ABSTRACT
The study of person, place and situation-based factors influencing sport consumption behaviours is now a relatively rich field of research. Yet, until the early 1990s, limited empirical evidence existed beyond aggregate economic models of fan attendance to explain fan behaviour. These models (e.g., Noll, 1974) did little to explain why small town markets (e.g., St Louis Cardinals) or perennial losers (e.g., Chicago Cubs) could continue to attract millions of fans. What is it about these places that attracts proportionately more fans than economic models would predict? Clearly, something besides population size, competition, prices, income levels and team performance influences attendance.
