The role of the brand in perceived service performance: Moderating effects and configurational approach in professional football

This research aims to determine the effects of brand credibility and brand congruence on future intentions, perceived value, and spectators' satisfaction among the fans of a first division football team by combining two complementary methodological approaches, lineal models (the PROCESS macro) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The effects of brand credibility and brand congruence were tested in a sample of 536 fans of a first division Spanish football club aged from 18 to 70 (70.2% men). The results suggest direct, positive, and significant effects of brand congruence and brand credibility on perceived value and future intentions. In contrast, in predicting spectators' satisfaction, only brand credibility was a significant positive predictor. Brand credibility significantly predicts spectators' satisfaction. A moderating effect of brand credibility in the effect of perceived value on future intentions was observed, and a moderating effect of brand congruence in the effect of satisfaction on future intentions was observed. Spectators' satisfaction seems to be a necessary condition of high future intentions while a lack of congruence seems to be a necessary condition of low future intentions. The findings contribute to understanding how brand credibility and brand congruence relate to service evaluations in professional football