The impact of need for uniqueness , loyalty proneness , and identification on the likelihood of brand extension purchases

As sport organizations seek new ways to generate revenue and interact with their fans, brand extensions will continue to be a popular strategy to do so. While research has examined how consumers evaluate brand extensions in sport, little is known as to what impacts a consumer’s decision to purchase team related extensions. This study examined the impact on potential brand extension purchase of three factors suggested to influence consumer purchase behavior (need for uniqueness, loyalty proneness and identification). Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) was used to collect 509 useable surveys though a paper-based instrument. The results of the study suggest that of the three constructs only identification had a significant impact on the likelihood of brand extension purchase. This finding was consistent for brand extensions that were considered to be both a high and low fit with the team introducing the extension. The results provide important theoretical and managerial implications.