The Effect of Sponsor’s Brand on Consumer–Brand Relationship in Sport Sponsorship

This study examines the impact of brand awareness, image, and perceived quality on the consumer–brand relationship by using survey data collected from 560 sports fans to compare their attitudes towards a corporate sponsor prior to and following the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia soccer event. The study tests nine hypotheses to explain consumer attitude formation prior to and following the sponsored sports event. This study was organized as a model that was developed to illustrate the manner in which brand awareness, image, and perceived quality of a sponsor’s brand would have positive effects on consumer–brand relationship satisfaction and brand commitment, and how that brand commitment and satisfaction would positively affect brand loyalty. Therefore, since brand awareness, image, and perceived quality can amplify limitations on consumers’ brand perception and decision-making behaviors, the knowledge provided by this conceptual model is likely to help both brand managers and practitioners in the spectator sports industry better understand consumer perceptions of sports sponsorship events as well as help them develop tools to design sports sponsorship brand programs that are more effective at targeting specific consumers.