Team identification, discrete emotions, satisfaction, and event attachment: A social identity perspective

Abstract

Understanding the psychological aspects that influence fans’ attachment to a sporting event can help shape its legacy as well as preparations for similar future events. Using theories of social identity and attachment, this study evaluates the cognitive and affective predictors of fans’ attachment to an event. The study models discrete emotions (i.e., anger, sadness, happiness, and love) as outcomes of team identification, which in turn influences fans’ satisfaction with team performance and, by extension, team and event attachment. This proposition was tested using a sample of 324 ‘All Blacks’ fans who were surveyed online during the 2015 Rugby World Cup. The findings suggest that team identification has a positive influence on the discrete emotions of happiness and love, which then predict team attachment. Pride, meanwhile, moderates the relationship between team and event attachment. The paper discusses the implications of these results for event sustainability and fandom management.