Showing papers in "International Journal of Sports Marketing & Sponsorship in 2019"

Consumer acceptance of sports wearable technology: the role of technology readiness

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to investigate consumers’ acceptance and use of sports and fitness wearable devices based on technology readiness (TR). In addition, the technology readiness and acceptance model (TRAM) will be used to investigate consumers’ intention to use sports wearable devices (for simplicity, sports wearable devices will be simplified to the term “sports wearables”).,Convenience sampling was conducted from Korean consumers (n=247). Data were analyzed by partial least squares–structural equation modeling using SmartPLS 3.0.,The results found that positive TR has a positive influence on perceived ease of use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PU), and negative TR had a negative influence on PEOU and PU. PEOU had a positive influence on perceived usefulness (PU). Both PEOU and PU led to intention to use sports wearable devices. Also, the multi-group analysis found a positive correlation between TR and PEOU for especially male users.,The findings of this study provide a better understanding of consumers’ behavioral intent to use sports wearables. Particularly, it also provides evidence that the TRAM is an appropriate framework for predicting users’ intention to use sports wearables. This study also stresses the important role of TR in consumers’ psychological processes leading up to the actual use of novel sports wearables.

Examining relationships among process quality, outcome quality, delight, satisfaction and behavioural intentions in fitness centres in Malaysia.

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of process and outcome quality on fitness members’ delight and satisfaction. Furthermore, the relationships between delight, satisfaction and behavioural intention are investigated.,Data were obtained from a survey of 379 members of fitness centres in Malaysia and analysed using the partial least squares technique.,The results indicated that process quality and outcome quality had a significant effect on customer delight and satisfaction. Furthermore, customer delight influenced customers’ satisfaction and behavioural intentions.,The findings of this study will help fitness centre managers to understand the importance of outcome quality and delight in addition to process quality and satisfaction in shaping the members’ behavioural intentions, thereby allowing them to differentiate their service from their customers.,This study is the first attempt to investigate the importance of outcome quality and customer delight in the fitness industry.

Antecedents and consequence associated with esports gameplay

Abstract: Grounded in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) (Venkatesh et al., 2012), the purpose of this paper is to examine the antecedents and consequence associated with esports gameplay by proposing the Esports Consumption (ESC) model, including six determinants of esports gameplay intention (hedonic motivation, habit, price value, perceived effort expectancy, social influence and flow) and behavioral consequence (media consumption intention of esports events) that were linked to esports gameplay.,The proposed model was tested using the data (n=348) that were collected from esports consumers at two points in time. Per the technology adoption theories (i.e. TAM, UTAUT2), the authors incorporated a temporal separation when measuring the relationship between playing intention and playing behavior. For the purpose of data analysis, CFA and SEM were used to examine the hypothesized model.,As a result, four determinants (i.e. hedonic motivation, price value, effort expectancy and flow) were identified as the critical factors influencing esports consumers’ esports gameplay intention. Furthermore, the bootstrap method procedure verified that a sequential relationship among esports gameplay intention, esports gameplay and media consumption of esports events.,Theoretically, it has developed a research model that explains various triggers resulting from esports gameplay intention, which is causally linked to esports gameplay and media consumption behavior. Practically, the primary implication has to do with providing information regarding esports consumers’ playing behavior with esports game publishers, which organize esports events and leagues.

Examining fan engagement through social networking sites

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to conceptualise and measure the construct of fan engagement through social networking sites (SNS).,A multi-stage procedure was completed to validate the proposed fan engagement through SNS model with three first-order constructs (fan-to-fan relationships, team-to-fan relationships and fan co-creation). First, a preliminary analysis of the proposed items to capture fan engagement through SNS was conducted through expert review. Second, an assessment of item reliability and construct validity was completed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Finally, CFA and subsequent structural equation model were conducted to review the psychometric properties and to test the relationships between the proposed construct with online and offline behavioural intentions.,The results indicate good psychometric properties of the constructs of fan-to-fan relationships, team-to-fan relationships and fan co-creation, and these three constructs were significantly related with the second-order construct of fan engagement through SNS. Additionally, the construct of fan engagement through SNS was significantly related to both online and offline behavioural intentions.,These findings suggest that teams should use SNS to interact with fans, to allow fans to share experiences and to involve fans in co-creation processes aimed at increasing engagement and subsequent positive behavioural intentions towards the team.,This study extends previous research by measuring fan engagement through SNS as a multidimensional construct, and testing its predictive effect on fans’ online and offline behavioural intentions. Several suggestions for future studies and strategies for increasing fan engagement can be drawn from this study.

Marketing on Instagram: Social influence and image quality on perception of quality and purchase intention

Abstract: Social network sites are becoming more visual-centric. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of visual social network sites as a marketing platform.,This paper comprises two experiments. The first experiment sought to examine the effect of social influence; while the second experiment examined the effect of image quality on the perception of quality and purchase intention.,The first experiment showed that social influence did not affect perceived quality or purchase intention. In the second experiment, a one-way between-groups multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) adjusting for sport involvement showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups. Respondents in the experimental group reported higher levels of perceived quality (adjusted M=3.68) and purchase intention (adjusted M=3.23) when compared to the control group’s perceived quality (adjusted M=3.12) and purchase intention (adjusted M=2.17).,One of the limitations of this study is that it only examined the effects through a single social network site, i.e. Instagram. As there are other visual-centric social network sites, such as Tumblr and Pinterest, which operate slightly different from Instagram, it remains to be established how such effects vary across these social network sites.,The results suggest that social influence on Instagram is limited and marketers should invest in images of high quality when marketing on visual social network sites.,While there are many studies examining the effectiveness of marketing on social network sites, these studies have primarily focussed on earlier social network sites, such as Facebook. Newer social network sites that are more visual-centric, such as Instagram, are different from earlier social network sites and studied to a lesser extent. This study adds insights on the marketing effectiveness of visual-centric social network sites and deepens the understanding on marketing in general on social media.

