Patrocínio Esportivo: Perspectivas do Envolvimento, Identificação e Prestígio entre Fãs e Equipe

Abstract

Investments in Brazilian sports are relatively low, while the sports marketing is capable of reaching involvement levels of supporters that may interfere with the stimuli of the purchase decision process. Thus, this study is intended to build an empirically tested model to explain the factors that influence the perception of fans’ to the sponsorship in sport. To do this, we conducted a survey with 172 fans of an indoor soccer team from the higher division of this sport in Brazil. Survey’s results allow us to build a robust enough model that explains how the identification of fans with a club or sport influences the prestige and the involvement of fans with the club. Identification, involvement and club prestige influence, in turn, the perception of club’s sponsorship. This paper contributes to the theory of sports marketing by empirically validating a theoretical model. In doing so, it also contributes to the praxis of sport management with new information on effective sport sponsorship.