Examining unique attributes of products provided by professional sport clubs

Focusing on product competition

Abstract

It is critical for sport management researchers to comprehend the unique aspects of products provided by sport organizations. The present paper, including two studies, attempted to clarify the product attributes of professional sport clubs in consideration of competitive relations with other products. The first study employed literature reviews and conceptual approaches, whereas the second study used quantitative data to examine the attributes empirically. Using the following three perspectives; relationships with products in the same categories, industries to belong, and benefits to provide, the first study identified several product attributes of sport clubs that do not apply to common understanding in privious studies on management. The second study clarified distinctive benefits of spectating games (e.g., excitement and vicarious achievement), which were different from the benefits offered by other leisure activities. It was also found that consumers highly involved in a product (i.e., spectating a game) were likely to obtain various benefits.