Heath McDonald

Professor Heath McDonald

Dean of Economics, Finance & Marketing

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Heath Mcdonald profile photo. He is wearing a suit and glasses.

Contact details

COBL | School of Economics, Finance & Marketing


Emailheath.mcdonald@rmit.edu.au


Phone: +61 39214 5885


Campus: Melbourne City


Programs

 MC197 - Master of Marketing

 

More information

A portrait of Heath McDonald in a city laneway with graffiti artwork behind him

Contact details

COBL | School of Economics, Finance & Marketing


Emailheath.mcdonald@rmit.edu.au


Phone: +61 39214 5885


Campus: Melbourne City


Programs

 MC197 - Master of Marketing

 

More information

A marketing academic with over 15 years in management roles, Heath is currently the Dean of Economics, Finance & Marketing at RMIT University.

Overview

Prof Heath McDonald is the Dean of Economics, Finance & Marketing and Professor of Marketing at RMIT University.

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Industry experience

Heath has worked in the hospitality, wine and leisure sectors and have consulted to more than 50 elite sporting organisations worldwide.

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Research

Heath's research work focuses on the field of customer acquisition and retention, particularly in subscription markets (e.g., season tickets, memberships). Informed by a marketing science perspective, this work often involves repeated modelling employing large datasets. Major sporting leagues and teams have used this research to drive growth in fan and member numbers, to inform pricing decisions and evaluate stadium design and development.

He has recently worked with the Australian Football League (AFL) on its club membership strategy during and post COVID19 and Zoos Victoria on its membership structure and pricing. His work has attracted over $2.5 million in external research funding, including three prestigious Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage grants. He is currently working on the second edition of "Sports Consumer Behavior: Marketing Strategies" (Routledge).

Heath is also an Associate Editor of the Journal of Sport Management, a Research Fellow of NASSM and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Research keywords

Subscription, Marketing, Fans, Customer Retention, Members, Satisfaction

Research output summary

100+

Publications

3

Grants

1

Awards

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Supervisor interest areas

  • Subscription markets (e.g., Netflix, Gyms, Insurance) and how they differ
  • Best practice marketing for Member-based organisations (e.g., sport clubs, DAOs)

Feature publications

The factors influencing churn rates among season ticket holders: An empirical analysis

Journal of Sport Management, 24(6), 676-701

McDonald, H. (2010).

Predicting behavioral loyalty through corporate social responsibility: The mediating role of involvement and commitment

Journal of Business Research, 75, 46-56

Inoue, Y., Funk, D. C., & McDonald, H. (2017).

Understanding the antecedents to public interest and engagement with heritage

European Journal of Marketing, 45(5), 780-804

McDonald, H. (2011).

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Awards


North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) Research Fellow

Award date: May 2015

Recipients: Heath McDonald

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Grants

  • 2021-2024 ARC Linkage LP190100376: Exploring Wellbeing Outcomes in the Aquatic and Recreation Industry (with I. O’Boyle, A. Karg & R. Eames)
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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.

aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.