International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing (7 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Branding Strategies of Human Brands in Sport on Instagram: The Roles of Private Attributes and Gender Differences  
  by Sarah Ciegelski, Christian Rudeloff, Thomas Horky 
  Abstract: In recent years, individual athletes have increasingly crystallised into human brands. Research has shown that regardless of their sporting activities, they are becoming celebrities who are in the public eye primarily because of their private lives. This development is often caused by the athletes themselves, who present their private lives intensively on social media. Looking at the distinction between sports-related and non-sports-related branding attributes, it becomes clear that the latter have hardly been considered in research so far. Furthermore, the literature to date does not draw a comparison between men and women regarding their branding through non-sports-related attributes, though women face specific branding challenges. Against this backdrop, in this paper, eight successful athletes are examined in terms of their branding on Instagram using a two-stage qualitative and quantitative content analysis (n = 978). The results not only confirm the relevance of private branding attributes, the findings also highlight gender-specific differences as well as the impact of stereotypical branding.
  Keywords: human brands; branding; athlete brands; gender branding; visual branding; social media; Instagram.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2023.10060361
   
  
• Mapping the Judo Sports Ecosystem: Proposition and Analysis  
  by Aline Marian Callegaro, Ana Paula Kloeckner, Felipe Magno, Ricardo A. Cassel, Rosiane Serrano, Daniel Pacheco Lacerda 
  Abstract: The sport sector interacts with various segments and industrial and commercial sectors. Thus, we infer that sport comprises an ecosystem, as it gathers a community of economic actors. From this perspective, mapping and understanding the operation of the Judo Ecosystem is of great interest. This study uses exploratory field research as the procedure. A model was built and validated through expert interviews from sports modality and ecosystem theme. The findings showed that the sports system as a whole does not obey a flow, since the objects in it are of different natures. The validation of the model shows its economic importance and the ecosystem actors must understand that they are part of a business ecosystem. As the actors take initiatives based on knowledge, sports practice occupy a more significant share of the Brazilian GDP. The need for professionalisation of actors to enable efficient, qualified management of each participant.
  Keywords: judo ecosystem; sport; economic sector; business ecosystem; model.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2023.10061421
   
  
• Managing high performance systems in tennis. Examining meso and macro factors underpinning player development structures in tennis  
  by Garry Cahill, Áine MacNamara 
  Abstract: Tennis is a global sport; 87 million people play tennis worldwide. Despite these participation numbers, professional rankings continue to be dominated by a small core group of nations. Research in talent development has grown considerably over the past 20 years, but there remains a dearth of context-specific research. The aim of this study was to consider macro and meso talent development (TD) factors from the perspective of key stakeholders involved in the design and delivery of the TD system in two emerging tennis nations (Malaysia and Ireland). Thematic analysis was employed to examine the perspectives of senior leaders, national coaches, and board members (n = 11). The findings emphasise that TD is a strategic decision; national governing bodies in sports must consider the impact of meso and macro factors on the development of TD policies. Less developed tennis nations are faced with challenges such as a lack of financial resources, inadequate competition structures, and limited stakeholder support (coaches, parents). Every nation possesses its distinctiveness, and the findings of this study reveal that numerous macro elements stem from cultural or socio-cultural sources.
  Keywords: talent development; management sport; tennis management; high-performance strategy; talent development context; macro meso talent development.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2023.10061808
   
  
• Do Fairness Perceptions Influence Viewers' Attitudes? The Role of Perceived Service Fairness in Viewership of the English Premier League  
  by Seomgyun Lee, Minjung Kim, Han Soo Kim, Taeyeon Oh 
  Abstract: Sports and fairness are inextricably linked. In regard to such matters, this study was designed to examine: 1) how perceived fairness constructs distributive, procedural, and informational affect systemic (overall) fairness in mediated sports; 2) how systemic fairness influences viewers satisfaction with, brand image of, and trust in sporting events and their respective sports league. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 413 viewers who watched 20202021 English Premier League (EPL) matches. Results indicated that three types of fairness perceptions positively influenced the viewers perceived systemic fairness. Such systemic fairness was positively associated with game satisfaction and brand image of the EPL. Furthermore, sport leagues brand image exerted a considerable impact on the trust that the viewers placed in the sport league. This research extends our understanding of perceived fairness in mediated sports by uncovering a mechanism for augmenting desired sports viewers attitudes toward sporting events and the league.
  Keywords: service fairness; sports marketing; sports viewership; game satisfaction; brand image; trust.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2023.10061870
   
