Revitalizing the popularity of basketball in France : marketing strategies to drive fan engagement and brand equity for the French basketball league (LNB)

Abstract

Basketball is one of the most played sports in France, producing elite players such as Tony Parker or Victor Wembanyama recently. Despite the rising number of French players being drafted to the NBA, competing at the highest level, the French professional league (LNB) struggles to find its audience due to limited visibility in the sports industry and insufficient financial sustainability. This paradox highlights the potential that French basketball could have in its territory and the need for modern digital marketing strategies to drive fan engagement. The research focuses on four dimensions: brand equity, fan engagement, and consumer behaviour, all applied in the realm of digital marketing. Using sport marketing literature and empirical observations, the study develops a theoretical framework to figure out how digital marketing can positively impact these dimensions. To assess it, quantitative research is used to test several hypotheses on the relationships advanced in the framework. Findings show the lack of entertainment and interest of the LNB towards sports fans. The brand equity seems to be a significant factor for success, often combined with greater fan engagement. However, certain analyses were unsuccessful, considering the hypotheses made there is a need for more research on that subject. The thesis contributes to recommendations for the LNB and insights on how smaller leagues can compete with true sports brands.