Perceptions of destination image and effects on college football fans: A case study of conference realignment

Abstract

Conference realignment among collegiate institutions in the United States has altered discussions from the traditional rivalries, standard television contracts, and typical super conferences. One area overlooked is the impact this may have on fans and their motivations to travel to the institutions’ away-game opponents in the newly configured athletic conference. This case study examines the motivations of fans from one university that recently changed conference affiliations to travel to away games. An exploratory factor analysis revealed nine motivations to travel to an away game. The nine motivations present in this study are achievement, economic, escape, knowledge, group affiliation, social, aesthetic, eustress and family. Destination image was compared to the motivations of sport consumption to see if a correlation was present. Destinations that offer the appropriate infrastructure, relevant hospitality industry suppliers, and gregariousness present the opportunity to increase fan satisfaction and attendance. Conference realignments may continue to transpire, and forthcoming travel to away games will continue due to the motivations present to observe the fan’s team compete and win. It will be essential for Convention and Visitor Bureaus and other tourism entities within cities to strategically partner with the local university to promote the destination area, in addition to the sporting event, to generate increased tourism from visitors and sports fans to the area.