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Mascots are used by organizers of mega sport events, such as the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup, to promote the value of the events and the host city. Sports teams use mascots to enhance fan experiences and attract the attention of new and existing fans.
April 25, 2023
by Ye Lei
Mascots are used by organizers of mega sport events, such as the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup, to promote the value of the events and the host city. Sports teams use mascots to enhance fan experiences and attract the attention of new and existing fans.
Dr. Yong Jae Ko, Dr. Yonghwan Chang, and their colleagues investigated how team mascots may attract new fans by making them feel more connected and engaged with the team. To conduct the study, they collected data online from 239 participants.
The results showed that when participants saw the mascot image, they felt more anthropomorphic towards the team. This means they attached more human-like characteristics to it. As a result, they felt more psychological close to the team, and this led to increased media consumption intentions. In other words, they were more likely to watch the team's games.
The authors suggested that this effect was driven by perceived loneliness. Potential fans who lack social ties with other fans or teams often experience loneliness. The humanized team mascots can help overcome the loneliness by providing consumers with a sense of belonging and relationship.
The study concludes that humanized team mascots are effective promotional tools for attracting new fans, especially those who are looking for social connection. Additionally, health professionals can use the findings to help individuals combat loneliness.
“Sports managers might facilitate social interactions and the connectedness of fans with leagues, teams, and other individuals by highlighting the anthropomorphic features of their team mascots. Strategic allocations of their resources on anthropomorphism might then boost lonely fans’ (e.g., people suffering from COVID- 19 and elderly individuals) communications with other people via social platforms, ultimately resulting in their mental and social vividness.”
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Read the full article here:
Ko, Y. J., Asada, A., Jang, W., Kim, D., & Chang, Y. (2022). Do humanized team mascots attract new fans? Application and extension of the anthropomorphism theory. Sport Management Review, 25(5), 820-846. https://doi.org/10.1080/14413523.2021.2014184
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