Summary of cognitive, affective, and behavioural outcomes of consuming prestigious sports events

Highlights

•	Attending prestigious sports events engenders outer- and inner-directed cognitive outcomes.
•	Sports events participants attend prestigious events to feel positive emotions and avoid negative ones.
•	Prestigious sports events generate four types of behavioural outcomes: patronage, financial, communication and experiential.
•	Findings are of use for prestigious experience design within and outside sports events.

Abstract

In this paper, the authors explore the range of cognitive, affective, and behavioural outcomes of consuming prestigious sports event experiences. The authors obtained means-end chains from 19 individuals from across a range of ages and both genders. A total of 39 examples of events were discussed by participants encompassing 25 unique events and 11 different sports. Outcomes were multi-dimensional. At the cognitive level, consumers developed outer- and inner-directed outcomes. At the affective level, prestigious sports events made consumers feel positive emotions, while at the same time energising them to attend in order to avoid negative emotional states. At the behavioural level, four types of outcomes served as a consequence of attending prestigious events: patronage, financial, communication and experiential. By recognising the multiple outcomes associated with the consumption of prestigious sports event experiences, managers will be better equipped to design experiences that satisfy consumer requirements.

Keywords:

• Sport marketing
• Sports events
• Consumer outcomes
• Prestige