Examining the Prevalence and Impact of Sport Fans’ Rituals: A Sensory Marketing Perspective

The purpose of the study was to empirically demonstrate that sensory impressions, emblematic of rituals, have an ability to impact perceptions of atmospherics to a degree that may facilitate place attachment. In this paper, sensory rituals reflecting aesthetics, sound, taste, touch, and socialization are operationalized as multi-dimensional perspectives based upon three fundamental characteristics: frequency, meaningfulness, and novelty. Data were acquired by surveying individuals attending live sport events. In total, 444 useable surveys were collected from patrons representing three countries and six unique sport contexts. Results reveal that fans’ perception of atmosphere was shown to mediate the relationship between sensory rituals and individuals’ place identity and place dependency. Attendees’ perceived level of team identification moderated the relationship between various forms of sensory rituals and atmospherics. This study provides further proof that ritualistic behavior exists to perpetuate various forms of attachment including religion, sport, teams, and in this case, places.