LGB Sponsorship Stigma

In 2018 we continue to live in a divisive society, including divisions across racial and gender boundaries and among those with different sexual orientations. Athletes today, partially as a result of the pervasiveness of social media, are choosing to be more visible, and share more of their personal lives, many times in an effort to use sport as a platform for change. This study investigated whether athletes’ personal lives, particularly their sexual orientation, effects their ability to serve as a brand endorser. Historically, Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender-Queer (LGBTQ) athletes have chosen to refrain from discussing their sexual orientation. LGBTQ athletes from across the spectrum, both out and closeted, have expressed that a main reason for not “coming out” at all, or coming out after gaining a level of celebrity, typically post retirement from their sport, is a fear of losing endorsements and/or sponsorship deals. Data was collected from a group of students (n=217) from a large public university in the Southeastern United States. A 2 (Male/Female) x 2 (Heterosexual/Homosexual Athlete) between-subjects experimental design was used to examine perceptions of endorser fit, attitudes and purchase intentions. The results signaled that public knowledge of an athlete’s sexuality does not have a significant effect on the athlete’s ability to serve as a brand endorser, in the context of attitude towards the endorser, brand, product, and purchase intent.