Making an Impression: An Eye-Tracking Investigation of Jersey Sponsorships in Major League Baseball

The current study used an experimental design with eye-tracking technology to examine how consumers focus their visual attention on jersey sponsorships during Major League Baseball broadcasts. Results showed that participants dedicated limited dwell time to the jersey sponsorships, and after viewing the sponsorship once, they were unlikely to revisit the sponsorship. On average, participants looked at each of the sponsors’ logos (N = 14) for just one second and revisited each sponsorship an average of 1.81 times. Even with increased exposure to jersey sponsorships on the batting team's uniforms, participants were more likely to observe sponsorships of the team that was up to bat compared to those playing defense in the field. In addition, participants revisited the sponsorship patch on the batting teams’ jersey 2.5 more times. Therefore, practitioners need to consider how gameplay influences visual attention regarding jersey sponsorships in baseball.