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Intergenerational differences in fans' motivation to watch the T20 world cup: a generation cohort theory perspective

Faheem Gul Gilal (Department of Business Administration, Sukkur IBA University, Sukkur, Pakistan)
Naeem Gul Gilal (School of Management, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China)
Beenish Tariq (NUST Business School, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan)
Rehman Gul Gilal (Department of Business Administration, Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur, Pakistan)
Rukhsana Gul Gilal (Department of Business Administration, Sukkur IBA University, Sukkur, Pakistan)
Zhenxing Gong (School of Business, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, China)
Nisar Ahmed Channa (Department of Business Administration, Sukkur IBA University, Sukkur, Pakistan)

International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship

ISSN: 1464-6668

Article publication date: 29 May 2020

Issue publication date: 6 April 2021

1080

Abstract

Purpose

Using two theoretical lenses – social identity theory and generation cohort theory – the present study analyzes the influence of sport motivations (i.e., patriotism, drama and excitement of the game, nostalgic associations, interest in star players and social influence) on the intentions to watch the International Cricket Council (ICC) Twenty-20 (T20) World Cup of three different generation cohorts (i.e., Generations X, Y and Z).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from N = 499 cricket lovers from Pakistan based on a non-probability sampling technique. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), structural equation modeling (SEM) and multi-group modeling techniques were used as methods.

Findings

SEM results show that cricket fans' intentions to watch the T20 World Cup are positively influenced by patriotism, drama and excitement of the game, and social influence. The results of multi-group modeling reveal significant differences between Generation X-ers, Y-ers and Z-ers regarding the effect of sport motivations on their intentions to watch the ICC T20 World Cup. Specifically, our findings show that for X-ers, interest in star players and nostalgic associations are the main motivations behind watching the T20 World Cup, whereas drama and excitement appeared to be an important predictor for Y-ers, and patriotism and social influence are more likely to increase Z-ers' intentions to watch the T20 World Cup.

Originality/value

This study is the first of its kind to report the motivations of Generations X, Y and Z to watch the T20 World Cup.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful to Professor Justin Paul (Editor-In-Chief, International Journal of Consumer Studies and Guest Editor, Journal of Business Research), Professor James Zhang (Editor-In-Chief, International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship), and five anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments on this article.

Citation

Gilal, F.G., Gilal, N.G., Tariq, B., Gilal, R.G., Gilal, R.G., Gong, Z. and Channa, N.A. (2021), "Intergenerational differences in fans' motivation to watch the T20 world cup: a generation cohort theory perspective", International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, Vol. 22 No. 2, pp. 197-219. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-09-2019-0094

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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