The links between reasons for game attendance of a new professional sports league and revenue management : an exploratory study

Professional sport teams and leagues rely heavily on gate receipts and season ticket revenue. Additionally, live game day attendance is seen to be an important means for fans to 'connect' with their club and 'consume' the game-day leisure experience. For sports marketers, the determinants of game day attendance are of interest; however, so too are the barriers and constraints to attend. The present study examines these two important elements impacting on live game day attendances from the perspective of 1,935 fans of one A-League organisation (Australian professional football/soccer league). The importance of leisure, experience, the game's atmosphere, or attending games with significant others are notable reasons for attendance. In contrast, game day fixtures, location and timing were identified as preventing attendance, especially for the family market. The study discusses the implications of these findings, particularly for the sport organisation's revenue management, as well as avenues for future research.