Gender influence in assessing sports potential in shaping the image of the Lublin brand

Purpose:The primary objective of this study is to identify and evaluate the factors influencing the creation of Lublin's sports image that are significant for women and men.The study addresses two research questions: (1) Which factors contributing to Lublin's sports potential are crucial for shaping its image depending on gender?(2) What is the hierarchical importance of dimensions that constitute Lublin's sports image according to the opinions of women and men?Design/methodology/approach: The study utilizes Anholt's Hexagon City Brands framework.Data necessary to determine the hierarchy of key factors affecting the creation of Lublin's sports image were collected through an online survey (CAWI) administered to 204 residents of Lublin.Opinions were gathered on the six dimensions of the city brand hexagon: presence, place, potential, pulse, people, and conditions.The study tests three hypotheses: (H1) The hierarchy of factors determining the sports image of the city differs by gender; (H2) The dimension of presence contributes most significantly to shaping Lublin's sports image among men; (H3) The dimension of pulse contributes most significantly to shaping Lublin's sports image among women.The second hypothesis is conditioned by considering the results of the sports teams in the presence dimension, while the third hypothesis is based on the consideration of residents' sports activities.Findings: The study reveals minor differences in the hierarchy of factors determining the sports image of Lublin in the opinions of women and men.The most significant dimension for the city, as rated by both genders, is pulse (with an average score of 4.05; 4.09 for women and 4.01 for men).The second strongest dimension is conditions (with an average score of 4.01; 4.10 for women and 3.92 for men).Following dimensions are ranked in order of average ratings: potential (3.63; 3.71 for women and 3.56 for men), presence (3.42; 3.42 for women and 3.43 for men), place (3.14; 3.24 for women and 3.07 for men), and people (2.97; 2.94 for women and 3.01 for men).Thus, Hypothesis H1 is accepted as the hierarchy of factors shaping the sports image of Lublin differs significantly by gender, with conditions and pulse being the most important dimensions for women and men respectively.Hypothesis H2 is rejected, as the most critical dimension shaping the sports image of Lublin for men is not presence but pulse.Similarly, hypothesis H3 is also rejected, as the most important dimension shaping the sports image of Lublin for women is conditions rather than pulse as hypothesized.If hypothesis H3 were subjected to falsification, assuming that both pulse and conditions are important for women, it could be accepted in this revised form.Practical Implications: The findings of this study provide a basis for formulating practical recommendations concerning the development of Lublin's sports infrastructure, as these factors are rated as the most important for the city.There is also a need to cautiously avoid promoting sports clubs exclusively as city landmarks, as their operational ratings heavily depend on the current situation in their respective leagues.Furthermore, the authorities of Lublin should focus on attracting high-ranking sports events, both national and international, as they enjoy high approval from both genders, bring visibility to the city, boost the local economy, and help distinguish Lublin among other Polish metropolises.There is also a need for greater involvement of city authorities in the creation and development of sports infrastructure and promotion of sports activities in the city.Originality/Value: This article presents an original study concerning the potential use of sports in shaping a city's image.Its originality lies in the novel application of Anholt's City Brand Hexagon for a selected set of factors (representing city'si identity) perceived by respondents to contribute to the image of the city.