User- Versus Mainstream-Media-Generated Content: Media Source, Message Valence, and Team Identification and Sport Consumers’ Response

Abstract

Despite the growing interest in social media and user-generated content, both academics and practitioners are struggling to understand the value and consequences of social media (e.g., blogs). This study employed a 2 (media source: mainstream/ social media) × 2 (message valence: positive/negative) × 2 (team identification: high/low) between-subjects design on source credibility and attitude toward an article. Positive and negative messages about the university’s varsity men’s basketball team were presented in either the mainstream media (sport magazine) or a user-generated format (blog). The results revealed that message valence had a significant main impact on triggering biased source evaluation and attitude toward the message. In turn, media source had a significant main effect on source expertise, but no main effects were found for trustworthiness and attitude. Team identification moderated the effect of media source on cognitive processing, suggesting that highly identified fans evaluated mainstream content more favorably, whereas less identified fans preferred user-generated content.

Sport and social media research: A review

“…A majority of the researchers adopting a user-focus (9 out of 15) used questionnaires to collect data (e.g., Clavio, 2008;Clavio, 2011;Clavio & Kian, 2010;Clavio, Walsh, & Coyle, 2013;Gibbs, O'Reilly, Brunette, 2014;Mahan III, 2011;Ozsoy, 2011;Witkemper et al, 2012). In addition, content analyses were conducted within five articles (e.g., Blaszka, Burch, Frederick, Lim, Clavio, & Walsh, 2012;Gibbs et al, 2014;Reichart Smith & Smith, 2012;Sanderson, 2010;Stavros, Meng, Westberg, & Farrelly, 2013) and one study utilised an experimental design (e.g., Kwak, Kim, & Zimmerman, 2010). …”

“…Using an experimental design, Kwak et al (2010) found that less identified consumers view user-generated content more favourably. This suggests that consumer generated content plays an important role in engaging individuals with lower identification levels.…”

“…While this research has provided a sound basis of knowledge in relation to how social media have influenced sport management, opportunity exists for an expansion of methodological approaches. First, experimental designs can be utilised more frequently (Pedersen, 2014), building on Kwak et al (2010) who implemented an experimental design to assess consumer attitudes towards user-generated content. Similar designs could assess consumer attitudes to posts across multiple platforms and/or different types of posts (e.g., text, video, picture, etc.).…”

What Make Sport Spectators Scan Quick Response Code? Application of Technology Acceptance Model to MLB Attendees

“…That is, a sport consumer's fanship should be an indicator of the degree to which they adopt new technology provided by sport organizations. A number of studies in sport consumer behavior have suggested that the role of team identification factors into sport fans' behaviors on social media (e.g., Kassing & Sanderson, 2010;Kwak, Kim, & Zimmerman, 2010;Pegoraro, 2010;Phua, 2010;Sanderson, 2009). Having a grasp of sport fans and their technology usage is important because these sport fans can voluntarily spread the adoption of such technology.…”

A look at spectator technology

“…This rival salience has been found to be large contributor to team identification and a useful motivator by marketers to increase attendance [12]. The little research conducted on the impact of new technologies like social media and user-generated content on team identification suggests an ability to strengthen and create fan loyalty [4,9].…”