Corporate social responsibility as a risk insurance strategy for sports sponsorships

Purpose Sponsorships as service engagement platforms are a complex and difficult undertaking, as negative incidents might endanger the sponsorship value. The aim of this study is to investigate to what extent leveraging sponsorships with corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities can reduce the risk of brand damage for sponsors. Design/methodology/approach An experimental study was conducted in a 2 × 2 between-subjects design (CSR vs. no CSR-leveraging x positive vs. negative doping test). Attitude toward the sponsor and resistance to negative information toward the sponsor served as dependent variables. Findings CSR-leveraging (vs. no CSR-leveraging) has a significant positive effect on the sponsor’s brand attitude. The effect is mediated by increased sponsorship-fit. A positive doping test for the sponsored athlete(s), however, cancels the perception of increased sponsorship-fit from the CSR-leverage. Leveraging sponsorships with CSR in sport is beneficial despite possible sport scandals involving the sponsored athlete(s). Originality/value This study provides empirical evidence for the influence of other actors on sponsorship value and how sponsors can proactively mitigate risks in sport sponsorship through leveraging sponsorships with CSR in sports.