Consumer Behaviour in Sport and Events

Daniel Funk, Daniel Funk, Kostas Alexandris, Heath McDonald

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2008
• Print ISBN: 9781138135499
• eBook ISBN: 9781136441615
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Hospitality, Travel & Tourism Industry
• Index: Business

Consumer Behaviour in Sport and Events emphasises the role of consumer behaviour in sport marketing. Given the social, economic, and environmental benefits of sport events, the challenge for marketers is to understand the complexity of sport and event participation. Through a heightened understanding of consumer behaviour, marketers are able to develop communication strategies to enhance the experience, while identifying key elements of the consumer's decision-making process. This book provides students and industry professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the current marketing challenges facing professionals working in the sport and event industries.

This comprehensive text covers a wide range of determinants that influence both active recreation and passive spectator participation, and offers the reader:

• A detailed understanding of the personal, psychological and environmental factors that influence sport and event related consumer behaviour
• A basis for the development of marketing actions useful in sport and related business, community and government sectors
• A comprehensive understanding of how individuals associate themselves with sport and event products and services
• A quick and simple segmentation tool to guide discussion of marketing actions and strategies for four stages of involvement with sport and events
• A comprehensive events checklist to help understand marketing actions related to the development, promotion and delivery of a sport event.

Sport and event consumer behaviour is a rapidly growing area of interest and this book is considered a valuable resource for those involved in the sport and events industries from students to marketers to academics.

Part 1

Provides the reader with an introduction to sport and event consumer behaviour followed by a comprehensive understanding of motivation, decision-making and a discussion of sport marketing activities

Introduction to Sport and Event Consumer Behaviour

DOI: 10.4324/9780080942858-1

Sport Consumer Behaviour Is about the Journey Not the Destination.

The phrase, “Sport consumer behaviour is about the journey not the destination”, describes the essence of sport and event consumer behaviour. Sport consumer behaviour whether, it is watching or participating in a sport event, is about the experience. A desire to seek out a consumption experience reflects a desire to satisfy internal needs and receive benefits through acquisition. Even consumption activities that support this behaviour (e.g., retail and services) often attempt to enhance or reactivate the meaning of the sport experience. The amount of time and money individuals devotes to sport and events represent behavioural outcomes of some experiential journey. This journey corresponds to the specific sport or event pathway an individual travels to seek out experiences that provide positive outcomes. From this perspective, sport consumer behaviour and consumption activities that occur at sport event destinations signify the completion of the journey. As a result, the actions of sport marketing professionals should help individuals navigate and enjoy the journey.

Few experiences or settings in society have as much importance or record greater public exposure than sport (Eitzen Sage, 2003). Statistics in several countries from the years 2002–2004 reveal the importance of sport. In England, 75% of adults took part in some form of sport, game, or physical activity during the previous year. In the United States, 72.1 million adults (35%) attended a sporting event. In addition, 61.8 million (30%) played a sport while 113.3 million (55%) participated in an exercise program. In Australia, over 44% or 7.1 million attended at least one sporting event. In Canada, 55% of the population is annually involved in sport. In Japan, 72% of the population engages in a recreational sport activity. The statistics highlight the importance of sport as well as the sport event context.

Sport and sport events have considerable social impact. Social impacts are consequences to human populations of any public action that alters the ways in which people live, work, play, relate to one another, organise to meet their needs, and generally cope as members of society (Institute for Environmental Studies, 1995). Participation in sport, whether this behavioural action is active, passive, indirect, individual, or event context related, has become an attractive strategy for local, regional, and national governments to provide social benefits for community residents (Johnson Whitehead, 2000). Sport events play a significant role in a community’s marketing and branding strategy (Higham Hinch, 2003) as event organisers can attract spectators and participants through the staging of sport events. The type of sport events can vary in terms of focus (e.g., participant or spectator, competitive, single purpose, multiple sport or festival, single day, weekly, monthly, or annual).

In general, sport events fall within four categories. Mega sport events target the international tourism market. The size and scope of their attendance, target market, public financial involvement, political effects, television coverage, facilities, economic and social impact are enormous (Olympics, FIFA World Cup). Hallmark events are linked with a particular destination or location resulting in increased status for that specific place (e.g., Tour De France, London Marathon, Melbourne Cup). Major events are not destination specific but provide significant economic benefits, media coverage and number of visitors based on their size and scope (e.g., Rugby World Cup, UEFA Cup, NFL Superbowl). Local events generally do not meet the criteria of mega, hallmark and major event types and are more regionally based (Triathlon Series, Premier League match).

Despite the importance of sport and events, most countries are experiencing a decline in active sport participation (Van Sluijs, van Poppel, Twisk, Brug, van Mechelen, 2005), while the demand for spectator sport fluctuates and fragments due to market forces (Andreff Szymanski, 2006). These trends are occurring while obesity rates, life expectancy and feelings of isolation increase, which has implications for quality of life. Sport has the ability to directly and indirectly influence a number of aspects in a person’s life. Sport and events can influence health and well-being, build social cohesion and communities, impact the economy and help shape national and cultural identities (Beaton Funk, 2008). Why people play and watch sport requires a better understanding of sport consumer behaviour. Sport marketers are likely to find themselves at the forefront in the battle to improve quality of life as sport and leisure activities become central components of promoting healthy lifestyles, and building more integrated communities. In addition, the cost of replacing one customer is six times more expensive than retaining an existing customer (Rosenberg Czepiel, 1983) and marketing budgets are always limited.

