Exploring Key Factors Influencing Sports Enthusiasts' Purchase of Sponsored Brands

Abstract

This research examines the purchasing intentions of soccer enthusiasts in China regarding products from sports sponsorship brands, extending the theory of planned behavior. The main goal is to evaluate how attitudes, subjective norms, brand identification, perceived brand quality, and corporate social responsibility influence these intentions. Data were gathered from 321 active soccer players using a structured questionnaire and analyzed with confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Results show that attitudes, subjective norms, brand identification, and perceived brand quality significantly affect purchasing intentions. Furthermore, attitudes partially mediate the relationships between subjective norms, brand identification, perceived brand quality, and purchasing intentions. Corporate social responsibility also emerges as a vital factor, shaping brand identification, which in turn influences purchasing behavior. The findings indicate that sports sponsorship brands can increase purchasing intentions by enhancing product quality, engaging in corporate social responsibility, and fostering strong brand identification. This study offers a fresh perspective by applying the theory of planned behavior within the sports sponsorship context, enriching both theoretical insights and practical strategies. The results provide valuable recommendations for brand managers aiming to boost consumer engagement and loyalty through sponsorship initiatives. Doi: 10.28991/HIJ-2024-05-04-07 Full Text: PDF

Keywords

• brand identification
• perceived brand quality
• sports enthusiasts
• theory of planned behavior
• corporate social responsibility.