Demand for sport : an econometric analysis of Web 2.0 use

Abstract

Web 2.0 is made up of a collection of social media platforms that are driven by user-generated content that has gained attention from sport academics and professionals alike due to its growth over the past decade. Sport social media research has historically approached this effective marketing and relationship building tool from the lenses of user motivations, but there is a growing trend in analyzing numeric trends. This study employs a model built on demand theory to analyze which determinants of demand are important in generating Web 2.0 traffic for National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division-I-Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams during the 2014 season. The study provides several important contributions to the literature. First, the research helps advance the methodology of analyzing Web 2.0 content generation and what factors draw fans to create content. Additionally, the findings have implications that marketers and practitioners can utilize to more efficiently reach markets.