Articles in this issue:

• Modeling Environmental Antecedents of Online Word-of-Mouth on Team Social Media: A Perspective of Information Value

  Jerred Junqi Wang

  and James J. Zhang

  This study explored environmental antecedents of online word-of-mouth (WOM) within the realm of information value and empirically assessed their influences on both low- and high-informativeness WOM behaviors (i.e., like and share behaviors, respectively) in a natural online setting (i.e., Facebook pages of professional sport teams). With survey data and online secondary data, content analysis and negative binomial regression were conducted. The results revealed the significant impacts of environmental antecedents associated with content provision and game attractiveness on fans’  like and...Read more

• Repeat Registrations of a Running Event: Applying Customer Base Analysis

  Carol A. Finnegan

  Thomas J. Aicher

  and Robert A. Block

  While the running community has experienced tremendous growth over the past several decades, increased competition and plateauing participation rates have made effective race marketing an imperative. This study examined the repeat registration behavior of running event participants through the lens of Ehrenberg’s (1988) repeat-buying theory. We used Customer-Base Analysis on combinations of observed frequency and recency patterns in runner registrations over a seven-year period. Based upon registration data (N = 26,625), we found that runners with the highest probability of registering for...Read more

• Sport Brand Positioning Strategies and Position-Congruity on Financial Performance

  J. Lucy Lee

  June Won

  and Donald G. Farr

  Despite the importance of positioning in marketing, we have little empirical evidence about the characteristics of positioning strategy that influence effectiveness and the relationship between position-congruity and positioning efficiency. By applying multiple methodologies, we examined six golf brands to discover the effectiveness of brand positioning strategies and the relationship between position-congruity and efficiency. We found that (1) feature positioning strategy was as effective as benefit positioning strategy; (2) surrogate positioning strategy was most effective; and (3) a...Read more

• An Assessment of Fans’ Willingness to Pay for Team’s Environmental Sustainability Initiatives

  Greg Greenhalgh and Joris Drayer

  The current study aims to understand if sport organizations can utilize environmental sustainability (ES) efforts to increase revenue in addition to saving money. To do this, fans of the Philadelphia Eagles were surveyed. Findings indicate fans were willing to pay an average of US$6.50 in the form of a sustainability fee to help the organization implement an environmental initiative. Furthermore, this study found that nearly none of the prevailing thoughts on predictors of fan behavior significantly positively predicted fans’ willing-ness to pay an environmental sustainability fee. The...Read more

• Losing Weight with Charles and Dan: Examining Potential Liability for Endorser Claims in Weight Loss Advertisements

  Natasha T. Brison

  Andrew C. Pickett

  and Katie M. Brown

  The weight loss industry in America accounts for billions of dollars annually. Many products and programs are endorsed by sport celebrities and promote quick-fix (ineffective) remedies. As a result, these advertisements are often involved in investigations by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for false or misleading claims. Unfortunately, endorsers may not understand they can be held liable for these claims. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the statements made by athletes that may give rise to potential liability for false claims in weight loss management advertising. A...Read more

• “I Still Support My Favorite Team”: The Effects of an Athlete’s Transgression and Post-Response Strategy Using Visual Cues on In-Group Bias

  Wonseok (Eric) Jang

  Joon Sung Lee

  Janice Cho

  and Jeoung-Hak Lee

  Using an in-group bias effect as a theoretical framework, this study examined how scandal-ridden athletes may obtain forgiveness and continuous support from highly identified sport consumers depending on the visual strategy used in the official statement and the severity of the scandal. The results indicated that for a high-severity scandal, an angular shape is more effective than a circular shape in eliciting positive evaluations from highly identified sport consumers. In contrast, for a low-severity scandal, a circular shape is more effective than an angular shape in obtaining positive...Read more