Factors affecting spectators’ adoption of digital ticketing: the case of interscholastic sports

Abstract

PurposeThe paper investigates the factors influencing spectators’ adoption of digital (mobile) ticketing by expanding the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM; Davis, 1989) to include two variables overlooked in previous ticketing research: (1) trust of digital ticketing and (2) willingness to pay convenience fees. The study provides information on consumer behavior that may aid sports managers’ decision-making.Design/methodology/approachThrough a paper-and-pencil survey of high school American football spectators (N = 523) over 12 games, the study examined perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, the trust of digital ticketing, willingness to pay convenience fees and their effects on spectators’ intention to use digital ticketing.FindingsTrust of digital ticketing, willingness to pay a convenience fee and the perceived ease of use were found to influence the perceived usefulness of the technology, which, in turn, had a significant effect on the intention to use. Willingness to pay fees also had a direct effect on intention.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough every intention was made to ascertain a diverse sampling of schools (urban vs. suburban, large vs. small), it is worth noting that the sample location may be a limitation for the overall applicability.Practical implicationsThe manuscript includes practical applications for marketers and ticket sales staff. Digital (mobile) ticketing is on the rise. As segments like high school athletics adopt the technology, spectators’ evaluation of digital ticketing must be considered, given its impact on intentions to use.Originality/valueThe findings support the use of willingness to pay convenience fees and trust of digital ticketing as considerations in the TAM for understanding digital ticketing.

Understanding sport event ticket-type preference in a forced e-ticket environment

“…In regards to the buying process for sport tickets, several researchers have conducted studies examining attitudes and characteristics of consumers who prefer electronic purchasing compared to the traditional procuring of hard tickets (Ahn et al, 2014;Dhurup et al, 2011;Khazaei Pool et al, 2016;Marquez et al, 2020;Popp et al, 2018;Smith et al, 2012Smith et al, , 2014. Such studies are typically rooted in Davis' (1989) technology acceptance model which suggests end-user perceptions of technology ease-of-use and technology usefulness influence willingness to embrace electronic ticket purchases (Ahn et al, 2014).…”

“…The use of digital ticket processing provides many advantages to firms and organizations. These include (1) data collection from consumers, (2) greater control over sales and resales of tickets, (3) reducing printing costs and environmental waste, (4) the ability to automate transactions to enable 24/7 selling, (5) greater efficiencies during entrance to sport facilities, (6) improving the speed and reliability of ticket transfer ownership and (7) the ability to dynamically manipulate seat locations or replace lost tickets (Evangelista, 2018;Fisher and Muret, 2014;Marquez et al, 2020;Smith, 2009). Such benefits allow sport organizations to more effectively market their product through consumer tracking, fraud reduction and even alter which seats are occupied within a building, as well as maximize revenue by gaining extra control over the resale of tickets.…”

“…While anecdotal evidence depicting ticket holder attitudes toward digital ticketing in sports can be found within popular press accounts, little prior academic research has empirically investigated fan preferences regarding mobile ticket delivery type and usage (Bauer et al, 2007;Marquez et al, 2020). In particular, little is understood about ticket holder attitudes toward digital ticketing when the adoption of such technology is forced on the end user, rather than self-selected.…”

Factors Affecting Leaders’ Adoption of Innovation:

“…From a sport business professional's perspective, researchers have explored the individual innovativeness of sport manager candidates (Kurtipek & Gungor, 2019) and perceptions towards innovation by non-profit practitioners . From a consumer's standpoint, studies have focused on sport consumption on smartphones (Chan-Olmsted, & Xiao, 2019), fan perceptions toward augmented reality in marketing (Goebert & Greenhalgh, 2020), and spectators' adoption of digital ticketing (Marquez et al, 2020). However, the bulk of the research on organizational leaders' decisions to adopt technological innovations has taken a qualitative approach; therefore, a quantitative exploration may complement the existing literature by yielding additional insight.…”

“…Within the context of high school digital ticketing (i.e., the innovation), an athletic director's decision to offer this option to event attendees represents innovation adoption, while the embracing of such technology across high schools nationwide represents diffusion. Digital ticketing is an increasingly common feature at professional and collegiate sporting events; however, the adoption of this technology is less common within interscholastic sports (Marquez et al, 2020). Marquez et al explored factors affecting spectators' digital ticketing usage when attending high school athletic events, but the reality is that if athletic directors do not choose to adopt the technology in the first place, this decision will not reach the attendees.…”