Developing and Validating a Venue Stimuli-Local Image Fit Scale

Few studies in sport marketing have examined the formative role of venue stimuli in affecting sport spectators. As such, the fi eld currently lacks methodological direction for dealing with venue stimuli as a means to understand the sport spectator experience. Research is needed to inform academics and practitioners about the appropriate use and potential outcomes of venue stimuli, particularly as they relate to destination image and local place. Given the notable lack of investigation on this topic, this study was exploratory in nature, with the purposes of developing and validating a sport venue stimuli and local image fi t (SIF) scale. The development process of the SIF scale comprised the six stages of scale development recommended by previous scholars. Th e scale developed in this study provides a reliable and valid instrument designed to assess the extent to which sensory stimuli in the sport venue are congruent with local image, thus offering practitioners and academics a means to understand how inimitable elements of the local culture enrich the venue experience when they become intertwined with spectators’ sensory experience.

Congruity of Virtual Reality In-Game Advertising

With virtual reality (VR) video game users beginning to see beta advertisements within game play, this conceptual article adds a needed digital and interactive marketing research foundation to the new construct of VR in-game advertising (IGA) activation. New consumer VR technology continues to disrupt traditional media as a $7.7 billion USD industry, that is expected to reach $57.55 billion by 2027. As such, marketing researchers must continue to evolve and understand the interdisciplinary VR research evolution as many VR users are likely to view IGA as intrusive. IGA and VR are not new constructs, but IGA within VR is unique as VR consumers have not yet experienced VR IGA intrusion. This article utilizes a sport marketing focus to provide an industry specific set of examples for the reader, however this article can be applied to broader fields including communications and interactive marketing. The main contributions of this article are 2-fold. First the development of a VR In-Game Advertising Congruity Framework is developed through a review of the literature and application to VR IGA in the topical areas of congruity of the IGA, interactivity of the IGA, intrusiveness of the IGA, realism of the experience, telepresence, brand awareness, and attitude toward the IGA. Secondly, a proper VR context definition of telepresence is provided through review of the literature that takes into account the interaction of a VR participant. This article aims to aid marketers in making informed IGA development decisions through strategic choice, via a centralized VR IGA congruity framework, that not only enhances brand awareness, but leaves participants with a favorable attitude toward the IGA to increase sales activation.

Influence of Sports Marketing Strategies in the Promotion of Organization Products and Services in Ilorin Metropolis

Sport marketing remain an important aspect of global sports innovation as it is relevant to the growth of business as well as its survival. It is further prescribed as a means by which company or an organization communicate their services in a sport-oriented context. Sports marketing has been developed to promote sports events and teams as well as promotion of other products and services to consumers. Descriptive survey design was used in this study. The population comprised the sport marketers and organizations that produce and sell sport products and services to consumers totaling 54 and no sample was selected as all the marketers and organization staff were used as sampled for the study. Structured questionnaire designed in a four point likert rating scale which was validated by experts in sports marketing and tested for reliability with coefficient result of 0.82 was used to elicit data from the respondents. Two research questions and two research hypotheses were formulated for the study. The two research questions were analysed using frequency, percentage and means score while the hypotheses were tested using independent T-test at 0.05 level of significant and funding reveals that there was no significant difference in the sport marketer perception of the influence of sport marketing strategy on the promotion of organization products as well as to produce valued products based on gender,. Among the recommendations, suggested include: organization must strengthen btheir marketing strategies in order to promote their products among others Keywords: Sports marketing, strategies, and promotion of organization products and services

Pro softball fan segments: a two-step cluster analysis

PurposeNiche sports such as women's professional sport leagues face many challenges to developing and expanding their fan base. Understanding sport fans, segmenting consumer bases and targeting them effectively can assist in both developing the fan base and competing for investments like sponsorships and media rights. The purpose of this study was to explore consumer segments of the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), a niche softball league, by identifying demographic and psychographic characteristics of the segments and developing a persona for each segment.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 3,463 NPF consumers with the assistance of NPF league officials using their social media outlets. A two-step cluster analysis was performed employing both categorical and continuous variables to inform the segmentation, which was followed with chi-squared statistics and two MANOVAs to compare the segments' demographic characteristics, points of attachment (POAs) levels and attendance and viewership of NPF games.FindingsThree distinct consumer segments with unique demographic, POA and softball participation characteristics were identified. Differences among these segments' consumption of NPF games validated the existence of three distinct consumer segments.Originality/valueThis research is the first to examine consumer behavior in women's softball, and it expands the sport marketing literature through the identification of consumer segments of a niche sport league with a novel cluster analysis. Blending theory and practice by incorporating both demographic and psychographic variables into market segmentation, the research uniquely serves this niche sport and thereby informs improved marketing practice.

