Importance of loyalty to a sport event for the level of sponsorship awareness

Abstract

Over the past twenty years there has been a need to explore the process of achieving the goals of sports sponsorship, which is widely accepted in academic circles as well as in practice as an effective marketing communications tool. Mass communication through traditional media is replaced by a much more credible form of communication. Sponsorship can be seen as a B2B relationship that provides benefits for both parties. Previous literature suggests that greater brand exposure by consumers, as well as congruence between the sponsor and the sponsored, makes it easier to identify the sponsor. Loyalty is a form of psychological relationship with a brand, a sports team, or a manifestation that results in a positive attitude and behavior towards that subject. True loyalty exists when a consumer regularly purchases the products of that brand and has positive associations on the brand and its products. In the event of manifestations, a loyal customer can be defined as the one who regularly watch the event, either live or via the media. So, the assumption is that fans who are dedicated to the team have a higher level of knowledge about the event and its environment, and therefore also about the sponsors of their favorite club, which will be the research topic of this paper.