Involvement and loyalty of runners in sponsorship effectiveness - The case of athletics races

Authors

  • Alfredo Silva Sport Science School of Rio Maior - Polytechnic Institute of Santarém, Portugal, Department of Sport Management; Life Quality Research Center (CIEQV), Santarém, Portugal
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6018/cpd.463121
Keywords: Athletics races, involvement, loyalty, sponsorship, sports events

Abstract

Running is a popular and convenient leisure activity. The most popular distance is the 5 km that amassed 8.9 million registrations in 2018. Investments by companies in sponsorship around the world exceeded US$ 65 billion in the same year. Increasing brand awareness is one of the main goals for companies to get involved in sponsorships. Most of the research to date into sponsorship has not been done from the perspective of participation-based sports. Some results obtained are contradictory and the relashionship between the sponsor's brand recognition rate and the distance of the race (half-marathon, 10 km or 5 km) has not been evaluated, nor the relashionship with running involvement or loyalty to running. This research aims to show the effects of race distance, running involvement and loyalty to running on sponsor brand recognition rates in runners of athletics races. A sample of 736 runners from one of Portugal's most popular athletics races completed a questionnaire. A Chi-square Test and T-Test were carried out to evaluate the differences between the groups of runners. The group of runners who completed the 5 km race showed better results in the sponsors’ brand recognition rate. The runners with a low level of running involvement showed superior results, but no significant differences were found between groups with different levels of loyalty to running. The sponsorship of mass participation-based athletics races  is an impressive tool to raise sponsors’ brand awareness.

 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Aaker, D. A. (1996). Measuring brand equity across products and markets. California Management Review, 38(3), 102-120.

Aaker, D. A. (2005). Strategic Market Management. New Jersey: John Willey & Sons, Inc.

Alexandris, K., Tsaousi, E., & James, J. (2007). Predicting sponsorship outcomes from attitudinal constructs: The case of a professional basketball event. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 16(3), 130-139.

Ato, M., López-García, J. J., & Benavente, A. (2013). Un sistema de clasificación de los diseños de investigación en psicología. Anales de Psicología/Annals of Psychology, 29(3), 1038-1059. https://doi.org/10.6018/analesps.29.3.178511

Bachleda, C., Fakhar, A., & Elouazzani, Z. (2016). Quantifying the effect of sponsor awareness and image on the sports involvement–purchase intention relationship. Sport Management Review, 19(3), 293-305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smr.2015.08.001

Bartlett, J. E. II, Kotrlik, J. W., & Higgins, C. (2001). Organizational research: Determining appropriate sample size for survey research. Information Technology, Learning, and Performance Journal, 19(1), 43–50.

Beaton, A. A., Funk, D. C., Ridinger, L., & Jordan, J. (2011). Sport involvement: A conceptual and empirical analysis. Sport Management Review, 14(2), 126-140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smr.2010.07.002

Bennett, G., Cunningham, G., & Dees, W. (2006). Measuring the Marketing Communication Activations of a Professional Tennis Tournament. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 15(2), 91-101.

Biscaia, R., & Rocha, C. M. (2018). Sponsorship of the 2016 Rio olympic games: An empirical examination of the reactions to local sponsors and rival brands. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 27(3), 180-196. https://doi.org/10.32731/SMQ.273.092018.04

Biscaia, R., Correia, A., Ross, S., & Rosado, A. (2014). Sponsorship effectiveness in professional sport: An examination of recall and recognition among football fans. International Journal of Sports Marketing & Sponsorship, 16(1), 17-23. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-16-01-2014-B002

Biscaia, R., Correia, A., Rosado, A., Ross, S. D., & Maroco, J. (2013). Sport Sponsorship: The Relationship Between Team Loyalty, Sponsorship Awareness, Attitude Toward the Sponsor, and Purchase Intentions. Journal of Sport Management, 27(4), 288-302. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.27.4.288

Bodet, G., & Bernache-Assollant, I. (2011). Consumer Loyalty in Sport Spectatorship Services: The Relationships with Consumer Satisfaction and Team Identification. Psychology & Marketing, 28(8), 781-802. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20412

Chadwick, S. & Thwaites, D. (2004). Advances in the management of sport sponsorship: fact or fiction? Evidence from English professional soccer. Journal of General Management, 30(1), 39-60.

