Testing the impact of athlete brand image attributes on fan loyalty

AbstractPurpose - Athlete brand image management has become a popular topic among sport marketing scholars. The present study aimed to test the impacts the attributes of athlete brand image on fan loyalty.Methodology – 500 questionnaires were delivered to university students and 472 completed questionnaires were returned. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to test the psychometric properties of the measures, and structural equation modeling was carried out to test the hypotheses.Findings - Findings of this study show that three attributes of athlete brand image (e.g., marketable lifestyle, athletic performance, and attractive appearance) positively influenced fan loyalty. Implications - To increase the loyalty of fans, effective marketing strategies could be designed to create positive images of athletes with both athletes’ on-field (e.g., athletic skills, competition style, and excellence in sport) and off-field performance (e.g., engagement with fans, community involvement, public relation, and charity activities).Originality - This paper provides valuable insights into the measurement of athlete brand image and fan loyalty and offers a foundation for future research on athlete brand management.