Title: Do logo, name, and format changes matter? Examining tennis fans' satisfaction with the rebrand of the Davis Cup

Authors: Bo Li; Jingxian Cecilia Zhang; Olan Kees Martin Scott; Stirling Sharpe

Addresses: Department of Applied Physiology & Sport Management, Southern Methodist University, Annette Caldwell Simmons Hall, 3101 University Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75205, USA ' Richard J. Bolte, Sr. School of Business, Mount St. Mary's University, 16300 Old Emmitsburg Rd., Emmitsburg, MD, 21727, USA ' Department of Sport Management, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada ' Discipline of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Canberra, 11 Kirinari Street, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia

Abstract: Rebranding is a common strategy for sports organisations to enhance brand relevance and improve their business operations. As the oldest men's sporting team event in history, the men's tennis Davis Cup announced its rebranding in 2019, sparking extensive discussion and debate among players, national governing bodies, and tennis fans. This study aimed to examine tennis fans reactions to the Davis Cup's rebrand, including logo change, name change, and event format change, and how fans perceptions may have influenced their satisfaction toward rebranding and brand loyalty. After surveying 753 tennis fans, the findings revealed that perceptions toward logo, name, and event format change significantly influenced their satisfaction with the Davis Cup rebranding and their brand loyalty. Findings also highlighted that event format change exerted a stronger influence on consumers' satisfaction with rebranding. Theoretical implications and practical implications are also discussed in the paper.

Keywords: corporate rebrand; logo change; name change; core product change; consumer loyalty; professional tennis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2025.153087

International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 2025 Vol.25 No.2/3, pp.89 - 110

Received: 02 Jun 2024
Accepted: 22 Apr 2025
Published online: 21 Apr 2026 *

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