IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsoctx/v15y2025i5p119-d1643655.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Role of ESG Activities in Strengthening Fan Trust and Loyalty: A Societal Perspective on Sustainable Sports Business

Author

Listed:
  • Dohun Kim

    (Department of Sport Welfare, Korea National University of Transportation, Chungju 27469, Republic of Korea)

  • Yunduk Jeong

    (College of General Education, Kookmin University, Seoul 02707, Republic of Korea)

Abstract

This study aims to establish the impact of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) activities undertaken by South Korean professional sports clubs on fan trust and loyalty. Furthermore, it examines the moderating influence of fan citizenship among these connections. Data were gathered via surveys administered to 348 spectators at matches of two professional sports clubs in South Korea that are noted for their active ESG activities. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and moderation analysis using Jamovi software (version 2.4.8) were employed to analyze the data and test the proposed hypotheses. The findings reveal that environmental and social activities significantly impact fan trust and loyalty, whereas governance activities positively influence fan trust but do not significantly impact fan loyalty. Moreover, fan trust directly impacts fan loyalty. Regarding the moderating effects, fan citizenship strengthens the relationship between ESG activities and fan loyalty but does not affect the relationship between ESG activities and fan trust. This study contributes to this research by incorporating fan citizenship as a moderating variable in exploring how ESG practices can increase fan loyalty through fan citizenship. Moreover, these findings enhance our theoretical understanding by explaining how ESG strategies are related to relationship-building processes in the sports business, and they provide practical suggestions for teams on promoting sustainability and fan engagement by focusing on specific ESG activities.

