Dynamic Pricing and Price Fairness in Live Sport Events: An Analysis of the Influence of Loyalty on Purchase Decision

The adoption of dynamic pricing in the sports industry introduces market logic into a context driven by passion, raising questions about the perception of price fairness. This thesis analyzes the impact of price fairness, unfairness, and confusion on purchase intent and desire for revenge, verifying whether emotional involvement and fan loyalty can mitigate negative reactions. Through a quantitative survey analyzed with structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), the study shows that the perception of inequity drastically reduces willingness to purchase. Surprisingly, the results reveal that team loyalty does not exert any significant moderating effect: when faced with prices perceived as unfair, even love for the club is not enough to counterbalance consumer dissent, suggesting to managers the need for greater transparency in pricing strategies.