Factors influencing professional team sport attendance among Hispanics

The purpose of this study was to investigate, by utilizing the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), factors influencing Hispanic adults to attend a professional team sporting event or to watch one on television. Another aim was to discover the favorite team sport of Hispanics. Finally, the frequency of watching professional team sporting events on television and the amount of money spent on purchasing a favorite teams logo products among Hispanics was examined in the study. The total U.S. sports market generates revenue of roughly $400 to $425 billion yearly (Plunkett, 2010). Numerous motivating factors influence spectator attendance to professional team sports including cost, substitute products available, game importance, player identity, team identity, social influence, entertainment value, and the uncertainty of the final outcome. The Terry College of Business reports two trends in Hispanic buying power including (a) Hispanic buying power will increase by 50% from 2010 to 2015, and (b) Hispanic buying power tops all other racial and ethnic groups in the rate of growth (Fahmy, 2010). The TPB is a theory often used to explain why a person behaves a certain way by taking into account the following (a) attitude toward the behavior, (b) social pressure, and (c) perceived behavioral control. Quantitative research methodology using demographics and frequency distribution was applied. The two surveys (FPTSEPCIH and PTSAPCIH) as well as a demographic questionnaire were administered through the on-line web-based company Survey Monkey. Three hundred fifty-eight total responses were received. Excitement was the most frequently expressed influence for Hispanics to attend a professional team sport event. Eighty percent of attendees, 40% of non-attendees, and 9% of neither attendees nor television viewers reportedly purchased some type of sport team logo product with the majority spending less than $100. It was also discovered that the favorite professional team sport to attend was basketball (78%) while football (77%) was the favorite to watch on television. Results from this study have revealed Hispanics are current consumers of professional team sport. It is recommended that sport marketers invest resources toward moving Hispanics up the consumer escalator from light or moderate to heavy users.