The mediating role of relationship quality impacted sponsorship effects on perceived economic value

This paper illustrates how sponsorship managers view the impact of sponsorship activities on the perceived economic value derived from the sponsorship. Sport sponsorship has become a very popular strategy to drive a brand¿s image and awareness. We investigate a model where the quality of customer relationships is posited as a mediator influencing the perceived economic value derived from a sponsorship. A test for mediation was utilised to determine the appropriateness of relationship quality being a mediator. Managers concerned with sponsoring football (soccer) clubs in the Netherlands were surveyed. A second-order formative sport sponsorship index (SSI) was constructed. Results reveal that sport sponsorship influences relationship quality which ultimately impacts the perceived economic value of a sponsorship. These results complement a larger structural model investigation on the role of different constructs (brand equity, perceived fit) either acting as mediators or moderators of sport sponsorship and its derived perceived economic value.