The influence of stadium environment on attendance intentions in spectator sport: The moderating role of team loyalty

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of perceived environmental quality of the stadium on fans’ future intentions to attend a game by highlighting the moderating effect of team loyalty.,Using latent moderated structural equations modeling, this study tested the direct impacts of stadium factors on consumers’ desire to stay and revisit intentions and the moderation effects of team loyalty based on Mehrabian and Russell’s environmental psychology behavioral model.,The results showed significant direct effects of team loyalty and desire to stay on revisit intentions. The stadium environment influenced desire to stay and revisit intentions only by the interactions with team loyalty. More specifically, higher loyalty led to higher desire to stay and revisit intentions, whereas fans’ positive experience of stadium environment intensified the effect.,The authors highlight the significant role of desire to stay on revisit intentions by incorporating the cognitive-affective system of human behavior. In addition, this study provides essential information for identifying the interaction effects of environmental factors and team loyalty on consumer behavior in sport settings.

The effects of peripheral service quality on spectators’ emotions and behavioural intentions

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impacts of peripheral service quality on football match spectators’ emotions and behavioural intention.,Data were obtained from a survey of 342 spectators of professional league football in Malaysia and analysed using the partial least squares technique.,The results illustrated the significant role of both pleasant and unpleasant emotions in forming spectators’ behavioural intentions. Furthermore, they demonstrated that the drivers of pleasant and unpleasant emotions are different. While entertainment, electronic devices and stadium announcers have positive effects on pleasant emotion, facilities and electronic devices have negative effects on unpleasant emotion. Entertainment, electronic devices and stadium announcers have indirect effects on behavioural intentions through pleasant emotions. Unpleasant emotions mediated the effects of facilities and electronic devices on behavioural intentions.,The findings of this study suggest that football marketers must understand the crucial role of peripheral service quality and spectators’ emotions. Through stimulating pleasant emotions in spectators and preventing unpleasant emotions from arising, football marketers can ensure that these spectators will attend football stadiums.

Sponsorship antecedents and outcomes in participant sport settings

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to measure participants’ sponsorship awareness, and assess a model designed to predict participants’ behavioral intentions toward the sponsors of the Fayetteville Race Series.,The study is based on non-experimental survey research design using path analysis.,Perceived sponsor goodwill had a positive direct effect on participants’ sponsor behavioral intentions, as well as a positive indirect effect partially mediated by sponsor image. Sponsor image and future event participation also had positive direct effects on behavioral intentions. Overall, participants had very positive perceptions of the sponsors’ goodwill and image, and indicated positive future intentions. Participants’ ability to identify event sponsors through aided recall was inconsistent between the two events studied.,The positive outcomes for sponsors observed in this study should make small, regional, participant-based sport events appealing marketing channels, especially for generating goodwill in the community. Further, even small sponsorship spends can have a significant impact on these smaller events, since traditional funding sources continue to be cut.,Existing literature on sponsorship of participant sport-based events has generally focused on large events (i.e. marathons that draw participants nationally), despite the prevalence of smaller scale, regional events around the world.

The relationships of brand experience, sports event image and loyalty: case of Jeju International Ultramarathon Race.

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships among brand experience, sports event image and loyalty in the Jeju International Ultramarathon Race.,Data were collected from 313 ultramarathon runners during the 16th Jeju International Ultramarathon Race. Statistical analyses were carried out using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling.,An analysis of the relationship between brand experience and sports event image revealed that affective experience is the most influential dimension, followed by sensory and behavioral experiences. However, intellectual experience showed insignificant relationship. Sports event image indicated a positive effect on word-of-mouth and revisit intention.,Ultramarathon races are sporting events with few participants, even though it is becoming more popular. The attitude, motivation and personality of people participating in these races may be different in terms of the extreme characteristic and endurance level of sports activity. If the results of this study need to be generalized with other sports event images, a comparative study may help to understand the personality traits of people participating in ultramarathon races and other sports.,As ultramarathon races are not yet popular sports, to target more people, behavioral experience has an influential role because it is action oriented and actively engages the body. Enriching consumer life by facilitating and creating opportunities to physically experience as well as showing them alternate ways of doing things may attract them to substitute lifestyle and interactions (Pine and Gilmore, 1999). Few other popular endurance race events organize short-distance races and kid races for fun (e.g. Lavaredo Ultra trail race), to engage friends and family members before the start of the main event. Doing so may provide an opportunity to attract more runners, and they may engage in running activities and participate in these kinds of events later, after having this sort of casual experience.,Social networking sites may be used to maintain continuous interaction with the runners and followers. Supporting a social cause is another measure to generate the intellectual experience of sports events. The result of this study shows no significant relationship between intellectual experience and the sports event image. To increase the worldwide popularity of this race and to attract more international runners, a judicious use of web platforms may be an option to maintain regular contact with a wider group of audience.,This study is the first to examine the relationship between brand experience and sports event image in an ultramarathon event context. Findings contribute to an understanding of the impact of brand experience on sports event image, thereby influencing the loyalty of runners participating in an ultramarathon event.

