Link Images with JSON

Hi everyone,
I'm working on an automation project in After Effects using data from a JSON file,
but I'm hitting a wall with linking my logos.

The Setup:
I have a pre-comp named TRING_LOGOS containing a Dropdown Menu Control. Inside this comp,
I have a simple setup where the menu selects different logos. This works perfectly when controlled manually.
I have exposed this Dropdown Menu to the Master Comp using Essential Properties.
My JSON file sends the channel data as a String (e.g., "SPORT1"), not a number.

The Problem:
When I try to link the JSON data directly to the Dropdown Menu property in the Master Comp,
I get an Expression Error. I realize this is because the Dropdown Menu expects an Index/Integer
(1, 2, 3...), but my JSON is providing a String ("SPORT1").

The Question:
Is there an expression I can apply to the Dropdown Menu property that will look
up the string from the JSON, match it against a list of my menu items,
and automatically return the correct index number?
I have attached a video showing my setup and the error I'm getting.

Thanks in advance for any help!