Segmenting Satellite Supporters Based on Their Value for Team Sport Organizations

Abstract An increasing number of team sport consumers around the globe follow foreign leagues, teams or athletes. These so-called satellite supporters may be loosely interested individuals or avid fans, they engage in diverse activities, and they have varying consumption behaviors. However, the extant research does not offer systematic classifications of the different subgroups of satellite supporters, preventing team sport organizations from making efficient allocations of marketing resources in foreign markets. This research addresses this gap by providing a segmentation of satellite supporters that is based on the value that these supporters generate for team sport organizations. The segmentation considers dimensions of value that are both financial (i.e. transactional value) and non-financial (i.e. influencer value and relationship value). Based on data from a large-scale survey (N = 2,710) in four key international target markets (China, Japan, Germany, and the UK), a two-step cluster analysis identified three segments: High Value Satellite Fans, Mid Value Satellite Supporters, and Low Value Satellite Casuals. We discuss these segments as well as the managerial and theoretical implications of the study.