The effect of service quality on foreign participants’ satisfaction and behavioral intention with the 2016 Shanghai International Marathon

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to examine foreign participants’ service quality, satisfaction and behavioral intention during the 2016 Shanghai International Marathon, and to gain a better understanding of the impact of service quality on their satisfaction and behavioral intention.,An English questionnaire was originally designed on the basis of the literature review of service quality, overall satisfaction and re-participation intention to assess the purpose of the study. Data were collected from 308 foreign runners including 61.7 percent (n=190) of male and 38.3 percent (n=118) of the female. Structural equation modeling was employed to check the proposed model and to test the impact of service quality on foreign participants’ overall satisfaction and behavioral intention.,A positive correlation was captured between the following: service quality and overall satisfaction (r=0.752, p<0.01), overall satisfaction and behavioral intention (r=0.876, p<0.01), and between service quality and participants’ behavioral intention (r=0.760, p<0.01). Furthermore, the service quality of Shanghai International Marathon had an indirect effect on foreign participants’ behavioral intention. The structural model fits the data well (R2=0.823).,First, the sample size was small and was just drawn from one event, which can be taken with caution in the context of the generalization of findings. Second, the results are specific to 2016 Shanghai International Marathon participants and cannot be generalized with other events in China or around the world.,The results are practical for the marathon event organizers to better understand foreign participants’ needs and improve their services. This study has a significant importance to the sports events organizers, especially the organizers of the Shanghai International Marathon in terms of a better understanding the level of their service. This study will also help the event organizers to adapt their strategies and their efforts to increase Shanghai International Marathon foreign participants’ satisfaction and intention to repurchase or to share with others.,This study contributes to the foreign participant’s satisfaction literature. In fact, many studies were carried on event spectators’ satisfaction while rare studies were carried on event participants’ satisfaction, especially marathon foreign participants’ satisfaction, and this study will supplement studies related to sport events participation. This will be convenient for sports managers and scholars to better understand the impact of service quality on participants’ satisfaction and behavioral intention in the field of sports events management. Meanwhile, the results were extremely useful to Shanghai during the process of constructing a “world-famous sports city” and “modern international metropolis”.,Little literature focus on foreign participants of Shanghai International Marathon, which is important in the process of shaping city image and building world-famous city. Are foreign participants satisfied with the Shanghai International Marathon? Which aspect of the service quality is of greater value for them? What are the influencing factors of their behavioral intention and word-of-mouth communication? What are the specific impact paths among the service quality, overall satisfaction and behavioral intention variables? To examine the objectives, the study was designed to target foreign participants’ service quality, satisfaction and behavioral intention. Besides, structural equation model was applied in this study to explore the path relationship between service quality, satisfaction and behavioral intention specifically.

Influence of perceived and effective congruence on recall and purchase intention in sponsored printed sports advertising: An eye-tracking application

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of congruence (perceived and effective) and the level of visual attention towards sponsors on recall and purchase intention in sports sponsorship by applying neurophysiological measures.,This study is part of neuromarketing research applied to sports. The experiment entails eye tracking with 111 men and 129 women (n=24) with 24 sports posters of three different disciplines (sailing, tennis and F1), varying the congruence, the number of sponsors and the position (2×2×2). The data are analyzed via analysis of covariance and regression using ordinary least squares.,Brand recall is influenced by the number of sponsors present on the poster and by the time of fixation. Effective and perceived congruence covariance the purchase intention, but the full time of fixation on the sponsor does not. The latter only, purchase intention indirectly.,The results enable managers to implement better poster designs and sponsors to have objective measures of sponsorship.,There are few studies that analyze print media in sponsorship using neurophysiological techniques. This research is a pioneer in considering attention to sports posters to examine recall and purchase intention.

Why do all good things come to an end? : An inquiry into the discontinuation of sport sponsor-sponsee relationships

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the reasons for the discontinuation of sports sponsor–sponsee relationships and categorize them. Despite the negative outcomes of a sponsorship dissolution, research on this topic is rather scarce. Design/methodology/approach The paper relies on an analysis of 24 historical cases and 19 in-depth interviews focusing on the Dutch soccer league. Several sponsorship disruptors are identified and clustered into four categories. Findings The four categories for sponsorship dissolution are the following: sponsor-related factors, sponsee-related factors, inter-relational factors and external factors. In total, ten sponsorship disruptors are identified: insufficient value creation, objectives achieved, sports results, signal to society, exclusivity, negativity, personal relationship, changed marketing strategy, financial situation and legislation and regulation. Research limitations/implications This study primarily investigates soccer sponsorship cases. Future research could investigate other sponsorship areas, which could yield different reasons for sponsorship termination. Practical implications Practitioners are advised to view the sponsorship relationship as a strategic alliance, rather than a resource, from the beginning of the sponsorship. A solid relational framework is needed, which is built around the elements of trust, commitment and collaborative communication. If such a foundation does not exist or has eroded, the sponsorship relationship is fragile and can be endangered by various factors. Originality/value This study uses inductive reasoning to devise a framework that enables sponsees to anticipate when sponsors are likely to discontinue their sponsorship such that the sponsees can take actions accordingly. Apart from validating existing reasons for sponsorship dissolution, this research also presents novel and previously undiscovered sponsorship disruptors.

