Value cocreation at sport events

Abstract

ABSTRACTResearch question: Sport events by themselves do not create value. Yet, sport events can serve as platforms and provide resources that actor-networks integrate to cocreate value. The present study views sport events as an assemblage of diverse brands like event, athlete, sponsor, and place brands, and sheds light on the question of how their heterogeneous actor-networks cocreate value at sport events.Research methods: A multi-year case study of the Big Mountain freeride world qualifier at Hochfügen reveals the value cocreation processes at sport events. Interviews with representatives of brand actor-networks, archived records, and participant observations inform our framework of value cocreation at sport events.Findings: We reveal the collaborative work of actor-networks at sport events and their collective value cocreation processes. We show that (1) providing operand and operant resources, (2) recognizing resource dependencies, (3) understanding the types of value desired and (4) the practices deployed by different actors, and (5) fostering structural and role alignment processes stimulates and facilitates value cocreation processes at sport events.Implications: Managers of sport event brands can learn from the study what is needed to support collaboration and value cocreation to encourage (event, sponsor, athlete, and place) brand engagement and generate consumption opportunities.