Effectiveness of sponsoring the video assistant referee system: a comparative exploratory study

PurposeThis study explores the effect of video assistant referee (VAR) sponsorship on spectator response and compares it with advertising and conventional sponsorship.Design/methodology/approachAn experiment with 809 subjects is conducted by analyzing 20 one-minute video clip stimuli from a Premier League soccer game divided into four formats: two formats of VAR sponsorship, advertising, and conventional sponsorship.FindingsThe results show that the indicators of recall, credibility, and perceived congruence improve when the VAR sponsorship format is used.Originality/valueThis is the first manuscript to examine the effectiveness of a new type of sponsorship: VAR sponsorship. This manuscript provides metrics that will guide practitioners on whether to use this type of sponsorship.