Exploring Utilitarian and Hedonic Factors That Influence Professional Sport Team App Use

Abstract

The continuous advancement of technology has allowed professional sport franchises to further engage fans via team mobile apps. The purpose of this study was to explore the utilitarian and hedonic factors that influence professional sport team app use. The study employed the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM; Venkatesh & Davis, 1996) qualitatively to understand influential utilitarian and hedonic factors of sport team app use in more detail and support future applications of the model via qualitative inquiry. Using a post-positivist lens, the study findings revealed that main screen use, second screen use, time efficiency, and contest entries were primary drivers for fans’ app use. Expanding on the work of (Hwang et al., 2020; Kang et al., 2015; Kim et al., 2017; Uhrich, 2022) the findings reflected an increase in enjoyment-based marketing approaches in the professional sport industry. Fan identification was a notable contributor to app use and helped fulfill a segment of fans’ team engagement needs. Beyond the employment of the Technology Acceptance Model constructs, user recommendations were also explored to support future innovations in team app features such as: augmented reality, e-commerce activity, in-depth statistics, and live game streaming. Based on prior research and the current study findings, a reconceptualization of the TAM was offered to support future scholarship that aims to understand users’ technology use journey in a sport-specific context.