DOES ETHICS PAY FOR FOOTBALL TEAMS?

Abstract

Spectators match attendance has great economic potential and gate revenues are therefore become top management major focus. Brand performances assessment must include contemporary issues such as corporate social responsibility (CSR) while they are part of consumers’ expectations. The research protocol (interviews, confirmatory factor and regression analysis) evaluates consumers’ perceptions and their purchase behaviour for two different European countries (France and Germany) and four professional football teams in the first football Leagues. The developed method assesses brand image elements and their impact on purchase intentions. If teams’ performance on the field remains a main brand element others appear related to brand’s attitude and CSR. They impact on spectators’ behavior and purchase intentions. Teams evolving from local to national show differentiated elements which are conceptualized. Team managers have to take these elements into consideration if they want strengthen team’s brand equity.