Team identification and sponsors’ altruistic motives on the effectiveness of professional soccer sponsorship

Abstract

Research question In a world where financial investment in sports sponsorship is at risk of committing corporate irresponsibility, how do professional sports team sponsors’ attribute altruistic motives and favorable attitudes towards the fans influence purchasing with decisions?Research methods For this purpose, a sample of 2,647 fans from two of Portugal's most successful soccer teams completed a questionnaire. A Structural Equation Modelling analysis was carried out to test the model and the hypotheses.Results and Findings Despite the highly commercial context, the high investments made by the sponsors are seen as altruistic by the fans most identified with the sports team. The model explained 46% of attitudes towards sponsors, but the most relevant result in sponsorship effectiveness was the strong mediating role played by the sponsors’ altruistic motives.Implications This study extends previous research by providing a unique conceptual framework that highlights the importance of understanding how fans supported by the sponsor's altruistic motives view the sponsor's brand.