Suggested Citation

  • Dohun Kim & Yunduk Jeong, 2025. "The Role of ESG Activities in Strengthening Fan Trust and Loyalty: A Societal Perspective on Sustainable Sports Business," Societies, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-17, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:15:y:2025:i:5:p:119-:d:1643655
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/5/119/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/5/119/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Maria Aluchna & Maria Roszkowska-Menkes & Bogumił Kamiński, 2022. "From talk to action: the effects of the non-financial reporting directive on ESG performance," Meditari Accountancy Research, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 31(7), pages 1-25, November.
    2. Hela Sheth & Kathy Babiak, 2010. "Beyond the Game: Perceptions and Practices of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Professional Sport Industry," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 91(3), pages 433-450, February.
    3. Riadh Ladhari & Soumaya Cheikhrouhou & Miguel Morales & Emna Zaaboub, 2022. "Antecedents and consequences of emotional attachment to sport teams brands," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 29(5), pages 454-469, September.
    4. Ya-Lun Chou & Chen-Yueh Chen & Ting-Hsiang Lin & Yi-Wen Zhou & Yuan-Fu Lee, 2024. "The Role of ESG Participation in Sports Sponsorship: Enhancing Consumer Purchase Intention Through Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-18, December.
    5. Schurr, Paul H & Ozanne, Julie L, 1985. "Influence on Exchange Processes: Buyers' Preconceptions of a Seller's Trustworthiness and Bargaining Toughness," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 11(4), pages 939-953, March.
    6. Neil Eccles, 2010. "UN Principles for Responsible Investment Signatories and the Anti-Apartheid SRI Movement: A Thought Experiment," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 95(3), pages 415-424, September.
    7. Diego Prior & Jordi Surroca & Josep A. Tribó, 2008. "Are Socially Responsible Managers Really Ethical? Exploring the Relationship Between Earnings Management and Corporate Social Responsibility," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(3), pages 160-177, May.
    8. Hyuck Jin Lee & Tae-hwan Rhee, 2023. "How Does Corporate ESG Management Affect Consumers’ Brand Choice?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-16, April.
    9. Magdalena Öberseder & Bodo Schlegelmilch & Patrick Murphy & Verena Gruber, 2014. "Consumers’ Perceptions of Corporate Social Responsibility: Scale Development and Validation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 124(1), pages 101-115, September.
    10. Chitra Sriyani De Silva Lokuwaduge & Kumudini Heenetigala, 2017. "Integrating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Disclosure for a Sustainable Development: An Australian Study," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(4), pages 438-450, May.
    11. Duygu Turker, 2009. "Measuring Corporate Social Responsibility: A Scale Development Study," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 85(4), pages 411-427, April.
    12. Wangsung Myung, 2024. "Conceptualization of ESG Management Values of Professional Sports Clubs: From Consumers’ Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-17, August.
    13. Ying Bai & Zerui Wang & Qi Huang & Haoming Ding, 2025. "The Impact of ESG Performance on Corporate Value in Listed Sports Companies: The Mediating Role of Intangible Assets and Moderating Role of Policy Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-15, March.
    14. Eun-Mi Lee & Sung-Joon Yoon, 2018. "The effect of customer citizenship in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities on purchase intention: the important role of the CSR image," Social Responsibility Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 14(4), pages 753-763, October.
    15. Jordi Surroca & Josep A. Tribó & Sandra Waddock, 2010. "Corporate responsibility and financial performance: the role of intangible resources," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 463-490, May.
    16. Beichen Liang, 2022. "How brand experience, satisfaction, trust, and commitment affect loyalty: a reexamination and reconciliation," Italian Journal of Marketing, Springer, vol. 2022(2), pages 203-231, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Antonio Martos‐Pedrero & David Jiménez‐Castillo & Vera Ferrón‐Vílchez & Francisco Joaquín Cortés‐García, 2023. "Corporate social responsibility and export performance under stakeholder view: The mediation of innovation and the moderation of the legal form," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(1), pages 248-266, January.
    2. Nick Lin-Hi & Marlene Reimer & Katharina Schäfer & Johanna Böttcher, 2023. "Consumer acceptance of cultured meat: an empirical analysis of the role of organizational factors," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 93(4), pages 707-746, May.
    3. Jiaxu Huang & Haiqing Hu & Yong Wang, 2022. "Fuzzy Front-End Vertical External Involvement, Corporate Social Responsibility and Firms’ New Product Development Performance in the VUCA Age: From an Organizational Learning Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-21, December.
    4. Antonio Martos-Pedrero & Francisco Joaquín Cortés-García & David Jiménez-Castillo, 2019. "The Relationship between Social Responsibility and Business Performance: An Analysis of the Agri-Food Sector of Southeast Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-23, November.
    5. Franck Brulhart & Sandrine Gherra & Bertrand V. Quelin, 2019. "Do Stakeholder Orientation and Environmental Proactivity Impact Firm Profitability?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(1), pages 25-46, August.
    6. Antonio Martos-Pedrero & David Jiménez-Castillo & Francisco Joaquín Cortés-García, 2022. "Examining drivers and outcomes of corporate social responsibility in agri-food firms," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 68(3), pages 79-86.
    7. Mario Morales-Parragué & Luis Araya-Castillo & Fidel Molina-Luque & Hugo Moraga-Flores, 2022. "Scientometric Analysis of Research on Corporate Social Responsibility," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-22, February.
    8. Grougiou, Vassiliki & Leventis, Stergios & Dedoulis, Emmanouil & Owusu-Ansah, Stephen, 2014. "Corporate social responsibility and earnings management in U.S. banks," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 155-169.
    9. Saeidi, Sayedeh Parastoo & Sofian, Saudah & Saeidi, Parvaneh & Saeidi, Sayyedeh Parisa & Saaeidi, Seyyed Alireza, 2015. "How does corporate social responsibility contribute to firm financial performance? The mediating role of competitive advantage, reputation, and customer satisfaction," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(2), pages 341-350.
    10. Isabel‐Maria García‐Sánchez & Nazim Hussain & Sana Akbar Khan & Jennifer Martínez‐Ferrero, 2020. "Managerial entrenchment, corporate social responsibility, and earnings management," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(4), pages 1818-1833, July.
    11. María del Mar Miras‐Rodríguez & Amalia Carrasco‐Gallego & Bernabé Escobar‐Pérez, 2015. "Are Socially Responsible Behaviors Paid Off Equally? A Cross‐cultural Analysis," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 22(4), pages 237-256, July.
    12. Chen Wang & Yeonggil Kim & Changhee Kim, 2022. "Are all CSR Activities in Your SNS Authentic? The Antecedents and Outcomes of Consumer Perceived Authenticity of CSR," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(4), pages 21582440221, November.
    13. Jinhua Li & Yongyi Chen & Qiankai Qing, 2021. "Differentiated consumer responses to corporate social responsibility domains moderated by corporate social responsibility perceptions: A Kano model‐based perspective," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(6), pages 1606-1619, November.
    14. Wang, Kai & Li, Tingting & San, Ziyao & Gao, Hao, 2023. "How does corporate ESG performance affect stock liquidity? Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    15. Walid Ben‐Amar & Claude Francoeur & Sylvain Marsat & Aida Sijamic Wahid, 2021. "How do firms achieve corporate social performance? An integrated perspective," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(3), pages 1078-1090, May.
    16. Zhu, Minghao & Yeung, Andy C.L. & Zhou, Honggeng, 2021. "Diversify or concentrate: The impact of customer concentration on corporate social responsibility," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 240(C).
    17. Stankevičiūtė Živilė & Wereda Wioletta, 2020. "Universalism values and organisational citizenship behaviour referring to employee perception of corporate social responsibility," Management & Marketing, Sciendo, vol. 15(2), pages 302-325, June.
    18. Basheer M. Al-Ghazali & M. Sadiq Sohail & Ibrahim Ali M. Jumaan, 2021. "CSR Perceptions and Career Satisfaction: The Role of Psychological Capital and Moral Identity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-22, June.
    19. Hyunjung Choi & Doocheol Moon & Andres Guiral & Byungchul Choi, 2021. "Corporate sustainability and the market pricing of accounting numbers," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(3), pages 1117-1126, May.
    20. Sadia Cheema & Bilal Afsar & Basheer M. Al‐Ghazali & Ahsen Maqsoom, 2020. "Retracted: How employee's perceived corporate social responsibility affects employee's pro‐environmental behaviour? The influence of organizational identification, corporate entrepreneurship, and envi," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(2), pages 616-629, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:15:y:2025:i:5:p:119-:d:1643655. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.