A sport celebrity image model: focusing efforts to improve outcomes

Abstract

The brand image construct has received considerable attention in sports marketing literature, yet its application to how the sport celebrity brand image affect consumers' attitude remains largely unexplored. This paper presents a framework to explore the sport celebrity brand image, and explains its impact on fans' attitude. It offers propositions about its components and the likely influence of sport celebrity brand image on the sport fan attitude. Consideration of the sport celebrity brand image components may allow sport managers to better understand how it may be formed and managed. The framework also provides insights into the brand benefits sport consumers experience by associating with the brand image of the celebrity, and ultimately about the sport consumers' attitude towards the celebrity brand image.