Fan Behavior Research Articles

The Influence of Digital Marketing On the Communication of Football Clubs

Relevance of the topic. Today, the role of marketing is to satisfy the consumer's curiosity through transparent and valuable content (Sawicki, 2016). More than 4 billion people around the world regularly use online services to find their products, entertainment, friends and even romances, and the behavior of customers and the way companies sell their products to both consumers and businesses has changed a lot (Chaffey & Ellis-Chadwick, 2019). As the use of the Internet has grown, so have related activities such as digital marketing. The main difference between traditional and digital marketing is that digital marketing focuses on the customer, offering him a personal message and a response to his request (Ištvanić, Crnjac Milić & Krpić, 2017). Digital marketing is an integral part of the digital business transformation process. It includes new marketing methods based on information and communication technologies. Todor (2015) the study is based on a study by ZenitOptimedia, which shows that internet use has increased significantly over the past five years, while the use of other media has decreased or only slightly increased. The situation is as follows: internet (+105 %.), outdoor advertising (+3%), television (-8%), cinema (-11%), radio (-15%), magazines (-23%), newspapers (-31%). For this reason, its application in practice is a prerequisite for the successful development of business in modern market conditions (Veleva & Tsvetanova, 2020).
 The problem. Football fans around the world are increasingly communicating with each other on social networks (Parganas et al., 2017), and football clubs, regardless of their degree of professionalism, include a large number of social media/media platforms for their online campaigns (Helleu, 2017). Bagchi, Sreepada (2020) in the survey conducted, respondents expressed their opinion about the social networks of their favorite football club and why they follow the news of the club in them. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, the influence of social networks on football has increased. The clubs tried to give interesting and new content to the fans. Some organized social media quizzes, others made videos with a message that the stadium missed the fans (Szczepkowski, 2021).
 The aim of the study is to analyze the influence of digital marketing on the communication of football clubs in the case of Lithuania.
 The subject of the study is the influence of digital marketing on the communication of football clubs.
 The choice of assessing the influence of electronic marketing on the communication of football clubs was determined by the popularity of the sport in the world, the constantly growing sports market and a large fan base. The quantitative research method chosen for the survey is a questionnaire survey. The quantitative study examined the opinions and behavior of fans of Lithuanian football clubs – consumers – related to the applied online marketing tools. In order to assess the influence of digital marketing on the communication of football clubs, literary analysis and empirical research were chosen. The questionnaire was compiled on the basis of Vale & Fernandes (2018) “Social media and sports: driving fan engagement with football clubs on Facebook” research. To obtain a targeted sample of those who responded in the study, paniotto's sample size formula (Bokor et al., 2011) was used to avoid going beyond the 5 percent error. A total of 451 respondents participated in the survey.
 Results and conclusion. The largest part of football clubs follow with the help of social networks and even note that they monitor the news on a daily basis thanks to social media platforms. All categories of questions were dominated by the influence of social networks on the communication of the football club. From the results of the study, it is noted that clubs use various strategies, but dominate and fans like social networks the most. Their rating from the presented means was the best. In addition, the respondents were quite unanimous in answering the questions of involvement in the activities of the community - they agree that the activities of the supported football club are important to them. The vast majority of the study participants are happy to get involved in the activities of the communities of clubs and organizations, which give them good emotions, relax them, help them escape from the routine and reduce the feeling of loneliness. The vast majority emphasize that they see basic information about the activities of the clubs there. Also on the Internet buys club products (tickets, merchandise), which also shows that digitalization has progressed in the football world. In conclusion, it can be noted that social networks dominated throughout the study, both on the part of football organizations – communication is developed thanks to this tool and from the part of fans – they recognize it as the most effective tool.
 Keywords: digital marketing in football, football club communication, A League

Does It Matter if Sport Fans “Root for the Home Team?” A Test of the Team Identification–Social Psychological Health Model

The team identification–social psychological health model outlines that fans of local sport teams are more likely to experience feelings of social connectedness compared with fans of distant teams. We tested this proposition across two sufficiently powered studies. In both studies, sport fans (Study 1: N = 291, Study 2: N = 430) completed online surveys assessing their levels of identification with a favorite sport team and social connections derived from their fandom for that team. Team localness was operationalized based on team location (Study 1) or responses to survey questions assessing team localness (Study 2). In both studies, the positive association between team identification and social connectedness was not moderated by team localness. This research contributes to the team identification–social psychological health model and our general understanding of fan behavior by showing that the social benefits of being a highly identified sport fan are not limited to fans of local teams.