See it and believe it? Conceptual model for exploring the recall and recognition of embedded advertisements of sponsors

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual model for exploring the recall and recognition of embedded advertisements of sponsors.,To verify the proposed conceptual model on a particular sports competition, a questionnaire related to the UEFA Champions League sponsors in the season 2016/2017 was designed. The data were analysed using structural equation modelling.,The results provided support to the claim that higher involvement in a sport and higher exposure to a sponsored event lead to higher recall and recognition of embedded advertisements. Conversely, the same two factors alongside sponsor awareness do not affect the attitude towards sponsors. On the other hand, sponsor awareness and attitude towards sponsors have a direct positive role on the future purchase intention of sponsor products/services.,The findings illustrate that to maximise the effectiveness of their embedded advertisements, sponsors should not merely concentrate on brand awareness, but should go beyond and attempt to improve the consumers’ positive perception of their products and services. Moreover, by sponsoring a sport event, the sponsors can be sure that their message will be effectively transmitted to the ones who are fans of the sport and the sponsored competition.,The present study empirically explores the factors which influence the recall and recognition of embedded advertisements and how the achieved level of sponsorship awareness impacts purchase intentions.

Exploring user sentiment towards sponsorship and ambush marketing.

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to explore consumer attitudes towards ambush marketing and official event sponsorship through the lens of sentiment analysis, and to examine social media users' ethical responses to digital event marketing campaigns during the 2018 FIFA World Cup.,The study employed a sentiment analysis, examining Twitter users’ utilization of sponsor and non-sponsor promotional hashtags. Statistical modelling programme R was used to access Twitter’s API, enabling the analysis and coding of user tweets pertaining to six marketing campaigns. The valence of each tweet – as well as the apparent user motivation underlying each post – was assessed, providing insight into Twitter users’ ethical impressions of sponsor and ambush marketer activities on social media and online engagement with social media marketing.,The study’s findings indicate that consumer attitudes towards ambush marketing may be significantly more positive than previously thought. Users’ attitudes towards ambush marketing appear significantly more positive than previously assumed, as users of social media emerged as highly responsive to creative and value-added non-sponsor campaigns.,The findings affirm that sentiment analysis may afford scholars and practitioners a viable means of assessing consumer attitudes towards social marketing activations, dependent upon campaign objectives and strategy. The study provides a new and invaluable context to consumer affect and ambush ethics research, advancing sponsorship and ambush marketing delivery and social sponsorship analytical practice.

Perceived corporate social responsibility performance in professional football and its impact on fan-based patronage intentions: an example from Chinese football.

Abstract: Purpose This paper analyzes fans' perceptions of the CSR activities of a professional football club, specifically whether or not perceived CSR performances are then likely to influence patronage intentions of the fans in relation to the football club. Methodology The paper uses the example of a professional football club in China as a case study for data analysis. Based on a sample of 451home team fans, analysis was conducted through calculation of descriptive statistics, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Regression analysis was conducted to determine the impact of perceived CSR performance on fan’s patronage intentions. Findings The results revealed factor 3(“CSR to customer and employee”), and factor 4 (“Community development and youth education”) were significantly predictive of all the three patronage intention variables, i.e. repeat purchase, Word of Mouth, and merchandise consumption. In addition, factor 2 (“charity”) would also affect merchandise consumption intention, but have no effect on any other dimensions. Originality/Value A scale measuring perceived CSR performance in professional football clubs by the fans in the Chinese context has been developed. In addition, we have identified that the two main CSR factors that would influence fans’ patronage intentions, i.e. "CSR to the customer and employee" and "community development and youth education". Thus, if football clubs are to use CSR strategically to leverage spend then it is these two areas that they should focus on explicitly in relation to CSR activities. This paper adds value to an area that is currently under-researched in respect of CSR activities in Chinese professional football.

Rival team effects in cause-related sports marketing

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to examine how reference to a rival or favorite sports team within cause-related sports marketing (CRSM) campaigns affects fans’ intentions to support the cause. The purpose of the studies is to assess the perils of featuring a specific team in league-wide activations of cause-related marketing.,The research comprises three experiments. Study 1 employs CRSM advertising to test fans’ responses when rival or hometown team imagery is featured by Major League Baseball (MLB). Studies 2 and 3 utilize a press release to activate a cause partnership in MLB and the National Basketball Association (NBA) and assess the potential influence of team involvement and schadenfreude toward the rival team.,Contrary to previous research, results demonstrate that rival team presence in league-wide activation can reduce intentions to support the cause effort across both leagues, but not in all circumstances. The influence of rival team exposure on perceived sincerity is moderated by team involvement with the cause in MLB, but not the NBA. However, sincerity consistently enhances cause support across all studies. While conditional effects of schadenfreude are noted, it is not a significant moderator of cause support.,This research exposes the nuance of league-wide CRSM activations. Specifically, the rival team effect on perceived sincerity seems to be league dependent, and subject to team involvement with the cause. Moreover, these results are limited to the leagues studied.,League administrators and their cause-related partners should exercise due diligence when promoting their affiliation using specific teams and levels of involvement with the cause.,These studies produce results that differ from the limited prior research within the domain of league-wide CRSM, and therefore advance the conversation regarding how best to activate such campaigns.

