Title: A comparison of motivational factors affecting attendance between avid and casual fans at minor hockey games

Authors: Jinbae Hong

Addresses: Department of Sport and Recreation Management, University of Incheon, 177 Dohwa-dong, Nam-gu, Incheon, Korea

Abstract: In North America, hockey is a popular minor league sport. Minor league hockey brings in an estimated 35 million fans annually, just three to four million less than affiliated minor league baseball (McKeon, 2004; Ross, 2004). In this study, to assess minor league hockey attendance motives overall, and to examine if casual and avid fans have different motives, the literature on sport spectator motivation was utilised to select the following motivational variables: team success, game quality, star players, fan relations, price affordability, game day presentation and community involvement. The results of this study empirically support the results of previous studies that marketing managers in minor league hockey should strive for high quality games, present a variety of game-amenity activities, keep prices low and maintain an active community involvement.

Keywords: minor league hockey; spectator motivation; fan identification; segmentation; target marketing; community involvement; avid fans; casual fans; fan loyalty; sport marketing; motivational factors.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2009.021754

International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 2009 Vol.5 No.1/2, pp.115 - 131

Published online: 01 Dec 2008 *

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