Research in Dance and Physical Activity

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Research in Dance and Physical Activity - Vol. 7 , No. 2
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[ Article ]
Research in Dance and Physical Activity - Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 13-26
ISSN: 2951-4770 (Online)
Print publication date 31 Aug 2023
Received 30 Jun 2023 Revised 27 Jul 2023 Accepted 10 Aug 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26584/RDPA.2023.08.7.2.13

The Effects of Scandals on Sports Fans’ Attitudes Toward Athletes and Corporate Sponsors: How Sports Fans Respond to Different Types of Sports Scandals as a Moderating Function of Team Identification
Minkyo Lee1 ; Weon-Il Lee2, *
1University of Nevada, Las Vegas, U.S.A, Assistant Professor
2Yong In University, Republic of Korea, Associate Professor

Correspondence to : *Email address: skylove2014@hanmail.net

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine the effects of different types of athlete scandals (i.e., DUI, sex assault, doping, match fixing) and team identification on attitudes toward athletes and corporate sponsors. A sample of 95 undergraduate students recruited from a sport management program were randomly assigned to a 4 (scandal types) × 2 (repeated exposures) experimental design. The results of the linear mixed model showed that the participants reported different ratings of attitude toward athletes and sponsors according to the types of scandals and level of team identification. Specifically, a sexual assault elicited more unfavorable attitude toward an athlete, while match fixing led to a more negative attitude toward the sponsor. Team identification significantly moderated the effects of scandals on fans’ attitude toward the brand and athletes. The current paper discusses several theoretical and practical implications.

Keywords: sport scandals, risk management, sponsorship
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