Title: Predicting decisions to purchase from sponsors of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics

Authors: Luke R. Potwarka; Ron E. McCarville; Kyriaki Kaplanidou

Addresses: Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ont. N2L 3G1, Canada ' Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ont. N2L 3G1, Canada ' Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management, University of Florida Gainesville, Florida, USA

Abstract: Our purpose was to understand motivational factors associated with peoples' decision to purchase products/services from sponsors of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. To achieve this purpose, we employed and extended Ajzen's theory of planned behaviour (TPB). A three-phase, mixed method data collection process was completed among a sample of young adults living in Canada (N = 471). Our extended TPB model accounted for 61% of the variance in intention and 58% of the variance in self-reported purchase behaviour. Attitude toward the behaviour, subjective norms, descriptive norms and past behaviour emerged as significant predictors of purchase intention. Intention, in turn, predicted self-reported purchase behaviour. We conclude that the TPB can offer sponsorship researchers a sound theoretical model for understanding purchase decisions. Implications for sponsorship marketers are discussed.

Keywords: theory of planned behaviour; TPB; sponsorship; purchase decisions; purchase behaviour; sponsorship effects; Vancouver Olympics; 2010 Olympics; buyer motivation; young adults; Canada; Olympic Games; Winter Olympics; Olympic sponsors; subjective norms; descriptive norms; past behaviour; purchase intention.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2014.073203

International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 2014 Vol.15 No.5/6, pp.238 - 260

Received: 19 Dec 2014
Accepted: 14 Jul 2015
Published online: 27 Nov 2015 *

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