Delineating the outcomes of sponsorship : Sponsor image, word of mouth, and purchase intentions

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a model in which fans' team attachment is the determinant of three sponsorship outcomes: sponsor image, purchase intentions, and word of mouth. Furthermore, following the sponsorship literature, the role of sport fans' involvement on the development of team attachment was examined. Design/methodology/approach – Questionnaires were collected from fans of a professional basketball team in Greece ( n =354). Structural equation modeling was employed in order to test the model fit and estimate the model coefficients. Findings – The findings supported the premise that highly attached fans are more likely to develop positive image for their team sponsor, exhibit higher intentions for purchasing and recommending the sponsor's products. Research limitations/implications – The proposed model on sport sponsorship outcomes was supported. The results of the study contribute to our understanding of the role of team attachment and sponsor image in predicting sponsorship outcomes. Practical implications – The findings from this research have practical implications for both sport team marketers and sponsors. Both parties need to have a good understanding of how and when sponsorship works to maximize its value. Originality/value – The main contribution of this paper is the incorporation of sport involvement, team attachment, sponsor image, purchase intentions, and word of mouth within an integrated sponsorship model, and the testing of their interrelations. While these variables have been used in the sponsorship literature before, they have not been empirically tested in an integrated model.