Differential Effects of Internal and External Constraints on Sustainability Intentions: A Hierarchical Regression Analysis of Running Event Participants by Market Segment

There are immediate calls to action across all business sectors to address the adverse effects of climate change. The sport industry is not immune to these calls—practitioners have engaged participants to further the environmental initiatives of their events through creative messaging campaigns with mixed success. We examine the differential effects of internal and external constraints on sustainability intentions by market segment of a running event’s participants. This furthers our understanding of how to engage sport participants in sustainable behaviors at a sport event and improves the sustainable behavior outcomes of messaging campaigns. Our results support the principles of constraint theory and that internal constraints need to be addressed before external constraints are relevant. Internal constraints, such as lack of knowledge and lack of worth, predict variance in intentions to act sustainably (i.e., to dispose of waste correctly). After controlling for internal constraints, the external constraints of lack of interest by others to act sustainably, and lack of access and time, explain additional variance in sustainability intentions. We also found that each market segment varies on the impact of constraints that inhibit sustainability intentions, with the amount of variance in sustainability intention explained by such constraints varying from as low as 11.4% in one segment to as high as 33.1% in another. We then provide specific recommendations for future research and discuss how practitioners can use these results to ameliorate these constraints and increase sustainability intentions

Differential Effects of Internal and External Constraints on Sustainability Intentions: A Hierarchical Regression Analysis of Running Event Participants by Market Segment

There are immediate calls to action across all business sectors to address the adverse effects of climate change. The sport industry is not immune to these calls—practitioners have engaged participants to further the environmental initiatives of their events through creative messaging campaigns with mixed success. We examine the differential effects of internal and external constraints on sustainability intentions by market  segment of a running event’s participants. This furthers our understanding of how to engage sport participants in sustainable behaviors at a sport event and improves the sustainable behavior outcomes of messaging campaigns. Our results support the principles of constraint theory and that internal constraints need to be addressed before external constraints are relevant. Internal constraints, such as lack of knowledge and lack of worth, predict variance in intentions to act sustainably (i.e., to dispose of waste correctly). After controlling for internal constraints, the external constraints of lack of interest by others to act sustainably, and lack of access and time, explain additional variance in sustainability intentions. We also found that each market segment varies on the impact of constraints that inhibit sustainability intentions, with the amount of variance in sustainability intention explained by such constraints varying from as low as 11.4% in one segment to as high as 33.1% in another. We then provide specific recommendations for future research and discuss how practitioners can use these results to ameliorate these constraints and increase sustainability intentions

A model bridging team brand experience and sponsorship brand experience

Purpose Previous research has focused on the antecedents of fan loyalty or the link between fans and the team on sponsorship reactions, but no comprehensive framework has been developed to combine these perspectives. The purpose of this paper is to present an integrated framework of how team brand experience during the season impacts sponsorship brand experience. Design/methodology/approach To create the conceptual model, a comprehensive search of peer-reviewed articles was conducted in electronic databases and journal reference lists. The authors identified constructs from prior research aimed at understanding sponsorship effectiveness. These constructs not only included aspects of the sponsorship brand experience, but also aspects within the team brand experience that form the link between consumers’ responses derived from team-related stimuli and the responses evoked by sponsor-related stimuli. Findings This conceptual framework yields a set of 11 propositions regarding fans’ interactions with both team and sponsorship brands highlighting how to strengthen the bond between fans, teams, and sponsors. It provides a comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon and identifies opportunities to increase fan support and the appeal of professional teams to potential sponsors. Originality/value This study extends previous research by providing a unique conceptual framework that highlights the importance of understanding how fans view both the team brand and the sponsor brand. Several suggestions for future studies and strategies to increase the benefits for both teams and sponsors can be drawn from this framework. </jats:sec

A longitudinal study of team-fan role identity on self-reported attendance behavior and future intentions

Attendance at college sporting events generates billions of dollars annually for athletic departments at the college level in the United States. Based on Identity Theory and prior research, we developed and tested two models that were successful in predicting actual attendance, attendance intentions (conative loyalty), and support for the team across time. Respondents (N = 165; 60% female, 59% Caucasian) filled out three surveys across the year. In Model A (RMSEA = .066, χ2/df = 50.02/29 = 1.73), prior season attendance, number of games intending to attend, and preseason team-fan role identity (Time 1) explained 63% of self-reported attendance behavior (Time 2). Those variables and postseason role identity (Time 2) explained 48.5% of attendance intentions (Time 3; Model A) and 43% of supporting the team in the future (Time 3; Model B, RMSEA = .060, χ2/df = 46.16/29 = 1.59). Sports marketers need to take into account both the impact of role identity as a fan of the team and attendance intentions, not just prior attendance behavior when predicting future attendance behavior and support for the tea

