Exploring the Role of Social Media Communications in the Success of Professional Sports Leagues: An Emerging Market Perspective

Abstract

Non-cricket sports leagues are rapidly rising in an emerging market like India. With the advent of web 2.0, sports marketers are using social media platforms to popularize these sports leagues. However, additional research is needed to get a better understanding of using social media communications in sports marketing. The pro-Kabaddi league has emerged as the most successful non-cricket sports league in India. This study observes the role played by social media communications toward increasing fans’ sports involvement and online community engagement resulting in higher game attendance and purchase intentions for sponsors’ products. The descriptive research design was used to conduct this study, and data were collected from 444 respondents. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. The results established that social media communications play a more influential role in boosting fans’ online community engagement, further resulting in game attendance and sponsor’s product purchase intention.