Abstract

The current project is an effort to expand researchers’ knowledge about the overall game day experience at college football games and the impact that tailgating and related services have on fan satisfaction and repurchase intention. Namely, it is intended to confirm the results of the pilot study in which a new instrument was developed and tested on tailgaters at a mid-sized school located in the southeastern United States. Additionally, this study also seeks to gain a better understanding about the relationship between tailgating, the game day experience, overall satisfaction, and future behavioral intentions. The current study addresses the limitations of a previous pilot study by expanding the sample across multiple Universities where tailgating is common place. The results of the current study are of concern to number of different entities, including Universities and football programs where tailgating is a major part of their game day atmosphere, especially when one considers the major changes that some Universities have begun to put into place in regards to the rules and regulations surrounding tailgating as well as the propensity of attendees to spend more time and money tailgating than attending the actual sporting event.