Leveraging Subculture and Identity to Promote Sport Events

In order to increase the number of visitors attracted to sport events, organisers have sought to broaden their appeal by adding to the range of consumption options their events provide. This is typically done by expanding the tangible product or by adding augmentations. These expansions and augmentations provide useful bases for event promotions if the nature of benefits derived and the segments to whom those benefits appeal are identified. The key to identifying benefits and segments is to examine customers’ relationships to the subculture of the sport being showcased. Recent research suggests that consumers’ enjoyment of sport events derives, at least in part, from their identification with the sport's subculture. This is consistent with other work in consumer behaviour demonstrating the importance of subculture in transmitting consumption values, particularly in leisure contexts. Recent research into three events – the Key West Women's Flag Football Tournament, the Gold Coast Marathon, and the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix – highlights the utility of leveraging event consumers’ identification with the sport's subculture when promoting sport events. Implications and recommendations for event management and marketing are reviewed.