Quantifying the effect of sponsor awareness and image on the sports involvement–purchase intention relationship

•Study quantifies the indirect effect of sponsor image and sponsor awareness on the involvement purchase intention relationship, using a multiple mediation model.•Results revealed that whilst image was an effective mediator on the involvement and purchase intention relationship, awareness acted as a suppressor.•Moreover, the ratio of indirect effect to total effect indicated that sponsor image accounts for 90% of the total effect of involvement on purchase intention.•These findings should assist sponsors and sport event managers to capitalize on sponsorship opportunities more effectively.

Despite the exponential growth of corporate expenditure on sponsorship, to date there has been little exploration of the degree to which sports involvement influences purchase intention of sponsor products and how much of this effect can actually be ascribed to an indirect effect through sponsor image and sponsor awareness. Using a multiple mediation model, this research explored the mediational role of sponsor awareness and sponsor image in the sports involvement–purchase intention relationship. Results revealed that while sponsor image is an effective mediator of the sports involvement and purchase intention relationship, sponsor awareness acts as a suppressor. Moreover, per the ratio of indirect effect to total effect, sponsor image accounts for 90% of the total effect of sports involvement on purchase intention. These findings should assist sponsors and sport event managers to capitalize on sponsorship opportunities more effectively.