Abstract
Since its inception, consumption behaviour theory has developed to account for the important social aspects that underpin or at least to some extent explain consumer behaviour. Empirical studies on consumption behaviour of cultural activities, entertainment and sport have used Bourdieu’s (1984) omnivore/univore theory to investigate consumption of leisure activities. The aim of this study is to investigate whether South African cricket spectators are sporting omnivores or univores. The study was conducted among cricket spectators in the Eastern Cape at four limited overs cricket matches in the 2012/2013 cricket season. The results indicate that consumption behaviour of sport predominantly differs on the grounds of education and race. This suggests that there are aspects of social connotations underpinning sports consumption behaviour within South Africa.
Highlights
Sport is highly regarded among South Africans, both in terms of active participation and in a passive role as a spectator (Brember, 2009)
The goals of this study are to investigate whether South African cricket spectators are sporting omnivores or univores and whether certain characteristics can be attributed to these consumption decisions
These results suggest that generally it appears easier to classify omnivores and univores in terms of their taste spectrum as opposed to classifying them according to the ‘eliteness/exclusivity’ of the sports consumed
Summary
Sport is highly regarded among South Africans, both in terms of active participation and in a passive role as a spectator (Brember, 2009). With South African cricket forming a significant aspect of international cricket heritage (Morgan, 2013), it is important to examine factors that would increase the likelihood of the long-term survival of the game. This could be achieved by investigating the extent to which sporting consumption patterns in South Africa are bound up in social hierarchies by classifying consumers as either sporting univores or omnivores. Statistics South Africa (2012) highlights the importance of the South African sports industry in generating significant tourism revenue. The goals of this study are to investigate whether South African cricket spectators are sporting omnivores or univores and whether certain characteristics can be attributed to these consumption decisions
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