The influence of sponsorship on consumer behaviour in Ghana football

Abstract

Sports sponsorship is a vital marketing strategy where companies provide financial support, resources, or products to sports entities in exchange for brand exposure. This practice boosts brand visibility taps into passionate fan bases, and fosters customer loyalty. However, Ghana's Premier League (GPL) faces sponsorship challenges despite its significance. This study investigates sponsorship's impact on purchase intentions among Ghanaian soccer fans. The research aims to bridge the gap in understanding how sponsorship influences fans' behavior, specifically their purchase intentions. Objectives include assessing fan attitudes, evaluating fan involvement's impact, measuring sponsor-event fit's effect, gauging brand image's role, understanding sponsor brand perception's influence, and examining soccer fan characteristics' moderating role. The literature review critically analyses sports sponsorship's effect on fans' purchasing intentions. Drawing from theories and foundational works, the study's framework delves into core variables, rooted in prior literature. Hypotheses are derived from a rigorous synthesis of theories and literature. The research design is explanatory, and the approach is quantitative. A non-probability sampling technique, specifically, convenience sampling, is used to select participants from the two clubs, found within a 50-kilometer radius of the club’s home base. Using survey data from 389 respondents in Accra and Kumasi, a conceptual framework is developed and validated. Data was collected using a questionnaire, with items used in the questionnaire sourced from previous studies. Collected data was entered in Excel and transferred into SPSS version 26.0 and Smart PLS for further analysis. The analyses employed both descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings indicate fan attitude significantly influences purchase intention. Sponsor-event fit doesn't significantly impact purchase intention, but sponsor brand perception does. Moreover, customer characteristics don't moderate sponsorship's effect on purchase intention. This study informs practitioners about effective sponsorship strategies from a fan's perspective. It expands sports marketing literature in emerging economies. Recommendations include building emotional connections, aligning with fan values, and leveraging user-generated content. In conclusion, this research advances the understanding of fan attitudes, involvement, brand perception, and image in shaping purchase intentions among Ghanaian soccer fans. It contributes to both theoretical knowledge and practical strategies in sports marketing.