Indian Premier League and Team Brand Building: Validating the Spectator-Based Brand Equity Model in context of Television viewers

Abstract

Research in the area of brand-equity in sports has been limited to Europe or USA only with no study focusing on brand-equity of team sports in a country like India despite of knowing socio-cultural and perceptional difference between the people. In addition, previous studies also lack in terms of accounting for the perceptions of television viewers of European/Asian countries. Academicians/Researchers should thus put their focus on developing models that could be used for measuring the brand-equity of sport teams in Indian context. Taking the above facts into consideration, the paper aims at validating the Spectator-based brand equity (SBBE) model of Ross, Russell and Bang (2008) in context of the television viewers of Indian Premier League (IPL). The model was tested using structural equation modeling. The study came out with a finding that for television viewers the modified version of SBBE shall be applicable. Interestingly, the performance, unity and co-ordination between the players of the team and the determination and passion of the players for winning the matches for their teams can be suggested for enhancing the brand-equity of the sport teams in context of television viewers. The research provides a clear picture to sport managers about various antecedents to build the brand-equity of sport teams for efficiently utilizing their resources to better manage and build sport teams as strong brands building brand-equity of teams in the long-term.