Consumer reactions to sport event sponsorship: a case study of the 2006 Cape Argus Pick ‘n Pay Cycle Tour

Abstract

Sport event sponsorship has rarely undergone systematic study, and very few empirical studies have looked at the effect of sponsorship on the consumer. This study investigated consumer reactions to the sponsoring organisations, and identified factors that influence these reactions, among participants of the 2006 Cape Argus Pick ‘n Pay Cycle Tour. The Descriptive Research design consisted of self-administered questionnaires, administered on-line, on the Cycle Tour website. E-mails containing a hyperlink to the survey on the Internet were sent out to an estimated 30 000 eligible participants from the Cycle Tour database. A response of 213 valid answers was received. The findings indicated that event participants have a highly positive reaction to event sponsors. There are three components of this positive reaction: Participants have a highly positive reaction toward the event; they do not believe that the event is over-commercialised; and the event sponsorship has a positive influence on the participants’ attitude towards behavioural intent (namely high levels of awareness of and support for sponsors, as well as influencing the image perceptions of and satisfaction with sponsors, and increased likelihood to purchase). The results appear to support the following factors that influence these reactions: the nature of the sponsorship (commercial or philanthropic); the origin of the sponsorship (pre-existing or sponsor-created); the frequency of the sponsorship; the synergy/ link between the sponsor and event; and consumer interest and involvement in the event. The study proposes that in addition to these factors, a range of consumer demographic factors may influence reactions.