Despite extensive research on corporate social responsibility (CSR), the effects of message framing within sport CSR remain unexplored. This study bridges this gap by examining how message framing impacts donation behavior through emotions, using advanced biometric facial expression analysis. Results indicate that negatively framed messages, which evoke sadness, lead to higher donation amounts than that of positive emotions. Additionally, perceived CSR motives and team identification moderated these effects. CSR motives perceived as public-serving were more effective, especially when they evoked sadness. In contrast, when CSR motives were perceived as self-serving, a significant positive relationship between negative emotions and donation was found only among individuals with high team identification. By understanding the emotional mechanisms at play and considering factors such as perceived CSR motives and team identification, charitable organizations can design more effective fundraising campaigns that resonate with donors and inspire greater generosity within sport context.