The Feasibility of Single-Item Measures in Sport Loyalty Research

Researchers in disciplines other than sport have attempted to make a case for single-item measures of cognitive and affective dimensions in instances when simplicity, brevity, or global measurement is of paramount importance. This study compared and contrasted two separate multiple-item measures to two single-item measures referent to two specified constructs: (1) affective commitment to a team, represented by the Psychological Commitment to Team scale, and (2) team identification represented by the Team Identification Index. Data were collected from 146 college students (72 men and 74 women) at a large American university. It was determined that multiple-item scales had the advantage of breadth of measurement and scale, and that single-item scales had the advantage of simplicity and brevity or ease of use. The study also examined one of the greatest criticisms of single-item measures and one of the greatest advantages of the multiple-item scales: reliability and concurrent validity. The Team Identification Index had better reliability (0.92 vs. 0.83) but explained less variance in behavioural items than its referent single-item measure. The Psychological Commitment to Team had better reliability (0.96 vs. 0.90) and explained more variance than its referent single-item measure. In general, all single-item measures should be tested before use and only used in certain circumstances. Specifically for the Team Identification Index and the Psychological Commitment to Team scale, sport marketers may be able to use the referent single-item measures in certain situations.

The effects of service provider employment status and service quality exchange on perceived organizational image and purchase intention

Volunteers are a major labor source in sports; however, the impact of volunteers on organizational image or on customers' repatronage intentions has not been studied. An experimental study (2 x 3 factorial design) was employed to explore the effect of Employment Status of the service provider and perceived Quality of Service Exchange on Perceived Organizational Image and Intention to Attend a Game with 461 college students who were potential customers of college sports. Quality of Service Exchange included Technical Aspects (presenting of information vs. presenting of no information) and Relational Aspects (willingness to help vs. unwillingness to help). Results showed that both Perceived Organizational Image and Intention to Attend a Game were primarily determined by Quality of Service Exchange. Employment Status and the interaction term between Employment Status and Quality of Service Exchange only minimally influenced the two dependent variables. This suggests that potential customers of college sports did not distinguish the service of volunteers from that of paid-employees.Volunteer Organizational image Service quality Employment status

Esports sponsorship : an empirical examination of esports consumers’ perceptions of non-endemic sponsors

Traditional sport organizations and their sponsors are beginning to embrace esports, but the effectiveness of non-endemic sponsorships in esports remains uncertain. Esports consumers are notoriously hostile to organizations they perceive as seeking to exploit them – including the growing ranks of non-endemics seeking to capitalize on the youth- and tech-centric esports industry. The purpose of this study is to evaluate esports consumers’ perceptions of non-endemic sponsorships. We adapt a well established sport sponsorship model to the context of esports to test key relationships’ salience to sponsors. We demonstrate that non-endemic sponsors can benefit from esports team sponsorship through enhanced attitudes, perceived goodwill, and product purchase intentions. Moreover, we find that there is only a small effect of esports brand attitude on attitude toward the sponsor, yet a larger effect on perceived goodwill and product purchase intentions. This suggests that firms with limited marketing budgets can benefit from increased goodwill and purchase intentions by sponsoring emerging esports teams who provide low-cost sponsorship opportunities

Esports sponsorship : an empirical examination of esports consumers’ perceptions of non-endemic sponsors

Traditional sport organizations and their sponsors are beginning to embrace esports, but the effectiveness of non-endemic sponsorships in esports remains uncertain. Esports consumers are notoriously hostile to organizations they perceive as seeking to exploit them – including the growing ranks of non-endemics seeking to capitalize on the youth- and tech-centric esports industry. The purpose of this study is to evaluate esports consumers’ perceptions of non-endemic sponsorships. We adapt a well established sport sponsorship model to the context of esports to test key relationships’ salience to sponsors. We demonstrate that non-endemic sponsors can benefit from esports team sponsorship through enhanced attitudes, perceived goodwill, and product purchase intentions. Moreover, we find that there is only a small effect of esports brand attitude on attitude toward the sponsor, yet a larger effect on perceived goodwill and product purchase intentions. This suggests that firms with limited marketing budgets can benefit from increased goodwill and purchase intentions by sponsoring emerging esports teams who provide low-cost sponsorship opportunities