Abstract:
Customer satisfaction is associated with numerous positive business
outcomes and is recognised as an important field of study. However, only
limited research has addressed the satisfaction of sport spectators, with
even fewer studies examining the determinants of this satisfaction. Yet an
understanding of how spectators arrive at evaluations of satisfaction or
dissatisfaction provides a useful insight for directing marketing and
operational efforts. The Sport Spectator Satisfaction Model (SSSM) is an
extension of the Disconfirmation of Expectations Model (DEM)
accommodating unique aspects of the sport product, as well as
accommodating the core and peripheral dimensions of the spectator service.
The SSSM depicts club identification and the win/lose phenomenon as
considerable influences on the satisfaction spectators derive from the game
and its peripheral services. The SSSM integrates marketing theory, social
identity theory and sport marketing theory to broaden our understanding
of spectator satisfaction and provide a platform for further research.
