Perceived Motivations for Corporate Suite Ownership in the ‘Big Four’ Leagues

Selling luxury suite inventory is a priority for professional sport organizations, yet little is known about the motivations of those who purchase suites. There are 12,400 luxury suites in the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL (Association of Luxury Suite Directors, 2009) accounting for over $600 million in gross revenues ( Lee & Chun, 2002 ). In the current recession, selling suites is a challenge as many corporate suite clients are leery of the public perception of owning a suite and are being held more accountable for spending than ever before. This study sought to gain a better understanding of how luxury suite sales professionals perceive their corporate client motivations for purchasing and renewal as well as to explore similarities and differences between the “big four” leagues. Results indicated that there are few differences between leagues and that relationships between the team and the suite client are critical to selling suites and retaining corporate clients.