Spectator Knowledge of Hockey as a Significant Predictor of Game Attendance

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which spectator knowledge of hockey affects game attendance. The relationship of sociodemo-graphics and hockey knowledge of spectators was also evaluated. Spectators (N=172) from three second-half season home games of an International Hockey League team responded to a questionnaire that included spectator background information and a hockey knowledge quiz of 10 items. Through validity and reliability tests, the knowledge quiz displayed sound measurement properties. Regression analyses indicated that hockey knowledge scores were positively (p = .00) predictive of game attendance and ticket consumption level. Correlational analyses and ANOVA revealed that spectator knowledge of hockey is affected by several sociodemo-graphic variables, including age, sex, race, income, education, and marital status. The findings support improvement of spectator knowledge as a major marketing objective for a professional hockey team. Promotion strategies need to take into consideration the sociodemographic backgrounds of spectators.