International Journal of Sports Marketing & Sponsorship 

About: International Journal of Sports Marketing & Sponsorship is an academic journal published by Emerald Publishing Limited. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Sports marketing & Football. It has an ISSN identifier of 1464-6668. Over the lifetime, 648 publications have been published receiving 11382 citations. The journal is also known as: International journal of sports marketing and sponsorship & IJSMS.

Understanding Brand Loyalty in Professional Sport: Examining the Link Between Brand Associations and Brand Loyalty

Abstract: This paper examines the relationship between brand associations (anything in the consumer's mind linked to a specific team brand) and brand loyalty in US professional sport. To study the relationship between 13 brand association dimensions and brand loyalty, a survey of professional sport consumers was completed (N = 929). Results of multiple regression analysis revealed positive relationships between fan identification, escape, nostalgia, and product delivery, and brand loyalty. Negative relationships were found between tradition, star players, and peer group acceptance, and brand loyalty.

Understanding Brand Loyalty in Professional Sport: Examining the Link between Brand Associations and Brand Loyalty. (Research Paper)

Abstract: This paper examines the relationship between brand associations (anything in the consumer's mind linked to a specific team brand,) and brand loyalty in US professional sport. To study the relationship between 13 brand association dimensions and brand loyalty, a survey of professional sport consumers was completed (N = 929). Results of multiple regression analysis revealed positive relationships between fan identification, escape, nostalgia, and product delivery, and brand loyalty Negative relationships were found between tradition, star players, and peer group acceptance, and brand loyalty. Keywords: Brand management, Brand loyalty, Professional sport Executive Summary This research broadens the understanding of brand management in professional sport by examining the relationship between brand associations (anything in the consumer's mind linked to a specific brand) and brand loyalty. Specifically, this study utilized Keller's (1993) conceptual framework on brand equity to identify dimensions of brand association in sport. Thirteen different factors were identified as potential brand association dimensions in sport. To study the relationship between these brand dimensions and brand loyalty, a survey of US professional sport consumers was completed (N=929). Data were collected from respondents that allowed for the creation of a brand loyalty measure that accounted for both behavioral loyalty (the propensity to repeatedly attend a team's games or follow the team through the media) and attitudinal loyalty (possessing a consistently favorable attitude toward the team). Information was collected such that this study focused on fans that were already highly committed to a particular team. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between brand associations and brand loyalty. Results demonstrated that seven of the 13 brand association dimensions were significant predictors (four positively related and three negatively related) of brand loyalty among the highly-committed fans involved in this study. In identifying these relationships, this study begins to provide a deeper understanding as to what aspects of the team brand can be focal points when creating marketing strategies geared toward highly- loyal fans. Interestingly, team success was not significantly related to brand loyalty among highly-committed fans. This finding is consistent with both other research and with the notion that brand-loyal fans will provide a stable stream of revenue, regardless of the team's performance. However, fan identification (the ability of a team to provide a vehicle for consumer attachment, particularly when the team wins) was strongly predictive of brand loyalty. This highlights the i mportance of providing an optimal experience and special access to players, coaches, and other team executives as a means of making the highly-identified fan feel like a part of the team. In addition, the ability of a sport team to provide nostalgic memories was also strongly predictive of brand loyalty, underscoring the need to understand the catalysts of nostalgic memories among highly-committed fans. The need for an escape from the daily rigors and routine of life was positively related to brand loyalty. This finding underscores the need to increase the frequency (through such vehicles as fantasy leagues and draft parties) with which the team provides an escape for the highly-committed fan. Finally, efforts geared toward enhancing the entertainment experience are supported by the fact that delivery of the sport product (both the game and peripheral elements) was positively related to brand loyalty. The use of marketing strategies that highlight a tradition of success, a star player, or acceptance by a grou p of peers by virtue of following a team is not supported by this research, given the negative relationships that occurred between these dimensions and brand loyalty. Introduction Two years removed from their last championship, the Chicago Bulls continue to thrive. …

Development of the Sport Interest Inventory (SII): Implications for Measuring Unique Consumer Motives at Team Sporting Events

Abstract: A 30-item Sport Interest Inventory (SII) was developed and validated for measuring ten unique motives related to consumer interest at an international sporting event. Spectators (N=1,321) attending five different US venues during the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup were administered the SII. Analysis revealed that sport and team interest, excitement, supporting women's opportunity in sport, aesthetics and vicarious achievement explained 35 per cent of the variance in spectators' interest in the event. Results provide sport marketers with consumer-based marketing strategies, particularly for women's sport.

