Article: Consumption and meanings of team licensed merchandise Journal: International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing (IJSMM) 2012 Vol.12 No.1/2 pp.93 - 110 Abstract: This study examined the motives driving the purchase of team licensed merchandise and the meanings embedded in those products. Data from 135 attendees at two National Football League (USA) games revealed that the primary motives for the display of team licensed merchandise were fans' desire to publicly show their affiliation with the team and to express their support for the organisation, while the need to belong in the group of team supporters was also a strong motive. Furthermore, study participants overwhelmingly attached symbolic meanings to their possessions, emphasising social relationships and connectedness as well as elements of personal history. To a lesser extent, experiential meanings were attached to team licensed products. This study makes original contributions to the relatively narrow in scope research on sport licensing by exploring the functional, experiential and symbolic meanings that create value for those products and for their owners. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Consumption and meanings of team licensed merchandise

Authors: Artemisia Apostolopoulou; Dimitra Papadimitriou; David Synowka; John S. Clark

Addresses: Robert Morris University, 6001 University Blvd., Moon Township, PA, USA ' University of Patras, University Campus, 26504, Rio, Patras, Greece ' Robert Morris University, 6001 University Blvd., Moon Township, PA, USA ' Robert Morris University, 6001 University Blvd., Moon Township, PA, USA

Abstract: This study examined the motives driving the purchase of team licensed merchandise and the meanings embedded in those products. Data from 135 attendees at two National Football League (USA) games revealed that the primary motives for the display of team licensed merchandise were fans' desire to publicly show their affiliation with the team and to express their support for the organisation, while the need to belong in the group of team supporters was also a strong motive. Furthermore, study participants overwhelmingly attached symbolic meanings to their possessions, emphasising social relationships and connectedness as well as elements of personal history. To a lesser extent, experiential meanings were attached to team licensed products. This study makes original contributions to the relatively narrow in scope research on sport licensing by exploring the functional, experiential and symbolic meanings that create value for those products and for their owners.

Keywords: licensing; team merchandise; licensed merchandise; motives; functional meanings; experiential meanings; symbolic meanings; purchase motivation; National Football League; NFL merchandise; public affiliation; fan support; fandom; sport marketing; social relationships; connectedness; personal history; buying behaviour.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2012.051266

International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 2012 Vol.12 No.1/2, pp.93 - 110

Received: 05 Apr 2012
Accepted: 16 Oct 2012
Published online: 31 Jul 2014 *

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Title: Consumption and meanings of team licensed merchandise

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