Word-of-mouth effectiveness in new fan acquisition: a mediating role of resident prototypicality

ABSTRACT We conducted an experiment (N = 151) and survey (N = 301) in which potential fans of a sports team received a recommendation about the team’s game from either the team’s fan or nonfan. The results of analysis of variance and mediation analysis suggest that potential fans perceive existing fans to be highly representative of a community’s residents if the team is supported by the majority of the residents. Additionally, the potential fans are more likely to watch the recommended game if they believe the recommender is a highly prototypical resident and if they are strongly identified with the community. Our results revealed specific situations (i.e., when the team is supported by the majority of community residents and the recipient is highly identified with the community) and a psychological mechanism (i.e., increasing the recommender’s resident prototypicality) by which existing fans exert greater influence on the consumption intentions of potential fans. HIGHLIGHTS We found that a recommender’s fan status could influence potential fans’ intentions to watch the recommended sporting event. The mediation effect was moderated by the relative size of the fan community and the recipient’s community identification. We revealed specific situations and a psychological mechanism by which existing fans influence the consumption intentions of potential fans.