Throwback Jerseys or Not: How Political Ideology Affects Sport Consumer Preference for Retro Marketing

This study explores how political ideology influences sport consumer preference for retro marketing, focusing on social and economic conservatism. Retro marketing celebrates a team's history and is widely used in sport through rebranding and nostalgia-driven strategies. Using data from 298 participants on Prolific Academic, a series of regression analyses demonstrate that political ideology significantly impacts sport consumer preference for retro marketing. Social conservatism rather than economic conservatism primarily drives the effect, and this relationship remains robust after controlling for partisanship, nostalgia, and demographics. The findings emphasize the role of political ideology in shaping sport consumer behavior, offering strategic insights for marketers. This research enhances the existing literature by distinguishing the effects of social versus economic conservatism on sport retro marketing preferences. It suggests targeted approaches for engaging different consumer segments in sport marketing.