Creating fans from scratch: A qualitative analysis of child consumer brand perceptions of a new sport team

Katherine R.N. Reifurth, Henry T. Wear and Bob Heere

Sport Management Review, 2020, vol. 23, issue 3, 428-442

Abstract: When a new sport team enters an existing league, branding becomes an important tool the team uses to establish itself and gain a following within the community. Previous research on new sport teams has focused on adult attachment and formation of fan communities, but few researchers have focused on children learning to value brands and branding techniques. Through this study, the authors examine the aspects of branding efforts, specifically branded imagery and associations, that children find important, relevant, and representative of a new sport team. A drawing contest for children ages 5–14 enrolled in public schools executed in conjunction with a local single-A baseball team after their inaugural season revealed many brand associations traditionally tied to adult fans of both new and established sport teams were irrelevant to the child participants included in this study. Branded imagery was also not used by any participants before the age of 7, extending current research on branding and child development to highlight the lack of effectiveness of branding on children younger than 7. Further findings are also discussed.

Keywords: Child fans; Branding; Brand awareness; Brand imagery; Drawings (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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DOI: 10.1016/j.smr.2019.07.003

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