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Exploring the Importance of Consumer Engagement for Successful Sports Club Projects
Authors
Željka Marčinko Trkulja
Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Rijeka, Croatia
Jasmina Dlačić
Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Rijeka, Croatia
Dinko Primorac
University North, Koprivnica, Croatia
Abstract
A sport management project refers to a venture or an initiative undertaken by a sports organization, team, or club to improve the overall performance and success of their operations. These projects can include a different range of activities, such as developing and implementing new strategies, launching new programs, creating a new fan engagement program to increase support and loyalty, and more. This study examines the influence of sport’s fan engagement on trust, satisfaction, and loyalty in sports club social networks. Our findings suggest that both fan identification with the sports club’s brand and motivation play significant roles in determining the level of engagement. Specifically, we have found that consumers who have a strong identification with the club and are extrinsically motivated to engage with the club’s social network exhibit higher levels of trust, satisfaction, and loyalty. These results underscore the importance of fostering a strong sense of identification and motivation among fans in order to promote positive consumer attitudes towards sports club social networks. The paper provides recommendations for sports club marketing managers on how to use social networks to improve project’s success.