THE
COMMUNITY
PLAYMAKER
PROJECT
The Community Playmaker Project aims to foster community by sharing researched best practices that connect sports organization foundations with a dedicated and enthusiastic volunteer base.
How the Project Was Developed
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Research and Analysis: Collected and analyzed information on the activities of the foundations and community departments of NYC’s major professional sports teams, using their websites, annual reports, and social media accounts.
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Interviews: Conducted Zoom interviews with employees from nine of the twelve teams to learn about their approach to engaging fans and creating community impact.
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Teen Perspectives: Convened a panel of dedicated NYC teens to evaluate and award the foundations making the strongest positive impact.
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Research Paper: Authored a paper titled Leveraging Youth Sports Fandom for Sustainable Impact: An Analysis of Community Engagement by Sports Team Foundations in New York City, which is in review at NHSJS for publishing.
What’s Included on This Website
The Community Playmaker Project is organized into three main sections:
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The Playbook for Game-Changing Impact: A collection of unique and underutilized strategies that teams can adopt to maximize their community impact.
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The Community Playmaker Impact Awards: Recognizing outstanding foundations and programs, selected by a panel of NYC teens.
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Research Paper: Leveraging Youth Sports Fandom for Sustainable Impact: An Analysis of Community Engagement by Sports Team Foundations in New York City, which is in review at NHSJS for publishing.