The study of sport consumer behaviour developed from the general field of consumer behaviour. Consumer behaviour emerged in the early 1980s from a variety of disciplines such as marketing, psychology, sociology, anthropology, communication, and education to examine consumption in many forms and contexts. A variety of topics are now investigated including attitudes toward entertainment and social services, purchase behaviour of durable and non-durable products, preference for services such as insurance, tourism, and hospitality, behaviour of household members, influence of culture on purchase intentions, decision-making, and information processing (Wells, 1993).

Within the last decade, a subset of consumer behaviour research has focused specifically on understanding sport consumption activities. This research primarily focuses on describing reasons for attendance and participation at sport events but also examines recreational sport and related consumption behaviours involving media usage, merchandise, services, and tourism (e.g., Funk, Toohey, & Bruun, 2007; Kwon & Armstrong, 2006; McDaniel, 2002; McDonald, Milne, & Hong, 2002; Pritchard & Funk, 2006; Trail & James, 2001; Wakefield Sloan, 1995). This body of research has built a tradition of testing theories in natural populations to understand why individuals attach so much importance to a sport experience. This approach is useful and has application to business, community, and government sectors dedicated to the delivery of sport and related tourism, event, and recreation services and products.

Sport and Event Consumer Behaviour Defined

Sport and Event Consumer Behaviour (Secb) Is the Process Involved When Individuals Select, Purchase, Use, and Dispose of Sport and Sport Event Related Products and Services to Satisfy Needs and Receive Benefits.

An established definition of sport and event consumer behaviour does not exist. Funk, Mahony, and Havitz (2003) suggest in their critique of prior sport consumer behaviour research that sport consumer behaviour represents consumer behaviour relative to the products and services offered in the sport and leisure industry. In terms of sport event behaviour, there are generally three main components from the tourism literature: (a) travel to participate in a sport event activity, (b) travel to watch a sport event activity, and (c) visiting a sporting attraction (Gibson, 2003). Building upon this information, SECB is defined as the process involved when individuals select, purchase, use, and dispose of sport and sport event related products and services. This process is created by a desire to seek sport consumption experiences that provide benefits and satisfy needs. This definition views SECB as a holistic process that describes how individuals make decisions to spend available resources of time and money on sport and event consumption activities.

• Time resources can represent the amount of time devoted to watching either a live sport event in person or via TV, radio, or Internet broadcast, participating in various sport competitions and events and involvement in fantasy leagues or tipping competitions, the use of sport in daily activities such as using the Internet to follow a sport, using sport as a topic of conversation at work and social gatherings, the use of sport language with such terms as “teamwork” and “off-sides” in business, and the amount of media coverage sport receives.

The time devoted to sport and event related consumption activities is not isolated and can include the interaction of multiple sport and non-sport consumption activities. For example, being a professional football fan can have an impact on consumption of football at other levels, or consumption of other spectator sports, or active recreational sport participation. Similarly, devoting time to train for a marathon will have consequences for other consumption activities. The level of attention devoted to sport impacts consumption behaviour not traditionally sport related. For example, individuals may decide on sport related home decorating, food and dining, movies, clothing, education, automobiles, and office supplies. Sport lifestyle purchases often occur among committed bikers, rock climbers, as well as die hard sport fans.

• Money resources reflect the financial commitment for the actual sport consumption activities. These activities can include the purchase of tickets to sporting events, memberships to clubs, travel to a sporting event, licensed merchandise, registration fees, sport equipment, subscriptions, media, etc.

Monetary decisions related to the individual budgeting process must be taken into consideration. An individual’s financial position will impact the ability to engage in sport and related entertainment activities. An individual’s ability to purchase a team membership, season tickets, or travel to compete in a marathon will be determined by the amount of disposable income.This information provides an understanding of sport consumption thresholds to determine the supply and demand of various sport consumption settings. This places sport consumer decision-making for products and services in a larger marketplace.

Marketing Actions for Sport and Event Consumer Behaviour

Based upon the amount time and financial resources individuals devote to sport and related event consumption activities, sport consumer behaviour represents an important and central aspect of life. As a result, marketing actions should develop a better understanding of consumer decision-making before any strategies are developed. Such an approach involves asking general questions to develop marketing strategies designed to increase and sustain consumer demand for products and services. Some typical questions marketers need to ask sport consumers are listed in Box 1.1.

These questions are standard questions that any researcher or journalist would ask. A marketer wants to determine what type of individual purchases a specific running shoe for recreation, fitness, competition, or fashion. This information helps create market segments because not all consumers buy a pair of shoes for the same reason. These segments highlight desirable features and benefits; as well as the likelihood of replacing their old shoes with new features and benefits. This information becomes imp...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Half Title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Sport Marketing Series Preface
• Acknowledgements
• About the Author
• Series Editor Information
• Introduction
• Part 1 Provides the reader with an introduction to sport and event consumer behaviour followed by a comprehensive understanding of motivation, decision-making and a discussion of sport marketing activities
• Part 2 Provides the reader with a comprehensive understanding of Awareness, Attraction, Attachment, and Allegiance with marketing strategies to promote sport consumption within each stage and concludes with a discussion of perceived constraints that modify or inhibit behaviour
• Part 3 Provides an “Event Management Checklist: A Functional Guide to Preparation and Success” to help understand marketing actions related to the development, promotion and delivery of a sport event
• Index