Cornwell, T. B., & Kwon, Y. (2020). Sponsorship-linked marketing: research surpluses and shortages. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 48, 607-629. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-019-00654-w

Crompton, J. L. (2004). Conceptualization and alternate operationalizations of the measurement of sponsorship effectiveness in sport. Leisure Studies, 23(3), 267-281. https://doi.org/10.1080/0261436042000183695

Dos-Santos, A. M., Vveinhardt, J., Calabuig-Moreno, F., & Montoro-Ríos, F. (2016). Involvement and image transfer in sports sponsorship. Engineering Economics, 27(1), 78-89. http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ee.27.1.8536

Downward, P., & Rasciute, S. (2011). Does sport make you happy? An analysis of the well‐being derived from sports participation. International Review of Applied Economics, 25(3), 331-348. https://doi.org/10.1080/02692171.2010.511168

Eagleman, A. N., & Krohn, B. D. (2012). Sponsorship awareness, attitudes, and purchase intentions of road race series participants. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 21(4), 210-220.

Eddy, T., & Cork, B. C. (2019). Sponsorship antecedents and outcomes in participant sport settings. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 20(1), 26-42. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-05-2016-0018

Funk, D. C., & James, J. (2001). The psychological continuum model: A conceptual framework for understanding an individual's psychological connection to sport. Sport Management Review, 4(2), 119-150. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1441-3523(01)70072-1

Grohs, R., Wagner, U., & Vsetecka, S. (2004). Assessing the effectiveness of sport sponsorships-An empirical examination. Schmalenbach Business Review, 56(2), 119-138. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03396689

Havitz, M. E., & Dimanche, F. (1997). Leisure involvement revisited: Conceptual conundrums and measurement advances. Journal of Leisure Research, 29(3), 245-278. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222216.1997.11949796

Herrmann, J. L., Kacha, M., & Derbaix, C. (2016). I support your team, support me in turn!’ the driving role of consumers’ affiliation with the sponsored entity in explaining behavioral effects of sport sponsorship leveraging activities. Journal of Business Research, 69(2), 604-612. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2015.05.016

Hickman, T. M. (2015). The impact of fan identification, purchase intentions, and sponsorship awareness on sponsors' share of wallet. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 24(3), 170-182.

Holmes Place (2013). The 5 biggest marathons in the world. Retrieved from (2020, February 25). https://www.holmesplace.com/ch/en/blog/fitness/the-5-biggest-marathons-in-the-world

IEG. (2017). Sponsor survey reveals dissatisfaction with property partners. Retrieved from (2019, December 11, 2018). http://www.sponsorship.com/Report/2017/12/18/Sponsor-Survey-Reveals-Dissatisfaction-With-Proper.aspx

IEG. (2018). Signs point to healthy sponsorship spending in 2018. Retrieved from (2019, December 11, 2018). http://www.sponsorship.com/ Report/2018/01/08/Signs-Point-To-Healthy-Sponsorship-Spending-In-201.aspx

Kapferer, Jean-Noël. (2008). The new strategic brand management: Creating and sustaining brand equity long Term. London: Kogan Page Publishers.

Keller, K. L. (1993). Conceptualizing, Measuring, and Managing Customer-Based Brand Equity. Journal of Marketing, 57(1), 1-22.

Keller, K. L. (2008). Strategic Brand management: Building, Measuring, and Managing Brand Equity. NJ: Pearson Education Inc.

Kim, Y., Smith, R. & James, J. D. (2010). The role of gratitude in sponsorship: the case of participant sports. International Journal of Sports Marketing & Sponsorship, October, 53-76. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-12-01-2010-B006

Kim, Y., Lee, H. W., Magnusen, M. J., & Kim, M. (2015). Factors influencing sponsorship effectiveness: A meta-analytic review and research synthesis. Journal of Sport Management, 29(4), 408-425. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.2014-0056

Kline, R. B. (2005). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling. New York: Guilford Press.

Ko, Y. J., & Kim, Y. K. (2014). Determinants of consumers’ attitudes toward a sport sponsorship: a tale from college athletics. Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 26(3), 185-207. https://doi.org/10.1080/10495142.2014.899811

Lardinoit, T., & Derbaix, C. (2001). Sponsorship and recall of sponsors. Psychology & Marketing, 18(2), 167-190. https://doi.org/10.1002/1520-6793(200102)18:2<167::AID-MAR1004>3.0.CO;2-I

Lascu, D. N., Giese, T. D., Toolan, C., Guehring, B., & Mercer, J. (1995). Sport involvement: A relevant individual difference factor in spectator sports. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 4(4), 41-46.

Lee, S., Harris, J., & Lyberger, M. (2011). Recreational golfers' attitudes and awareness of sponsorship: a case study of the 2008 Ryder Cup. Managing Leisure, 16(3), 192-206. https://doi.org/10.1080/13606719.2011.583407

Levin, A. M., Joiner, C., & Cameron, G. (2001). The impact of sports sponsorship on consumers' brand attitudes and recall: The case of NASCAR fans. Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising, 23(2), 23-31. https://doi.org/10.1080/10641734.2001.10505118

Lough, N. L., Pharr, J., & Owen, J. O. (2014). Runner identity and sponsorship: Evaluating the Rock ‘n’Roll Marathon. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 23(4), 198-211.

