The research described in this thesis is aimed at
initiating a factually-based knowledge of the sponsorship
of leisure pursuits as a promotional tool. Research to
date has been scant leaving the subject largely in the
realms of supposition.
The finding of this research can be classified under
three headings:
1A description of the overall sponsorship
process
2 The evaluation of sponsorship
3 The implications for marketing management
in general.
Based upon the first phase of field research the author
constructs an overview of the sponsorship process. This
demonstrates the wide range of industries which engage in
sponsorship, identifies decision-making factors, sponsor-
ship effects, and evaluation. Sponsorship is seen to be
employed mainly in a strategic role, in that it is used
to contribute to long term objectives. Marked disparities
are observed between the effects claimed for sponsorship
and the incidence of those claims being supported by
evaluation.
In the second phase of research the evaluation methods
adopted by sponsors are thoroughly investigated. It is
observed that sponsorship objectives are generally too
vague for worthwhile evaluation to be possible. More-
over, available information is not used properly as an
input to improved practice. It is perceived that
sponsorship can have a much more powerful role to play
than is commonly understood. As a new means of promotion,
sponsorship can imbue a brand or company with the part-
icular characteristics which the relevant sport or art
possess. It provides an additional' vehicle for communic-
ation and is a novel means for targeting particular groups
of people.
Thirdly, are the impications of the research for
marketing management in general. From the literature
review it is argued that there should be a direct relation-
ship between decision-making and evaluation. Evaluation is
the link which feeds information about the results of
decisions back into better subsequent decision-making;
and central to this process are well-defined objectives.
The failure by managers to fully appreciate and practice
this process is underlined
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