The impact of CSR-linked sport sponsorship on consumers’ reactions to service failures

Abstract: Drawing on the corporate association framework and attribution theory, the purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to examine the shield effects of CSR-linked sport sponsorship on consumer attitudes toward a sponsor, attribution patterns in a sponsor’s service failure and repurchase intentions and second, to investigate the halo effect of CSR-linked sport sponsorship on corporate ability (CA) associations and the relationship between CA associations and consequential variables in the context of service failure.,A scenario-based two-factor (sponsorship types: baseline vs sport sponsorship vs CSR-linked sport sponsorship × service failure types: flight delay vs cancellation) experimental design was employed.,The results indicate that CSR-linked sport sponsorship outperforms non-CSR sport sponsorship in forming CSR association and developing CA association. Both CSR and CA associations are found to positively influence the consumer’s attitude toward a service provider. Consumers with positive attitudes attribute the sponsor’s service failure to external factors, leading to repurchase intention after a service failure.,This study connects two fields of research, service failure and sport sponsorship, thereby providing evidence on how CSR-linked sport sponsorship can play a shield role in the context of service failure and whether CSR-linked sport sponsorship can be a proactive strategy for service providers in industries where service failures are inevitable. Additionally, this study provides empirical evidence on whether CSR-linked sponsorship can lead consumers to perceive service quality as “doing right leads to doing well” by creating a halo effect.

User engagement and gratifications of NSO supporters on Facebook: Evidence from European football

Abstract: Building on the findings of previous related literature, this paper adopts the uses and gratifications (U&G) theory to analyze how social media users engage with content posted by European football associations (FAs). The purpose of this paper is to identify various post attributes that would aid national sports organizations (NSO) in reaching their online audiences and excelling their media presence.,A coding framework was designed to differentiate Facebook posts by topic, post design and content type. A sample of 2,450 posts from the official Facebook accounts of 49 FAs was collected. Engagement was measured using three metrics: likes, comments and shares. The derived categories of content were coded as dichotomous dummy variables and ran through a multivariate OLS regression analysis. Three regression analyzes were conducted, where each of the engagement metrics served as the dependent variable.,The findings of this paper show that relevance of post topics has a significant effect on engagement. Users interacted most with posts related to the male national A-team, while club football news had a negative response from the followers. Graphic elements such as images and videos positively impact an FA’s ability to generate post likes. Exclusive and behind-the-scenes content made users react extremely well, affecting all engagement metrics. Raw news (match reports, team line-ups) was of little interest to Facebook users.,U&G theory has yet to have been applied to social media studies in the NSO context. Previous studies have either looked at specific case studies of a single NSO or NSOs within a single country, while this paper reviewed the social media practices of 49 NSOs under the umbrella of a single continental sports federation.

Service quality, perceived value and behavioral intentions among highly and lowly identified baseball consumers across nations

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to understand how team identification and country influence professional baseball team spectators’ evaluations of service quality factors, perceived value and future behavioral intentions.,Data were collected online from sports consumers of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) in Taiwan (n = 600) and Major League Baseball in the USA (n = 460). A regression-based estimation method (PROCESS) and structural equation modeling approach were used to assess the relationships.,Both direct and indirect (via perceived value) effects of most service quality factors (schedule convenience, economic consideration, game amenities, ticket service and venue quality) on behavioral intentions are stronger for lowly than for highly identified CPBL fans. The indirect effect of home team on behavioral intentions is stronger for the lowly identified CPBL fans. The direct effect of game amenities and the indirect effect of venue quality (via perceived value) on behavioral intentions are stronger for the highly identified MLB fans. The indirect effect of opposing team and economic consideration is stronger for the lowly identified MLB fans. The positive relationship between venue quality and perceived value is stronger for the USA than for Taiwan fans. The relationships between game amenities and perceived value and between perceived value and behavioral intention are perceived to be invariant between fans from the two countries. Taiwan fans’ behavioral intentions tend to be directly and indirectly affected by service quality factors, whereas US fans’ behavioral intentions tend to be indirectly affected by service quality factors.,The study provides empirical evidence of the moderating role of team identification associated with the relationships between separate service quality factors, perceived value and behavioral intentions among consumers of a professional spectator sports in two different countries.

The relationship between sports sponsorships and corporate financial returns in South Africa

