An overview of sport consumers motives

This post aims to identify the different kinds of sport consumers. In his book “Introduction to Sport Marketing: A Practical Approach” , Aaron C.T. Smith states that sport consumers are differentiated into four categories:

1. Sport good consumers: This category includes anyone who purchases a physical product that has a sport-related aspect or purpose.
2. Sport services consumers: These consumers utilise a sport-related service or experience excluding viewing or participating in sport directly.
3. Sport participants and volunteers: These consumers are actively engaged in sport as participants or in unpaid organisational and support roles.
4. Sport supporters, spectators and fans: The last category are made of consumers taking an interest in the performance of sport mainly, but not confined to, the elite or professional level.

Why does it matter to make this differentiation?

Sport Marketers need to appreciate the many reasons why consumers are motivated to buy sport-related products and services.The more that is understood about sport consumers, the easier it is to approach them with enticing marketing.

I tried to summarized these reasons here:

Psychological motives:

• Sport can be a stimulating, psychologically energising activity (For ex: 50cm powder + no one around + the last Burton Custom X board = adrenaline!!!)
• Sport can provide consumers with an escape from the ordinary routine of the life. Sport is a world of passion, spontaneity and uncertainty unlike often highly organised and regulated work environments.

Socio-cultural motives:

• Sport events and activites provide an opportunity for families and friends to spend time together (social interaction)
• Fans use sport as a form of cultural connection (for ex: sport can help fans connect to their national, racial, or ethnic culture).

Self-concept motives:

• Sport consumer may feel a need to belong to a group. (for ex: Fans want to feel part of a community that shares the same interest)
• Sport fans feel successful when their team is successful. It is called vicarious achievement (= sense of accomplishment through the success of someone else)

Today’s lesson: Remember that different sport fans will be motivated to consume sport for different reasons. It is our job to clearly segment the target market and adapt the message to them.