FROM CORPORATE MOTIVES TO THE IMPACTS OF SPORTS SPONSORSHIP ON EMPLOYEES : A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

This paper reviews the common motives and major impacts of sports sponsorships undertaken by sponsoring organisations. Following a systematic review of 72 relevant articles, seven key motives for engaging in sports sponsorship were identified. Marketing, customer retention, and brand equity emerged as the most frequently studied, while the sponsorship of emerging sports associations for brand promotion was the least examined. Regarding impacts on employees, findings from 28 articles indicated that high retention and brand identification were the most researched topics, with no studies addressing potential negative effects. The study contributes to the existing literature by highlighting overlooked motives and effects of sports sponsorships. We recommend that future research focuses on the less-studied motives and investigates potential negative impacts on employees within sponsoring organisations.