Evaluating the Impact of AI-Powered Chatbot Systems on Sport Consumer Satisfaction and Ticket Purchase Intentions in South Africa
Keywords:
AI-Chatbot, consumer satisfaction, purchase intention, fans, sportAbstract
This study examines the influence of AI-powered chatbot systems on sports consumer satisfaction and ticket purchase intentions in South Africa, with a specific focus on soccer fans in the Gauteng province. While AI technologies have transformed many industries globally, their role in sports ticketing remains underexplored, particularly in South Africa. This research adopts the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) framework, integrating consumer satisfaction as a mediator between the adoption of AI chatbots and ticket purchase intention. The study examines three key AI chatbot features: dynamic pricing, chatbot intelligence, and AI-driven personalisation.
A quantitative research approach was employed, collecting data through online self-administered questionnaires from 278 sport fans using a snowball sampling method. Data analysis used SPSS, correlation, and multiple regression analyses to test the hypotheses. The results reveal that dynamic pricing, intelligent chatbot capabilities, and AI personalisation significantly and positively influence fan satisfaction (β = 0.355, 0.256, and 0.251, respectively; all p < 0.01). Together, these predictors explained approximately 68% of the variance in fan satisfaction (R² = 0.682). Moreover, fan satisfaction strongly predicted ticket purchase intention (β = 0.672, p < 0.01), accounting for approximately 45% of its variance (R² = 0.451). Significant positive correlations were reported among dynamic prices, intelligent chatbots, AI personalisation, fan satisfaction, and purchase intention, with all correlations significant at the 0.01 level.
These findings confirm that AI-powered chatbot systems enhance the satisfaction of sports consumers, which in turn drives stronger intentions to purchase tickets for sporting events. The study validates the mediating role of fan satisfaction between technology adoption and consumer behaviour, supporting the TAM framework in a South African sports ticketing context. The findings suggest that sports organisations should prioritise AI chatbot systems with dynamic pricing, intelligent conversational interfaces, and personalised recommendations to increase fan satisfaction and ticket sales, while maintaining fairness and transparency to build consumer trust.
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