  
• I like you, but I don’t need you: the diminishing returns of celebrity endorsement for popular brands  
  by Eduardo Fons, Maria Jose Miquel, Manuel Cuadrado, Juan D. Montoro-Pons 
  Abstract: This research analyses the effects of celebrity endorsement on consumer attitudes and decisions in the case of brands that are already prominent; it also explores the influence of fan identification on the effectiveness of endorsement. The aim is to identify whether brands of high status need celebrities, to trigger positive reactions. A confirmatory method is applied, using a questionnaire survey completed by 324 supporters of the Spanish football league. Brand recall, brand attitude and purchase intentions towards celebrity-endorsed sporting brands are analysed. We determine celebrities’ differential effects on consumers versus endorsed brands, by calculating descriptive statistics and conducting multivariate analyses. Although previous research indicated that celebrities improve fans’ reactions, our findings suggest that brands, when prominent, do not appear to require the effect of the celebrity to boost the attitude of the fans and their purchase intentions.
  Keywords: celebrity endorsement; advertising effectiveness; brand management; consumer behaviour; sport marketing.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2023.10062072
   
  
• The Influences of Country and Gender on Adolescent Soccer Players' Brand Perceptions and Purchase Intentions  
  by Jennifer Mak, N. David Pifer, Susmit S. Gulavani, Thomas E. Henry 
  Abstract: The link between brand perceptions and purchase intentions in adolescent consumers still needs to be explored in the current branding literature. Studies examining the influences of gender and geography on the branding efforts of sporting goods manufacturers remain in relatively short supply. The present study used multiple regression models with interaction terms to analyse popular soccer brands' perceptions and purchase intentions among nearly 200 adolescent male and female soccer players in the USA and Sweden. Guided by the purposes of discovering whether brand perceptions had significant effects on purchase intentions and whether these relationships were moderated by cultural factors related to country and/or gender, the results revealed a series of significant main and interaction effects. The findings of this study support previous calls to investigate socio-cultural factors that influence adolescent consumers' brand perceptions and purchase decisions.
  Keywords: brand equity; branding; football; marketing; culture.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2023.10062089
   
  
• The Impact of Rewarded Social Media Engagement on Customer Satisfaction, Commitment, Loyalty and Loyalty Programmes in the Sports Industry  
  by Muniba Rauf, Heikki Karjaluoto, Matti Leppaniemi 
  Abstract: There has been much research on customer engagement, loyalty, and loyalty programmes, but, there has been no specific investigation of the impact of rewarded customer engagement on loyalty programme members in the sports sector. This study aimed to contribute to the sports marketing literature by exploring the impact of rewarded social media engagement on customer satisfaction, commitment, loyalty programmes, and loyalty to a sports brand. The study sought to address the existing research gaps by conducting a quantitative survey among both members and non-members of a loyalty programme. The findings reveal distinct characteristics of rewarded customer engagement, indicating its significant impact on customer satisfaction, commitment, and loyalty to both the programme and brand among members of the sports brand. This research is vital for both marketing scholars and practitioners, as it deepens their understanding of the topic by exploring how rewarded social media engagement influences customer loyalty and loyalty programmes in the sports industry, potentially enabling them to develop more efficient loyalty programmes.
  Keywords: rewarded customer engagement; RCE; loyalty programmes; LPs; customer loyalty; social media; customer satisfaction; customer commitment.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2023.10062620