Show Me the Money: On Predicting Actual Purchases in Cross-National Sponsorship

Abstract

The improvements in new media technologies in conjunction with the expansion of innovative opportunities for marketing and consuming sport have played direct roles in the globalization of sport. However, those in the Sport Management academic field are still trying to understand the effect of culture on sport consumer behavior. Guided by Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory, the purpose of this study was to examine the sponsorship and cross-national relationships among the short-term/long-term orientation and individualism/collectivism cultural dimensions, attitude toward a sponsor, gratitude, purchase intentions, and actual purchases. Data were collected via longitudinal web surveys conducted with soccer fans from the United States, the United Kingdom, and India. The results from a structural equation model provided evidence that the individualism/collectivism cultural dimension had a significant effect on gratitude but not on actual purchases, and that the purchase intentions variable was a predictor of actual purchases.

The Impact of Sport Sponsorship Perceptions and Attitudes on Purchasing Decision of Fans as Consumers—Relevance for Promotion of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Practices

“…Namely, the results of the SEM model have shown that the attitude toward sport sponsorship has a stronger impact on purchasing decisions than the sport sponsorship perception. Also, an earlier study showed that a positive attitude towards the sponsor led to increased intention to buy its products [39]. Nassis et al [50] studied basketball fans who had a positive perception of sport sponsorship and showed they were more likely to develop positive attitudes towards sponsors and to buy their products, which is also consistent with the results obtained.…”

“…On the other hand, the results of a certain number of previous studies are not in line with our results. Namely, Zaharia et al [39] state that awareness of sponsorship does not significantly affect attitudes or decision making in purchasing. Also, Papdimitrou et al [51] showed that the role of sponsor or brand attitude is not important for purchase decisions of sponsors' products for three groups of respondents (volunteers, marathon participants and viewers).…”

“…Namely, fans who are aware of the brand and sponsorship prefer to choose this known brand, even in cases of lower quality than others [38]. Studies on the impact of sport sponsorship on purchasing decisions were also carried out by Zaharia with group of authors [39] in three countries, as well as by Lee and Cho [40], with the results not differentiating in different markets, which pointed out the attitude towards the sponsor and fit as the decisive factor in decision making. The results of this research are in line with the results of Biscaia et al [9] who state that attitude, and not just awareness, is the decisive factor in purchasing decision.…”