Fantasy Sport Consumer Segmentation: An Investigation into the Differing Consumption Modes of Fantasy Football Participants, p. 207-216

Brendan Dwyer
Joris Drayer

Sport fandom is one of the preeminent leisure activities in our society, and contemporary sport consumption has evolved to a point wherein it includes several activities such as event attendance, television viewership, and publication subscriptions, both online and in print. Among these means of sport fan consumption is fantasy sport participation. While the activity has grown immensely within the past few decades, relatively little is known about who participates and what impact participation has on the consumption of sport products and services. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the differing modes of sport consumption exhibited by fantasy sport participants. Employing an orthogonal research design, the study uncovered four distinct consumption modes, each with differing patterns of behavior. Discussed are the theoretical results with regard to player attachment and psychological commitment to team as well as practical implications for sport marketers looking to utilize fantasy sport participation as an enhanced marketing communication tool.