Mao, L. L., Zhang, J. J., Connaughton, D. P., Holland, S., & Spengler, J. O. (2013). An associative learning account of branding effects of sponsorship. Journal of Customer Behaviour, 12(1), 25-51. https://doi.org/10.1362/147539213X13645550618489

Mazodier, M., & Quester, P. (2014). The role of sponsorship fit for changing brand affect: A latent growth modeling approach. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 31(1), 16-29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2013.08.004

McAlister, A. R., Kelly, S. J., Humphreys, M. S., & Cornwell, T. B. (2012). Change in a sponsorship alliance and the communication implications of spontaneous recovery. Journal of Advertising, 41(1), 5-16. https://doi.org/10.2753/JOA0091-3367410101

Meenaghan, T. (2001). Understanding Sponsorship Effects. Psychology & Marketing, 18(2), 95-122. https://doi.org/10.1002/1520-6793(200102)18:2<95:AID-MAR1001>3.0.CO;2-H

Miloch, K. S., & Lambrecht, K. W. (2006). Consumer awareness of sponsorship at grassroots sport events. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 15(3), 147-154.

Myers, J. L., & Well, A. D. (2003). Research Design and Statistical Analysis. London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Nunnally, J. C. (1978). Psychometric Theory. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Petty, R. E., & Cacioppo, J. T. (1986). The elaboration likelihood model of persuasion. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 19, 123-205.

Ridinger, L. L., Funk, D. C., Jordan, J. S., & Kaplanidou, K. (2012). Marathons for the masses: Exploring the role of negotiation-efficacy and involvement on running commitment. Journal of Leisure Research, 44(2), 155-178. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222216.2012.11950260

Rogic, S., Djurisic, V., Radonjic, M., & Vukovic, S. (2019). Importance of Loyalty to a Sport Event for the Level of Sponsorship Awareness. Sport Mont, 17(2), 63-68. https://doi.org/10.26773/smj.190611

Roy, D. P., & Cornwell, T. B. (2004). The effects of consumer knowledge on responses to event sponsorships. Psychology & Marketing, 21(3), 185-207. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20001

Running USA. (2019). Running USA Releases 2019 U.S. Running Trends Report. Retrieved from (2020, February 25). https://www.runningusa.org/RUSA/News/2019/Running_USA_Releases_2019_U.S._Running_Trends_Report.aspx

Silva, A. (2016). Sponsorship awareness of judo athletes. Revista de Artes Marciales Asiáticas, 11(2s), 100-102. https://doi.org/10.18002/rama.v11i2s.4192

Smolianov, P., & Aiyeku, J. F. (2009). Corporate marketing objectives and evaluation measures for integrated television advertising and sports event sponsorships. Journal of Promotion Management, 15(1-2), 74-89. https://doi.org/10.1080/10496490902901977

Speed, R., & Thompson, P. (2000). Determinants of sports sponsorship response. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 28(2), 226-238. https://doi.org/10.1177/0092070300282004

Vallerand, R. J. (1989). Vers une mèthodologie de validation trans-culturelle de questionnaires psychologiques: Implications pour la recherché en langue française. Psychologie Canadienne, 30(4), 662-680. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0079856

Virgin Money. (2020). History of the London Marathon: Sponsor History. Retrieved from (2020, February 25).https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/news-media/media-resources/history-london-marathon/sponsor-history/

Walliser, B. (2003). An international review of sponsorship research: extension and update. International Journal of Advertising, 22(1), 5-40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2003.11072838

Walsh, P., Kim, Y., & Ross, S. D. (2008). Brand recall and recognition: A comparison of television and sport video games as presentation modes. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 17(4), 201-208.

Zaharia, N., Biscaia, R., Gray, D., & Stotlar, D. (2016). No more “good” intentions: Purchase behaviors in sponsorship. Journal of Sport Management, 30(2), 162-175. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/jsm.2015-0347

Zajonc, R. B. (1968). Cognitive theories in social psychology. Handbook of Social Psychology, 1, 320-411.

Published
23-09-2021
How to Cite
Silva, A. (2021). Involvement and loyalty of runners in sponsorship effectiveness - The case of athletics races. Sport Psychology Notebooks, 21(3), 192–212. https://doi.org/10.6018/cpd.463121
Issue
Section
Psicología del Deporte