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Enhancing global-scale visibility and familiarity: The impact of World Baseball Classic on participating countries

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Abstract

In this study, the impact of an international sport event on participating countries was examined with a viewpoint of place branding. The research focus was placed on the World Baseball Classic, which was a newly initiated international sport event and had not been investigated through previous studies. The structure of South Korean college subjects’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours to the World Baseball Classic was investigated. Subsequently, the relationship between their attitudes toward the international sport event and their attitudes toward participating countries, which are five Latin American countries, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela was tested. Based on the results, the viewers’ tripartite processes of beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours about the international sport event were confirmed. In addition, a positive relationship between the viewers’ attitudes toward the event and their attitudes toward the participating countries was attested. Implications, limitations, and future research suggestions were discussed as well.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Advertising, College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida, P.O. Box 118400, Gainesville, 32611-8400, FL, USA

    Jong Woo Jun

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  1. Jong Woo Jun
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  2. Hyung Min Lee
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Correspondence to Jong Woo Jun.

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Jun, J., Lee, H. Enhancing global-scale visibility and familiarity: The impact of World Baseball Classic on participating countries. Place Brand Public Dipl 3, 42–52 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.pb.6000047

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