Comparison of Sport Tourist and Local Participants’ Sponsorship and Charity Recall and Intentions

Abstract

Running events have proliferated in the last decade and rely on sponsorships for income. However, more needs to be discovered about how effective these sponsorships are in encouraging purchase behavior and connecting to charity organizations. This study aims to develop a stronger understanding of running event participants and their attitudes toward sponsorships and charity organizations. Local participants were compared to sport tourists to determine if differences existed in the recall or potential use of the sponsor’s product. Also, this study used self-determination theory to determine the impact of motivation on sponsorship recall and purchase intentions. A total of 201 respondents completed a survey at a major running event. Results indicated sport participants were likely to recall sponsors with a high level of perceived fit. Additionally, participants intended to purchase products from the running shoe company. Participants also had a high level of recall for the main charity and intended to donate money. Local participants were more likely to donate time to charity and purchase sponsor products than sport event tourists. Finally, autonomously motivated participants were more likely to recall sponsors.

Keywords: Sport, Sponsorship, Charity