Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Corporate Sponsorships At A Minor League Baseball Park

Open Access
- Author:
- Moore, Christopher Lawerence
- Area of Honors:
- Recreation and Park Management
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Dr. Andrew Justin Mowen, Thesis Supervisor
Dr. Andrew Justin Mowen, Thesis Honors Advisor
Benjamin Daniel Hickerson, Faculty Reader - Keywords:
- corporate sponsorships
goodwill
fan involvement
attitudes toward the property
attitudes toward the sponsor
consumer behavior
purchase intentions
baseball
sport - Abstract:
- Determining the effectiveness of sponsorship is critical for small-market, community sport organizations, yet few studies have examined its impact within these types of venues (e.g., minor league baseball). Recent economic conditions have prompted businesses to question the value of their sponsorships, both in terms of community goodwill and sales. As the search for sponsorship dollars becomes increasingly competitive, small-market minor league teams would be well served to understand those factors that contribute to fan intentions to purchase sponsor products/services. Prior research has identified fan involvement, attitude toward the sponsors and goodwill as important and significant predictors of purchase intentions (Dees, Bennett, & Villegas, 2008). In assessing attitudes, these authors focused on the sponsor but, as sponsorships involve a two-way relationship between corporations and sport properties, it is important to assess attitudes toward both parties. Using similar measures and methods, the present study replicates and extends the work of Dees et al. (2008) within a small market minor league baseball venue. Furthermore, this study reassesses the extent that fan involvement and goodwill relate to purchase intentions. On-site fan surveys (N=246) were collected at 16 minor league home ball games (e.g., the State College Spikes, Medlar Field). The results show that four factors: attitude towards the sponsor, attitude toward the property, goodwill, and fan involvement significantly related to fans’ intentions to purchase a product/service from corporate sponsors. Furthermore, path analysis revealed that the effects of goodwill and fan involvement on purchase intentions were mediated through sponsor attitudes. Goodwill also had a direct effect on the attitudes towards the sponsor which impacts the consumers purchasing behavior. These findings suggest that companies seeking to improve fan attitudes and purchase intentions should make a conscious effort to design sponsorship programs that promote fan involvement and goodwill.