A Study on the Effect of Visual Cognitive Responses of V-life on Fan Behavior Intention

A Study on the Effect of Visual Cognitive Responses of V-life on Fan Behavior Intention

Alluvial fan response to Alpine Fault earthquakes on the Westland piedmont, Whataroa, Aotearoa‐New Zealand

AbstractWe examined the stratigraphy of alluvial fans formed at the steep range front of the Southern Alps at Te Taho, on the north bank of the Whataroa River in central West Coast, South Island, New Zealand. The range front coincides with the Alpine Fault, an Australian‐Pacific plate boundary fault, which produces regular earthquakes. Our study of range front fans revealed aggradation at 100‐ to 300‐year intervals. Radiocarbon ages and soil residence times (SRTs) estimated by a quantitative profile development index allowed us to elucidate the characteristics of four episodes of aggradation since 1000 CE. We postulate a repeating mode of fan behaviour (fan response cycle [FRC]) linked to earthquake cycles via earthquake‐triggered landslides. FRCs are characterised by short response time (aggradation followed by incision) and a long phase when channels are entrenched and fan surfaces are stable (persistence time). Currently, the Te Taho and Whataroa River fans are in the latter phase. The four episodes of fan building we determined from an OxCal sequence model correlate to Alpine Fault earthquakes (or other subsidiary events) and support prior landscape evolution studies indicating ≥M7.5 earthquakes as the main driver of episodic sedimentation. Our findings are consistent with other historic non‐earthquake events on the West Coast but indicate faster responses than other earthquake sites in New Zealand and elsewhere where rainfall and stream gradients (the basis for stream power) are lower. Judging from the thickness of fan deposits and the short response times, we conclude that pastoral farming (current land‐use) on the fans and probably across much of the Whataroa River fan would be impossible for several decades after a major earthquake. The sustainability of regional tourism and agriculture is at risk, more so because of the vulnerability of the single through road in the region (State Highway 6).

REB/VODKA IS MY OTP: SCHOOL SHOOTER AND MASS MURDERER FANFICTION AS NARRATIVES OF RESISTANCE

Early work in fan studies deliberately focused on the positive aspects of fandom. This approach was designed to combat the stereotyping and pathologizing of fans perpetrated by mass media (Jenson, 1992; Zubernis and Larsen, 2012) and has broadly been successful. Yet popular culture is a site of political meaning and ideological conflict and recent shifts point toa pressing need to understand the dominant narratives being espoused. Work in fan studies is now being carried out on white supremacy, conspiracy theories and serial killer fandom (Stanfill, 2020; Reinhard et al., 2021; Wiest, 2016), but communities rising around people like Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev remain unexplored. This paper returns to some of the early discourses surrounding fandom and applies them to contemporary expressions of ‘dark’ fandom, in particular school shooters and mass killers. Using surveys and undertaking a content analysis of fanfiction posted to Archive of Our Own, as well as media reports focusing on these fans, I demonstrate that some forms of fandom and fan behaviour are still dismissed and Othered. Typically stigmatised through its gendered associations, fanfiction dedicated to mass killers is subject to multiple discourses of othering, but also offers multiple forms of resistance to these dominant narratives. Rather than fanfiction as a practice through which fans express emotional connections with popular media texts, I argue that fans write fanfiction about school shooters and mass killers as a way to recontextualize and understand their motives and actions in ways that other media do not.

Combatting sectarianism from the ground up: The Northern Irish Green and White Army and the football carnival

This paper draws upon participant observation data conducted before and after all 10 qualifying matches for the 2016 UEFA European Football Championship to explore the dynamics underpinning the Northern Irish Green and White Army (GAWA) football carnival. Supplemented by interviews with Northern Ireland fans themselves and informed by the dramaturgical perspectives of Erving Goffman, the paper contends that the anti-sectarian ‘norms’ of GAWA football fandom are dominant in public spaces before matches when the GAWA ‘performance team’ are visible to one another and their audience within a geographically circumscribed space. In a post-match evening context however, various ‘cliques’ of supporters enact their own social rules within a ‘back-stage’ environment of more relaxed peer-to-peer surveillance. These at times transgress the established norms of GAWA fan behaviour. The paper acknowledges that inappropriate supporter behaviour, even within small groups, can damage the wider image of football teams and their supporters in ‘impression management’ terms. But rather than imposing top-down ‘solutions’ which are often devised with limited input from supporters, we suggest that football governing bodies, associations and clubs should look to work in partnership with supporters to identify creative ways in which supporters can be resourced to proactively become ‘norm entrepreneurs’ and challenge inappropriate behaviour from within.

