Scoring More than Touchdowns: The Impact of Athletic Success on the Brand Equity of a University

Abstract

Previous research and individual cases have indicated a relationship between athletic success, such as winning a conference title or bowl game, and indirect benefits that indicate an increase in the overall status of a university. While much of the research in this area focuses on showing the direction and strength of the advertising effect athletics can have for a university, there has been little research on how a football team's success can impact the value of a university's brand overall. This study provides an examination of this phenomenon through a brand equity framework. The analysis begins with an attempt to confirm the impact of athletic performance and conference affiliation on measures of increased awareness, and then extends the analysis through a discussion of four elements of brand equity including brand awareness, associations, perceived quality, and loyalty. In addition to discovering trends, emphasis is placed on evaluating the main drivers behind the relationship and what this means for branding in universities today.