Investigating the influence of a joint sponsorship of rival teams on supporter attitudes and brand preference

Davies, F., Veloutsou, C. and Costa, A. (2006) Investigating the influence of a joint sponsorship of rival teams on supporter attitudes and brand preference. Journal of Marketing Communications, 12(1), pp. 31-48. (doi: 10.1080/13527260500264574)

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Abstract

The sponsorship of football is a multi-million pound industry. Sponsors hope that supporters' enthusiasm for their team will translate into long-term benefits for the sponsor. However, the intensity of team rivalry means that a sponsorship may also alienate opposing supporters. The rival Glasgow clubs, Celtic and Rangers, therefore undertook a joint sponsorship arrangement with the communications company NTL. This paper investigates how the benefits obtained compared to those that may have been expected from a single sponsorship. While the sponsorship was very effective in creating awareness for NTL, ambivalent attitudes were found towards the company. The most committed supporters were the least accepting of the sponsorship and the expected positive relationship between support for the club and brand preference for NTL was not found.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Veloutsou, Professor Cleopatra
Authors: Davies, F., Veloutsou, C., and Costa, A.
Subjects:H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory
College/School:College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Management
Journal Name:Journal of Marketing Communications
ISSN:1352-7266
ISSN (Online):1466-4445

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