Considering the academic literature regarding athlete brands as role models is largely fragmented, the present study contributed significantly to this evolving construct and our understanding of the impact superstar athletes have on their consumers. Specifically, the central aim of this exploratory study was to uncover the traits of the athlete brand as a role model from the perspective of the sport consumer. Thirty-one consumers of the athlete brand were purposefully selected to participate in semi-structured interviews. The interview data revealed four prevalent themes including personal attributes, community impact, idealized parental figure, and exemplar for other athletes.

中文翻译：

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以身作则：运动员品牌作为榜样的探索

考虑到将运动员品牌作为榜样的学术文献在很大程度上是零散的，本研究对这一不断发展的结构以及我们对超级明星运动员对其消费者影响的理解做出了重大贡献。具体而言，这项探索性研究的中心目的是从体育消费者的角度揭示运动员品牌作为榜样的特征。有目的地选择运动员品牌的 31 名消费者参加半结构化访谈。采访数据揭示了四个普遍的主题，包括个人属性、社区影响、理想化的父母形象和其他运动员的榜样。