DETERMINANTS OF LAGOS STATE COLLEGIATE ATHLETES LOYALTY TO SIX BIG SPORT SPONSORS BRANDS IN NIGERIA

Sports remains a viable means of promoting corporate product brands globally. This explains why corporate bodies in the country shifted attention to sports as an effective promotion platform in a competitive Nigerian market. This study investigated the determinants of collegiate athletes’ loyalty to six big sports sponsors’ brands in Nigeria. The descriptive research design was adopted in conducting the study. Two hundred athletes selected by a stratified random sampling technique across two Universities in Lagos-Nigeria served as respondents. Brand Loyalty Questionnaire (BLQ) developed by the researchers and face validated by three experts in sports marketing for content validity (r=0.86) was used for data collection. Two hundred copies of BLQ were administered on selected respondents using the spot technique. The findings of the study revealed that MTN Nigeria was rated as the brand mostly associated with sports (Rating Score=90), while brand awareness was perceived to be the most significant determinant of brand loyalty (score=474; x2 value=74.1; P<0.05). Furthermore, brand loyalty of collegiate athletes was highest for MTN Nigeria (Mean=2.93; F=18.89; P<0.05). The study concluded by enjoining sponsors to adopt sports as a means for improving brand loyalty of consumers to ensure sustained patronage towards improving revenue base of corporate organizations. Article visualizations