F1 Networks: Analyzing Relationship Marketing and Social Capital in Sponsorship

What is it about?

This study examined the business-to-business (B2B) relational objectives of firms in international sport sponsorship, moving beyond traditional consumer-focused research. It conceptualized F1 team sponsorship portfolios as ego networks where the team acts as a central broker. Sponsoring firms use this affiliation for relationship building and credentialing within the network, viewing the collective portfolio as a valuable resource. The framework introduced network analysis measures (like range and density) to quantify the potential B2B value of a sponsored enterprise's network. Crucially, while encouraging direct connections between sponsors (increasing network density) enhances value for those sponsors, it erodes the team's social capital as a broker, To maintain power and foster relational commitment, the sponsored team must strategically balance facilitating existing relationships with the introduction of new corporate partners to the network.

Featured Image

Photo by Gábor Szűts on Unsplash

Photo by Gábor Szűts on Unsplash