Factors influencing consumer use of a sport-branded app: the technology acceptance model integrating app quality and perceived enjoyment

Purpose: The current study extends the technology acceptance model (TAM) and information system success model (ISSM) to the context of branded sport applications. Specifically, the study examined the influences of app system success dimensions and TAM determinants on branded sport app usage intention. Moreover, the current study examined the gender differences regarding the relative importance of the drivers and predictors of usage intention. Design/methodology/approach: Data collection (n = 256) was conducted using convenience sampling in South Korea. The data were primarily analyzed via partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), multi-group analysis and importance–performance map analysis (IPMA) using SmartPLS 3.0. Findings: App users who viewed branded sport apps as having a higher level of system and information quality were likely to have stronger perceptions of enjoyment, usefulness, and ease of use. Among the TAM determinants, perceived enjoyment most significantly influenced their usage intention, followed by perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Multigroup analysis revealed that some relationships between app system success dimensions and TAM determinants were significantly different by gender. In addition, IPMA indicated that perceived enjoyment and system quality of branded sport apps were relatively more important than the other predictors. Originality/value: The current study contributes to the literature by incorporating both TAM and ISSM and extending the TAM with the perceived enjoyment construct to examine the key determinants of usage intention in the context of branded sport apps.