Abstract: Sponsorship is a major contributor to income in the South African sports arena, and is a critical component allowing sports unions to remain financially viable and sustainable. Sports sponsoring companies, however, have long questioned the financial returns generated from these ventures. The purpose of this paper is to understand whether financial returns of companies with sports sponsorship in South Africa are significantly different to those without. This research was conducted on Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) listed companies that sponsored sport consistently between 2000 and 2015 for a period of two years. A quantitative methodology was employed whereby share price, revenue and earnings growth were analysed, comparing firms that did not adopt strategies involving sports sponsorships to those that did.,A quantitative methodology was employed, whereby share price, revenue and earnings growth were analysed, comparing firms that did not adopt strategies involving sports sponsorships to those that did. South Africa is an emerging market and a member of the BRICS Forum ranked 14th in the sport sponsorship market globally (Sport Marketing Frontiers, 2011), becoming increasingly dominant in the global sports industry (Goldman, 2011). The population consisted of JSE-listed Main Board and alternative exchange companies that participated in any form of consistent sports sponsorship in the given time frame: 2000-2015, where the company’s share price, revenue and earnings per share (EPS) data for the period were available from the INET BFA database. The JSE is ranked 17th in terms of market capitalisation (over $1 trillion) in the world, being the largest stock exchange on the African continent with over $30bn being traded on average monthly. Multiple journals today publish research done on the JSE, for example the International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, Investment Analysts Journal and the South African Journal of Accounting Research. This stock exchange is 125 years old and has over 400 listed companies of which 358 are domestic (Kruger et al., 2014).,Results show that companies involved in sports sponsorship during the period analysed did not experience enhanced share price or revenue growth in excess of those companies not involved in sports sponsorship. As a whole, sports sponsoring companies did however experience greater income growth (EPS) than those companies not involved in sports sponsorship. Enhanced revenue growth was found in the consumer services sector, indicating that sport sponsorship in this sector drives brand image and recall resulting in enhanced revenues. These results though indicate that a multitude of differing objectives may exist for companies engaging with sports sponsorship, with increased sales not the singular objective. In general it is concluded that sports sponsorship is considered to achieve a broad spectrum of outcomes that are likely to contribute to increased profitability.,The relatively small size of 40 firms on the JSE in the South African sports sponsorship market is a limitation for this research. The purely quantitative approach limited the ability to gain the required level of insight into those sectors with small samples, which a qualitative study would reveal. SABMiller as example could not be analysed against its sector peers, given that it is one of the most prominent and consistent sports sponsors in South Africa across all major sporting codes. The telecommunications sector was represented entirely by companies that were involved in sports sponsorship and, hence, no in-depth comparison could be conducted within this sector. Vodacom, a major sponsor of sport in South Africa, could not be compared with its peers utilising purely financial and statistical methods. Cell C is one of the most prominent sponsors of rugby in South Africa, through its title sponsorship of the Cell C Sharks, and was not included in this study as it is not listed on the JSE. It is suggested that such companies should be included in a qualitative study approach.,The results of the Mann-Whitney U test for the consumer services and financial sectors confirm no significant difference in EPS growth for companies utilising consistent sports sponsorship as part of their marketing mix to those that do not. The consumer services sector has seen above-average revenue growth from sports sponsorship compared with its sector peers; however, the sector was unable to convert this increased revenue growth into increased profits, suggesting that the cost of sponsoring, as well as the operating costs associated with sports sponsorship, counteract any growth in revenue.,The sample of sports-sponsoring companies experienced a larger annual mean EPS growth rate of 30.6 per cent compared to the remaining JSE Main Board companies which grew EPS annually at 27.4 per cent. The results of the Mann-Whitney U test confirm a significant difference in EPS growth for companies utilising consistent sports sponsorship as part of their marketing mix. From a practical interpretive perspective, this result reveals that those companies in South Africa involved in sports sponsorship consistently attain greater than market-related profit growth. This poses some interesting points for discussion, given that revenue growth was not statistically different, which suggests that many sponsors are utilising the sponsorships for purposes other than sales growths that result in a profitable outcome. The potential range of options is large but would likely comprise the creation of stronger supplier relationships, resulting in optimised business inputs. Sponsors might be utilising sponsorships to improve corporate social status, which assists them in creating regulatory compliance, in some instances. Additionally, these sponsorships may be utilised to maintain key client relationships that provide the highest levels of profitability, and whilst this might not grow revenue through new business acquisition, it may result in higher profitability as a result of a loyal and stable customer base.,Much of the available research focusses on the sponsorship of specific sporting events and the share price impact thereof at specific occasions like the announcement, renewal and termination. Where research is conducted across a multitude of sporting events and codes, this predominantly focusses on share price performance only, with varying and somewhat inconclusive results. There is little research focussing on wider, more comprehensive sets of sponsored events and sporting codes, and that seeks to provide an understanding of financial returns for sponsoring properties. In a study of more than 50 US-based corporations it was found that, as a group, corporations which consistently invested in sports sponsorships outperformed market averages, and that those with higher sponsorship spend achieved higher returns (Jensen and Hsu, 2011). The study utilised descriptive statistics. More analysis, utilising detailed statistical analysis, is required to better understand the effects of sponsorship on the wider set of variables analysed. In this case, a five-year compound annual growth rate was calculated for stock price appreciation, total revenue, net income and EPS, and analysed descriptively with only means and standard deviation. Measurement of such variables assists with an understanding of the materialized results of sponsorship as opposed to much of the work in this field, which analyses market reactions to sponsorship announcements.

The corporatisation of football and CSR reporting by professional football clubs in Europe

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to examine differences in corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting on the websites of football clubs based in five European countries with different levels of football corporatisation.,The study examines CSR reporting on the internet by football clubs based in five European countries. Multiple regression analysis is used to analyse some factors which influence reporting and test a set of hypotheses.,The findings suggest that clubs from countries in which the level of corporatisation is higher disclose more CSR information. Also, clubs with higher public visibility disclose a higher variety of CSR information.,This study adds to the scarce research on CSR reporting in professional sports leagues by providing new empirical data and by extending prior research comparing such practices within different international frameworks of CSR.