Measuring model of consumer’s moral reasoning in sport marketing: a scale development

Objetivo do estudo: O objetivo principal da presente pesquisa foi a padronização de um modelo para medir a quantidade de raciocínio moral do consumidor em face do escândalo moral de celebridades do esporte.Metodologia: Os participantes desta pesquisa foram todos estudantes de graduação em educação física e ciências do esporte em universidades do Irã, e uma abordagem de método misto contendo entrevistas com questões abertas como fase qualitativa e, em seguida, análise fatorial confirmatória como fase quantitativa foram usados para determinar a validade de as ferramentas de pesquisa.Originalidade: as ofensas do atleta endossante são consideradas imorais. Em vista da psicologia moral, os sentimentos morais ocorrem direta e automaticamente e o raciocínio moral é buscado para criar razões morais. O raciocínio moral é uma situação em que os indivíduos tendem a escolher informações diante dos fenômenos e tentar obter seu resultado moral.Principais resultados: Os achados mostraram que a validade e confiabilidade do modelo de mensuração, adaptado aos achados qualitativos, recebeu valores aceitáveis em comparação com os valores relatados em outros estudos. O modelo de mensuração dos componentes do raciocínio moral na estimação padrão, coeficientes significativos e parâmetros obtidos do modelo mostraram bom ajuste do modelo.Contribuições metodológicas: O presente estudo limitou-se à violação de doping de atletas endossantes e é necessário que outras violações que levem a propaganda negativa e afetem o raciocínio moral do consumidor, como interessante tema de estudo, sejam consideradas por outros pesquisadores.Contribuições do managemnet: Devido à visão frequentemente negativa em relação ao atleta dopado antes do raciocínio moral, sugere-se que os contratos de endosso sejam mais rigorosos por parte das empresas e parece mais sensato usar celebridades de esportes onde o número de seus testes de doping positivos é menor e há pouca chance de tal violação. Em última análise, considerando as diferentes percepções da comunidade esportiva e da população em geral sobre o doping ou qualquer violação, o estudo das diferenças pode ser de interesse para futuros pesquisadores.

The influence of brand experience on satisfaction, uncertainty and brand loyalty: a focus on the golf club industry

PurposeUnderstanding the advantages of brand experience is important for brand managers to more effectively grow satisfied and loyal customers. To date, little research has examined the relationship between brand experience and customer satisfaction, uncertainty, and brand loyalty with sport products. Therefore, this study examined these relationships with golf club products in the golf industry.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from golf players in South Korea (n = 386) through online surveys. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to examine the relationship between the variables.FindingsThe results revealed that brand experience influences golfers' uncertainty toward other brands. In other words, doubts about the brand will decrease when consumers experience sensory, affective, behavioral, and intellectual interactions with a brand. Interestingly, brand experience does not influence golfers' satisfaction as indicated by previous studies. Also, findings showed that just having experience with a brand does not lead to golfers' loyalty.Originality/valueThis study helps to understand how consumers' direct experiences influence brand beliefs and attitudes. Moreover, this study is significant for sport marketing practitioners since it explores an alternative marketing approach to brand differentiation, which has the potential to attract and retain more customers.

Improving Students’ Oral Communication Skills Through an Interdisciplinary Problem-Based Learning Opportunity in a Sport Management Course

This study adopted several pedagogical foundations to determine if an interdisciplinary, problem-based learning (PBL) opportunity applied to teaching sport marketing would improve student’ individual and group oral communication skills. Faculty from two departments collaborated to create an assignment that was a hands-on class project designed around formative assessment, lecture intervention, and final PBL deliverable. The PBL and interdisciplinary design addressed the need for enhanced communication skills in the sport management industry. The study results indicate a successful development of the students’ data analysis and presentation skills. Findings confirm an interdisciplinary approach to PBL by implementing communication skill development across disciplines.