Factors Contributing to Spectators' Perceptions of a College Football Stadium During Its First Year

The objective of the current study was to determine how predetermined factors contribute to a spectator's overall perceptions of a new college football stadium. It was predicted that fans who were highly identified with the SIU football team would have a more positive perception of the new stadium than low identified fans. Second, individuals' considering themselves to be sports fans would perceive the stadium more positively compared to those not considering themselves to be sport fans. Third, females' perceptions would be more positive than males. Lastly, the greater the number of games an individual attends would result in a more positive overall perception of the stadium. Participants (n = 124) completed surveys to assess demographic characteristics, perception of facilities, level of sport fandom, and level of identification with the team. A multiple linear regression determined that none of the individual variables significantly predicted the perception of the facilities. The combined effect of the four variables did significantly predict variability in perceptions of the facility. The results of the study suggest that when marketing a new facility, one must take into account as many variables as possible when devising a marketing strategy. Doing so will likely lead to more positive perceptions of the new facility and increase the likelihood of a repeat purchase.