Motive-based taxonomy of professional softball fans: a segmentation study

Although softball is one of the most popular participation sports in the USA, motives and behaviours of softball consumers have not been examined. As sport consumption options proliferate, there is a greater need to understand consumer's motives related to the sports they elect to consume. Market segmentation is key to addressing the varying wants and needs of sport consumers, yet there has been limited research on women's sport consumer segments. The purpose of this study was to identify motive-based consumer segments by examining the motives of professional softball consumers using the sport interest inventory and to explore differences in consumption intentions among these distinct softball fan segments. A two-stage cluster analysis utilising hierarchical and non-hierarchical methods was performed. Upon identifying motive-based softball fan segments, a MANOVA was performed revealing differences in each fan segments' consumption intentions. Both theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.