Effectiveness of sponsoring the video assistant referee system: a comparative exploratory study

Purpose This study explores the effect of video assistant referee (VAR) sponsorship on spectator response and compares it with advertising and conventional sponsorship. Design/methodology/approach An experiment with 809 subjects is conducted by analyzing 20 one-minute video clip stimuli from a Premier League soccer game divided into four formats: two formats of VAR sponsorship, advertising, and conventional sponsorship. Findings The results show that the indicators of recall, credibility, and perceived congruence improve when the VAR sponsorship format is used. Originality/value This is the first manuscript to examine the effectiveness of a new type of sponsorship: VAR sponsorship. This manuscript provides metrics that will guide practitioners on whether to use this type of sponsorship.