Research on Fan Identity of Chinese Entertainment Industry in the New Media Era

With the development of the entertainment industry, China's fan economy is becoming an integral part of the popular culture and entertainment economy. The current Chinese fan economy and entertainment market is traffic-driven, with fans organizing support activities on Internet and new media platforms, forming a extremely unique fan culture phenomenon in the world. This paper attempts to study the construction of fan identity and its influence in the new media era, using methods such as qualitative and quantitative research to set up questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The research results found that in the construction of fan identity, it can be divided into three parts of idol-making participation, emotional connection and group identity for in-depth analysis, which involves fan behaviors such as fan consumption, text poaching and organizing support activities. Among them, continuous investment and the formation of fan group rules are important features. As for the influence of fan identity construction, the research explains it in terms of both positive and negative influences, include the impact on individual fans and the impact on the social level. The construction of fan identity not only brings positive development and positive emotional value to fans at the individual level, but also promotes the development of related industries in the social aspect. However, negative effects, such as the lack of individual rationality and the occupation of public resources, can not be ignored and require the joint efforts of the government, platforms, idols and fans to make fan culture develop in a healthy way.

ROCK MUSIC IN FORMATION OF FAN BEHAVIOR (A CASE STUDY OF SLANK FANS CLUB CENTER)

Music is a work of art that exists and develops in society, in its development music gave birth to many diverse genres/types, one of which is the rock music genre. Rock music, which is one of the popular music genres globally, certainly has many fans whose behavior is shaped by rock music so researchers are interested in researching rock music. The purpose of this study is to find out how rock music impacts the formation of rock fan behavior and to find out what fan behavior is formed from rock music. This study uses a qualitative descriptive research approach with case study methods. Data was collected by conducting interviews, documentation and literature studies. The results obtained through this research is that music is a form of mass communication, and mass communication is one of the places to carry out persuasive communication activities. Rock music impacts fan behavior through various elements in music, but the elements that have an essential influence are lyrics and arrangement. Lyrics have a significant impact in shaping behavior because they are considered honest and represent the fans who want freedom. This freedom is voiced by rock music so that fans experience a sense of justification for being naughty. Rock music arrangements that are difficult to hum but have much aesthetic meaning bring fans deeper into rock music because of the uniqueness of the arrangement. In rock music, the messages mainly conveyed represent various life problems and conflicts. Fans feel represented to absorb persuasive messages in rock songs and practice them in life. The behavior of fans formed is an attitude to appreciate a work, mature nature and have the freedom to dress.

Analysis of Consumptive Behavior of K-Pop Fans in Affected West Jakarta by the Effect of Lifestyle and Financial Literacy

This study aims to examine whether there is an effect of Lifestyle and Financial Literacy on the Consumptive Behavior of K-Pop Fans in West Jakarta. This research is based on several theories that support research related to Lifestyle and Financial Literacy. The data collection method in this study was a questionnaire filled out by K-Pop fans in West Jakarta, where from the topography of the population, this area is inhabited by many ethnic Chinese, who are very fanatical about K-Pop style, so that a sample of 100 respondents was obtained from a population of 100 people. The sampling technique in this study was saturated sampling by distributing online questionnaires and using a Likert scale. This research is a type of descriptive research using a quantitative approach. The analysis used in this study includes data instrument testing which includes validity and reliability tests. The classic assumption test includes the normality test, multicollinearity test and heteroscedasticity test. Multiple linear analysis test. hypothesis testing which includes the t-test (partial), F-test (simultaneous), and the coefficient of determination (R2). This test was performed using the IBM SPSS V25 application program. The results of this study partially have no effect on consumptive behavior and financial literacy partially affect consumptive behavior. However, the influence of lifestyle and financial literacy has a simultaneous effect on the consumptive behavior of K-pop fans in South Jakarta with an R2 contribution value of 69.7% and an Fcount value of 111,727. > Ftable 3.09 as for the most dominant variable influencing Consumptive Behavior is the Financial Literacy variable.

Attending sporting mega events during COVID-19: mitigation and messaging at UK EURO 2020 matches.