Structural relationship between market demand and member commitment associated with the marketing of martial arts programs

Abstract: This study was conducted to ensure that the selected antecedent concepts, including market demand and psychological factors, were fully focused and studied in detail and depth The purpose of this paper is to develop and test a theoretical framework that specifies direct and indirect relationships among market demand, perceived benefits, perceived constraint, perceived value, consumer satisfaction and member commitment in martial arts programs,Research participants (n=595) were martial arts school participants, who resided in the USA A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to evaluate the measurement model and the proposed model was tested by conducting structural equation modeling analyses,Findings of this study indicated that perceived benefits and perceived constraints partially mediated the relationship between the market demand factors and perceived value, which in turn influenced member satisfaction and commitment Economic Condition Consideration was found to be the most critical predictor of market demand,Generating what-to-do and how-to-do implications that were specific to martial arts school and marketing practices were the priority of the investigators of this study Administrators of martial arts programs may consider adopting the resultant theoretical framework as a general guide in their marketing efforts to recruit and retain program participants

A strategic approach to sports crisis management: assessing the NFL concussion crisis from marketing and public relations perspectives.

Abstract: Using the National Football League (NFL) concussion crisis context, the purpose of this paper is to provide sports marketers with a strategic approach to sports crisis management through consideration of crisis media coverage and organizational reputation.,An online experiment assessed the impact of two crisis response strategies, fan involvement and exposure to crisis media coverage on emotional response, corporate message credibility, crisis perception and perceived corporate reputation.,The accident response strategy was associated with more favorable perceptions of the NFL and corporate message credibility. Sports fan involvement facilitated more favorable perceptions of the NFL’s reputation, while exposure to media coverage of the NFL’s crisis created negative perceptions of the NFL’s reputation. Exposure to media coverage of the NFL concussion crisis increased feelings of anger, which in turn decreased perceptions of corporate message credibility.,A limitation for this study is the specific crisis scenario that was used. The NFL concussion crisis is different from other crisis types in that it does not directly impact the audience’s well-being, but instead affects their perceptions of an iconic institution.,In light of study findings, it is suggested that sports marketers consider the following when dealing with crises: carefully determine proper framing methods when crafting a crisis response as different response types affect consumers in different ways; leverage public relations (PR) practices by engaging in media monitoring to inform an appropriate crisis response to control the narrative; and examine forces exernal of the organization that influence consumer emotions, paying special attention to feelings of anger as anger negatively impacts consumer perceptions of corporate credibility.,This paper addresses sports crisis strategy from both marketing and public relations perspectives. It describes how strategic efforts protect a sports organization’s reputation, thus increasing marketing effectiveness.

Determinants of audience demand for the televised professional baseball matches in Korea: an analysis of the post-season matches from 2008 to 2016.

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to examine factors influencing the audience demand for televised post-season games of the Korean professional baseball league.,The data were collected from a total of 129 games – the entire post-season games from 2008 to 2016. Two dependent variables representing audience demand for televised baseball matches, obtained from the third-party television audit company AGB Nielsen, were regressed on a series of match-related and unrelated antecedent factors associated with each match. Pooled OLS regression with wild bootstrap standard errors with 100,000 replications was applied in the analysis.,Regarding match-related factors, higher television ratings and the greater numbers of television viewers were associated with matches with greater significance, outcome uncertainty and score sum. In terms of the match-unrelated factors, the broadcast platform appeared to be the most powerful predictor of both television ratings and the numbers of viewers. Other than the broadcast platform, night matches, matches with full stadium occupancy and team values showed positive impacts on both the television ratings and the numbers of viewers.,The sales of media rights and sponsorships are the major sources of revenues for professional sports leagues, and the size of these two streams of revenues is in proportion to the size of the audience demand for television and other media. This study provides valuable insights to the sports marketers of professional sports clubs and leagues by establishing proper understanding of the determinants of the audience demand for televised sports.,The characteristics specific to each professional league and country play unique roles in determining the antecedent factors of audience demand for televised sports; this study is one of the few attempts to examine Koran professional baseball league.

Blinded by the sand of its burrowing? Examining fans’ intentions to follow one-day cricket on TV with a moderating effect of social influence

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of patriotism, nostalgia, drama and excitement of the game, and interest in star players to predict fans’ intentions to follow one-day cricket in near future. Furthermore, social influence is positioned as a moderator to enrich the understanding of fans’ motives to follow one-day cricket. Design/methodology/approach The data are collected by means of a cross-sectional survey conducted among 609 university students enroled in Pakistani and Sri Lankan universities. The collected data are analysed by employing a structural equation modelling procedures to reach meaningful conclusions. Findings The variables of patriotism, nostalgic associations, excitement and drama of the game, and interest in star players are found to positively relate to the fans’ intentions to follow one-day cricket in near future. However, the moderating effects of social influence only moderated with interest in star players, which has practical and theoretical implications. Originality/value The study is an original contribution to the field of sports marketing. The proposed relationships are based on social identity theory paradigm. Furthermore, the moderating effects of social influence and a multi-country data are unique to this study. Finally, in previous studies, football fans’ motivation and test-match cricket fans’ motivations are studied, hence one-day cricket as a context is also unique to this study.

