Title: Mediated relationships between the constituents of service quality and behavioural intentions: a study of women's college basketball fans

Authors: Gi-Yong Koo, Damon P.S. Andrew, Sora Kim

Addresses: Department of Exercise, Sport and Leisure Studies, University of Tennessee, 1914 Andy Holt Avenue, HPER 334, Knoxville, TN 37996-2700, USA. ' College of Health and Human Services, Troy University, 50 Collegeview, Troy, AL 36082, USA. ' College of Communication, DePaul University, 2320 N. Kenmore Avenue Suite 553, Chicago, IL 60614, USA

Abstract: Although service quality research has been widely conducted in sport and leisure settings, there has been relatively little research examining consumers| perceptions of service quality in collegiate sporting events, particularly women|s sports. In addition, much scrutiny has been given to the servicescape and its effect on consumer satisfaction, but relatively little attention has been given to other constituents of service quality in the context of spectator sports. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of service attributes on perceived service quality, and to explore how consumer satisfaction in women|s college basketball mediates the relationship between consumers| perceived service quality and their behavioural intentions to attend future games. The results provide important information about service evaluation in sport settings which can be considered by sport marketers when developing their overall strategy to deliver higher service quality to achieve a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Keywords: womens college basketball; service attributes; perceived service quality; satisfaction; behavioural intentions; basketball fans; consumer perceptions; spectator sports; attendance intentions; sport marketing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2008.022378

International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 2008 Vol.4 No.4, pp.390 - 411

Published online: 02 Jan 2009 *

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