A fan perspective of athlete endorsement’s non-financial benefits

Purpose This study explores non-financial benefits of athlete endorsement with a particular focus on the unique benefits based on the athlete’s gender. The research seeks to identify and highlight the non-financial advantages sponsors gain through athlete branding endorsements, shedding light on the distinct strengths of male and female athlete endorsers. Design/methodology/approach An inductive qualitative approach was adopted, involving 26 fans of various athletes. Through semi-structured interviews, data were collected and analysed thematically to uncover key insights on the non-financial benefits sponsors receive from athlete endorsements. Findings Participants identified nine non-financial benefits that athlete endorsements provide to sponsors: brand awareness, brand credibility, positive public relations, emotional connection, experiential marketing, social media engagement, product development opportunities, employee morale and global reach. Additionally, the study uncovered distinct benefits tied to the athlete’s gender. Male athletes were found to attract broader audiences, gain higher media exposure and leverage masculine traits that appeal to certain brands. On the other hand, female athletes excelled in niche marketing, offered inspiration and empowerment, engaged diverse audiences and expanded sponsorship categories. Originality/value This research provides valuable, non-Western insights relating to the array of benefits that can arise from athlete endorsements, including those linked to an athlete’s gender. It offers significant value to the existing literature on sports marketing and sponsorship by elucidating the gender-specific dynamics of endorsement effectiveness, adding a new layer to our understanding of athlete-brand partnerships.