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Introduction
Sport is a social product and service as it is often marketed within a community of people (Traquattrini et al. , 2015). The aim of this paper is to identify the future research avenues for sports marketers to maximize planning and associated forecasting strategies whilst focussing on the main issues discussed in the articles included in the special journal issue. Sports marketers need to identify the most prominent features that attract spectators, participants and views (Ratten, 2015). It is important to understand how consumers identify with sport in order to market it more effectively (Ratten, 2011a). Often consumers will have a subjective valuation of sport marketing based on the teams they support or the athletes they identify with (Ratten and Ratten, 2011). Sport is different to other types of marketing because of the personal identification sport has with people (Mullin, 1983). Due to individual personal preferences and identification associated with sport, marketing can be used to have a more intense effect in the sports context (Chalip, 1992). Some sport marketers can use social persuasion to affirm the role of sport in society. Other sport marketers can do this is by connecting sport marketing in a dynamic way to a person's cultural background. This will enable the sport to be marketed more effectively using the linkage between psychology and marketing (Chalip, 1992).
Marketing is important in order to overcome consumer resistance and focus on the most appropriate communications for reaching consumers (Lazarus and Wexler, 1988). Some consumers first become involved with certain products because of their association with sport (Vaughn, 1980). Due to the emotional investment people have with certain sports, marketing is a useful avenue that can have a positive impact if conducted in the appropriate manner. Marketing can be used as a non-verbal and verbal medium for the consumption of a product to be realistic and viable in consumer's viewpoint (Unger and Kernan, 1983).
The three major types of sports marketing are about interest, participation and consumption (Chalip, 1992). Sport marketing to promote fan interest involves increasing the linkage between sport products and services with fan behavior (Ratten, 2011a). This can include promoting sports teams or athletes based on consumer behavior. Sport marketing to promote sport participation increases the visibility of sport as...