The internationalization of team sport brands: An analysis of the perspective of domestic fans and satellite fans

This dissertation focuses on the internationalization of team sport brands. Despite the immense economic importance of the internationalization efforts of team sport brands in elite sports, the previous scientific understanding of the processes is fragmented and could be characterized almost exclusively as an isolated focus on individual actors. This is where the dissertation research projects come in by highlighting the interdependencies in the research field. Thus, it is shown how the transmission of behavioral norms and traditions to new foreign fans can secure their status in the eyes of the local fan community. Furthermore, the influence of local fans on (foreign) media consumers is clarified. Positive social atmosphere can thus, among other things, increase the emotional arousal of media consumers and their willingness to watch future broadcasts. The team sport brands themselves can set market-specific priorities based on brand positioning strategies that take cultural characteristics into account. German team sports fans prefer authentic, undisguised, foreign sports, while Chinese fans value adaptations to their culture and habits. Thus, the dissertation as a whole provides a more holistic understanding of internationalization in team sports and enables a more balanced multi-perspective view of the complex topic.