How Competitive Messaging Influences Donation Willingness

Most fundraising campaigns ask fans to show support for their team. But what if rivalry is a stronger motivator than loyalty? This project investigates "negative partisanship" in sports marketing — the idea that fans are often more motivated by seeing their rival lose than by their own team winning. Using controlled experimentation, we tested whether shifting messaging from "Support the Sox" to "Beat the Yankees" produces higher donation willingness. The study explores whether visceral emotions like rivalry can be ethically and effectively monetized, with implications for how sports organizations, nonprofits, and marketers design competitive fundraising campaigns.