Community-sport service provision, participant satisfaction, and participation: Experience and perspective of Guangdong, China

Abstract: Since 2014, “sport for all” has been promoted as a new national strategy in China, which injects powerful dynamism and vitality for its development in numerous aspects. However, there has been very little feedback on sport service provision in community, and the satisfaction level of community participants is largely unmeasured. To promote physical and mental health of residents and form a stronger foundation of sport culture, more attention should be directed to community sports. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of community-sport service provisions on participants’ satisfaction and, in turn, on their sport participation behavior.,Community-sport program participants in China (n=576) responded to a survey measuring the proposed concepts.,Structural equation modeling analyses revealed that community-sport services in the areas of sport facility, grassroots sport organizations and sport activity programs had strong influences on participant satisfaction and, in turn, their desire for participation, which highlighted the demand for high-quality sport service provision by community.,The study contributed to the literature by proposing two clear dimensions (core sport service and peripheral sport service) for the measurement of public sport service provision in community sports. A second theoretical contribution of the study relates to the clarification of the relationship between the two dimensions of community-sport service provision (both core and peripheral services) and community participants’ satisfaction levels.

Effects of brand exposure time duration and frequency on image transfer in sport sponsorship

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to explore the moderating effect of brand exposure time and exposure frequency in image transfer. In study 1, H1 and H2 assumed the bidirectional image transfer (i.e. from an event to a brand, from a brand to an event). H3 and H4 were set to examine the moderating effect of brand exposure time and exposure frequency in image transfer upon spreading activation theory, mere exposure effect and three-hit theory.,According to study 1, the result indicated that the amount of image transfer varied based on the exposure time. However, brand exposure frequency did not show statistically significant interactions. Study 2 was performed to complement the H4 of the study 1. In study 2, apart from the number of exposures on a screen (group 1=four times; group 2=eight times), the perceived number of exposures were separately measured (group 1=2.67; group 2=3.96) to see if the number of perceived exposures moderated the amount of image transfer.,The results indicated that there was no group difference in the amount of image transfer. Based on the result of the study, a sponsor brand must be exposed for enough time duration in order to maximize the return on investment regardless of how frequently it is exposed.,The current study examined the image transfer in sport sponsorship. Although previous studies empirically examined the image transfer phenomenon in sport sponsorship, they failed to establish theoretical ground. Thus, this study incorporated the three theories in advertising and examined how we can apply the theories to sport sponsorship. In addition, we examine the image transfer based on video clip which is mainly how people are exposed to sport sponsorship. Next, we examined the moderating effects of exposure duration and exposure frequency, which has never been studied in sport sponsorship context.

Improving service-center employees’ performance by means of a sport sponsorship

Abstract: Sponsorships targeting an internal audience, e.g. employees, are still under-researched. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how employees perceive and evaluate a sponsorship that is designed with the purpose of improving customer services and explore how the company may benefit from the sponsorship.,The study is anchored in critical realism and based on a single case study using multiple methods. The authors survey the impact of the sponsorship on employees’ (n=653) perceptions of their ability to communicate with customers, to perform their personal best, to engage in teamwork, as well as employee retention. The authors use individual and group interviews to qualify the analysis and the access to company data on customer satisfaction rates to provide an indication of the effect of the sponsorship.,Results indicate that close to half the employees respond that the campaign positively impacted their ability to communicate, improve personal performance and to engage in teamwork. The analysis also reveals that the commitment of the direct leader has an impact on employees’ interest and commitment to the campaign. Data on customer satisfaction show that reducing the number of dissatisfied customers and increasing the number of customers willing to recommend the company to others has been accomplished, thus indicating that the sponsorship has had a positive impact on company performance.,By combining sponsorship research with insights from the HRM literature, the study provides empirically based knowledge to the hitherto limited research on the internal audience of sponsorships. The study provides a plausible indication of a positive relation between a sponsorship design and company performance.

Tracing the ABC’s of brand community

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to add a needed sport foundation for the brand community conversation evolution within the International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship (Popp et al., 2016; Richelieu, 2008; Trail et al., 2016) from the spark of Gladden and Funk’s (2001) brand association and loyalty in sport.,This paper traces the evolution of brand community research from its beginnings in the general business literature to the current brand community research in sport marketing today. Muniz and O’Guinn (2001) define brand communities as a specialized and non-geographically bound community based around a set of structured social relationships amongst admirers of a brand and are often recognized as the most integral relationship component of consumers to brands (Muge and Ozge, 2013).,Media transcends geography and brand communities will continue to transcend geography to the boundaries of mass media.,With this growing importance on attachment to brand community (ABC) through mass media, or attachment team in the sport context, further exploration on attachment variables is critical for the success of the next evolutionary stage of brand communities.,An ABC framework in the sport setting is proposed through multidisciplinary variables gathered in a review of brand community literature to address the unique attachment perspectives of sport consumers.

Does rivalry matter? An analysis of sport consumer interest on social media

Abstract: Previous research on rivalry games in sport has predominantly focused on understanding the nature of these games and their effects on consumer behavior. As such, the purpose of this paper is to conduct an empirical examination to provide better theoretical and empirical understanding of how rivalries may impact the posting of content online.,This research utilizes Twitter data measuring the number of posts by individuals about college football teams to model how often fans create content during game days. The models in this study were estimated using fixed-effects panel regressions.,After controlling for a number of factors, including the type of rivalry game, results indicate fans post more during traditional rivalries. Furthermore, newer rivalry games had less impact on the amount of content posted about a team.,The findings from this research provide sport marketers with important information regarding fan use of digital platforms. Notably, the results suggest rivalries can help to boost the volume of content individuals post about a team, indicating these games provide teams with an opportunity to maximize their engagement with fans and focus on key marketing objectives.,To date, there has been little examination considering whether rivalries affect behaviors in the digital realm. Therefore, the current investigation is one of the first studies to examine how rivalries impact social media behavior.