The Effect of Web Cohesion, Web Commitment, and Attitude toward the Website on Intentions to Use NFL Teams' Websites

Sport teams are increasingly using their websites to create and nurture relationships with their fans. Like other leisure-based products and services, sport brands have a capacity to facilitate the development of brand communities. Websites can be a key context for the expression of brand community. This study examines the effects of perceived cohesion, commitment, and attitude toward the website on intent to use the website via a web survey of NFL team website users (N=144). Structural equation modelling was used to confirm a model in which commitment and attitude toward the website directly increased intention to use the website; cohesion and commitment directly enhance attitude toward the website; and, cohesion has a strong, positive association with commitment. Implications and practical applications for building web community are discussed, and directions for future research are suggested.