Signaling a commitment to diversity: examining the intersection of sport team owner race and diversity, equity, and inclusion pledges

Sports organizations have made substantial investments in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). These pledges are usually delivered by organization leaders such as sport team owners and gain public attention via social media. Drawing on the signaling theory and social role theory, the current research examined the mechanism through which professional sport team owners’ DEI pledges, compared to a focus on sport performance, influence consumers’ social media intentions while taking the racial identity of the owner into account. Results from two experiments in the context of Major League Soccer and the National Basketball Association revealed interaction effects between pledge type and the racial identity of the owner, mediated by the perceived fit between the owner and the pledge and the authenticity of the owner. The findings shed light on the complex dynamics regarding the branding implications of DEI initiatives, providing insights for both theory and practice.