Differences in Event Brand Personality between Social Media Users and Non-Users

Research on both brand personality and social media in sport is still in their respective developmental stages, and to date no research has examined the impact of social media use on sport brands. This study was the first to examine if differences exist in the brand personality of a sport event between those that use the events social media page and those that do not. After surveying fans of a major National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) event, the results revealed that eight of the nine brand personality items were rated significantly higher for users of the event's Facebook page. This finding is significant as it is the first known empirical evidence which suggests that social media may have a positive impact on a sport brand's image. These results provide a number of theoretical and practical implications and point to the need for further examination of social media branding effects.