The Effects of Sport Involvement, Sponsor Awareness and Corporate Image on Intention to Purchase Sponsors' Products

Abstract: This study examined theoretical relationships between key variables of sponsorship effectiveness that include sponsor awareness, corporate image and future purchase intention Involvement in the sport of soccer was also examined as a key consumer variable Results suggested that favourable purchase intentions were more likely to occur when consumers held a positive image of the sponsoring companies and had a high level of sports involvement; and that consumers' sports involvement positively influenced sponsor awareness, corporate image and purchase intention

An Identification and Examination of Influences That Shape the Creation of a Professional Team Fan

Abstract: Keywords: Team Loyalty, Fan Socialization, Team Fans, Professional Football, Sport Fans Executive Summary Sport organizations recognize the importance of a strong fan base, yet little research has been done to help organizations understand how to build and maintain such a group of fans. There is ample evidence that people are readily able to form deep attachments to sports teams. A body of research has examined the level of attachment (i.e. identification) that fans have with a team (Branscombe and Wann, 1991, Wann and Branscombe, 1993, 1995; Wann and Dolan, 1994), and also the relationship between level of identification with a team and different types of fan responses. Fans' emotions, perceptions of influence on team performance and game outcomes, objective knowledge and subjective beliefs about their team, and enjoyment of sports events have all been related to identification levels among United States collegiate sport fans (e.g. Murrell and Dietz, 1992; Wann and Branscombe, 1995; Wann, Dolan, McGeorge and Allison, 1994). The small amount of work that has been done on building and maintaining a fall base has focused primarily on maintenance issues. Sutton, McDonald, Milne and Cimperman (1997) suggested that a sport franchise could foster fan relationships by having a successful team and a good organizational reputation, creating some connection with the community, and by providing as many consumption opportunities as possible for people. Mahony, Madrigal and Howard (1999) found that loyalty to professional teams in the National Football League (NFL) in the United States could be largely determined by knowing a fan's specific personality characteristic. To date, however, research has not adequately examined what factors incipiently influence a person to become a team fan. Knowing what influences people to become team fans is important because these factors are the corner stones for creating, building, and maintaining a base of loyal team fans. The current study was designed to explore a/Id identify: (1) when in their life span individuals became team fans; and (2) what people and things affect this process. A survey was conducted with long-term season ticket holders (N = 518) of a professional National Football League (NFL) team in the United States to address these issues. The results suggested that fathers were very influential in shaping team preferences, particularly among those who became fans in their preteen years and, to a somewhat lesser extent, among adolescents. The majority of respondents stated that they had become a team fan prior to age 15. Players and coaches of the team wee important influences for those who became fails as adolescents or adults. The emotional hometown connection fans made between the city in which the team plays and the team itself was influential in shaping team loyalty. Attending and experiencing the excitement of games was also a catalyst for becoming a team fan. Respondents valued being part of a "community" of fans (i.e. a group of people sharing a common bond -- the team). Sports marketers who wish to build the next generation of fans need to create opportunities for fathers to spend time with their children at team-related activities. Developing and promoting linkages between a team and the city in which the team is located has value in building team loyalty as well. Such linkages help fans attribute positive characteristics to both the team and city, thereby reinforcing strong feelings held about each entity. The community of fans concept can be used to build linkages to the teams. One means for creating esprit de corps among fans is to use e-mail and other team-sponsored Internet forums to encourage fans to discuss among themselves their feelings about the team. Team personnel can monitor this information to identify trends and other issues important to team fans. An Identification and Examination of Influences That Shape the Creation of a Professional Team Fan While we often speak of the interest in sports among the collective population, it is the individual fan who invests her/his time, money and self in sports. …