RELATIONSHIP MARKETING AS A TOOL OF SPORTS MARKETING: A STUDY OF GREMISTA ARMY

Abstract

This study analyzes the project entitled Gremista Army, created by Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense with the purpose of conducting a mass registration of gremistas fans. Through the project, the club has the opportunity to better know their fans, offering promotions and listing them as costumers. Then, the fan in turn has the opportunity to participate in promotions and interact more intensively with the club. For this case study was used as the theoretical basis of sports marketing (Dualib and Stotler, 2005; Pozzi, 1998; Schlossenberg 1996) and relationship marketing (Gummesson, 2005, Kanter 2001; Bretske, 2000). To conduct the research used literature review and questionnaire,this applied to Arci Caetano, Events Manager Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense and an of professionals responsible for Army Gremista. In less than one year there are more than 235,000 registrations, which show the importance of the role of sports marketing and as well as the use of relationship marketing for a football club.