):58-85.

21. Hashemian S, Ghasemi H, Hosseini M. Explaining the Pattern of Media Power Sources in the Development of Iranian Sports. Sport Physiology & Management Investigations. 2025:e225631.

22. Dao TC, Liao YK, Chen G, Luu TMN, Le TM. The Influence of B2B Social Media Marketing and Relationship Marketing on Customer Relationship Management Effectiveness, WOM and Loyalty: A Mediator Analysis. International Review of Management and Marketing. 2025;15(1):71-81.

23. Liao F, editor The Impact of Sports Event Sponsorship Marketing on Corporate Brand Image in the Social Media Era2023.

24. De Vries RE. The Main Dimensions of Sport Personality Traits: A Lexical Approach. Frontiers in Psychology. 2020;11:2211.

25. Stadler Blank A, Koenigstorfer J, Baumgartner H. Sport Team Personality: It's Not All About Winning! Sport Management Review. 2018;21(2):114-32.

26. Camargo Nanuncio F. Sports Marketing Analysis of Four Brazilian Football Clubs: Crafting a Matrix for Sports Marketing Strategies and Developing a Questionnaire. 2024.

27. Aghaei R, Sadeghi Boroujerdi S, Malek Mohammadi A. Identification of the Opportunities and Challenges of Social Media Marketing of Premier League Football Clubs. Journal of Sport Management and Development. 2025;13(4):112-31.

28. Shinohara H, editor The "Opportunity-Based Approach" for Sustainable Development of Non-Profit Organizations: A Case Study of Japan Korfball Association2025.