The UEFA EURO 2020 football tournament was one of the largest Sporting Mega Events (SMEs) to take place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mitigating the risk of virus transmission requires a multi-layered approach for any large event, more so in this case due to staging the tournament across eleven host countries. Yet, little is known about COVID-19 risks and mitigation from attending an event of this scale and nature. We examined the implementation of mitigation and messaging at EURO 2020 matches hosted at venues in the UK. The tournament was postponed from the summer of 2020 and played in June and July of 2021. Structured observations were conducted by 11 trained fieldwork-supporters at 10 matches played at Wembley Stadium, London, or Hampden Park, Glasgow. Fieldwork-supporters observed one-way systems and signage, and hand sanitizing stations inside the stadia, but reported significant variation in the implementation of staggered timeslots, testing upon entry, and procedures for exit. Adherence to planned measures by ticket holders and implementation by stewards waned as the tournament progressed culminating in an absence of enforced measures at the final. The non-compliance with COVID-19 mitigation measures was likely to have led to a significantly increased risk of transmission. Future events should consider how COVID-19 mitigation measures could become 'new norms' of fan behaviour, learning from what is already known about football fandom. Tournament organizers of SMEs can use these findings to promote clearer messaging on pandemic-driven changes in fan behaviour and best practices in mitigating risk at future sporting and cultural events.

Analysis of Consumptive Behavior of K-Pop Fans in Affected West Jakarta by the Effect of Lifestyle and Financial Literacy

Analysis of Consumptive Behavior of K-Pop Fans in Affected West Jakarta by the Effect of Lifestyle and Financial Literacy

The Sport Marketing Portfolio Matrix: A Theory-Integrative Exploration of Fans’ “Buy,” “Hold,” and “Sell” Behaviors

The field of sport marketing lacks a comprehensive understanding of how fan behaviors link directly to sport products. This work introduces a model that accurately categorizes sport products, better recognizes fan behaviors, and simultaneously provides strategic guidance to sport managers. The model integrates the foremost theories of fan behavior with the financial theory of portfolio management. This novel perspective posits that sport fans should be viewed as “investors” who buy, hold, and sell athletes and teams. Fans manage their individual portfolios in line with personal goals, values, and social influences. The integration of theories bears significant implications regarding how sport consumers relate to sport products; and, the emergent Sport Marketing Portfolio Matrix (SMPM) provides new behavioral insights which encapsulate fans’ dynamic consumption over time. In practice, the SMPM will aid marketers in efficiently and strategically conveying marketing messages that move fans toward buy and hold behaviors (away from figuratively selling).

Soviet stadium as a space of competition of official and informal models of behavior on the example of Kyiv (1950–1980)

The article considers the peculiarities of the strategies of behavior of fans in Soviet stadiums in the postwar period. On the example of the city of Kyiv and the “Republican” stadium, an analysis of the competition between officially permitted, acceptable models of behavior and alternatives to them, which took place during football matches, is conducted. The Soviet stadium during football matches was a kind of point of “inaccessibility” for the authorities. Watching matches at the stadium was accompanied by a more intense public display of emotions, in contrast to other sports spectacles (for example, a physical culture parade).Before the start of «perebudova» and the announcement of “glasnist”, the official press kept silent about the real situation in the stadiums and the scale of the conflicts that arose after the matches. Also, it ignored any unusual forms of manifestation by fans of their football-related identity (for example, a march of spectators through the city after the match). Violence in stadiums, “incorrect behavior” (such as insulting football players, songs with obscene language) could not be part of the official Soviet spectator culture. The deconstruction of the image of the “good” fan created by Soviet propaganda and its comparison with the materials of oral historical interviews leads to the conclusion that the practices of Soviet fans in and out of the stadium on the day of the match undermined the government’s monopoly on the city.The widespread popularity of football in the Soviet Union and its widespread discussion contributed to the construction of fan communities, the identity of which was formed by opposing the support of “our” against “foreign”, hostile teams. The principled nature of football matches for interested Soviet citizens turned the review of games at the stadium into a place of emotional demonstration of the fans’ identity. Violations of public order, collective “celebrations” or demonstrations of dissatisfaction with the results of the game, spontaneous marches from the stadium after the match became part of the unconscious resistance to the established models of “correct behavior”.The context of “perebudova”, the lack of prepared reaction of law enforcement officers led to the escalation of the conflict and, in fact, to the actual and symbolic appropriation of urban space by Kyiv fans during the clashes.

A Study on the Consumption Behavior of Shanghai Sharks Fans Based on Identity Theory

The sports industry has grown rapidly in recent years, but the problem of its irrational industrial structure has also come to the fore. In order to improve the industrial status of competition performance, many sports researchers have chosen to look at professional sports clubs and professional sports leagues to find effective measures to improve the industry’s poor structure. As the main driving force behind the development of clubs and leagues, fans are a popular research subject. This research examines the differences between fans’ identity-based sports consumption behavior and other consumer behavior when they are the main consumers. Therefore, the core issue of this study is the study of fan consumption behavior based on identity theory. The study selects Shanghai Sharks basketball fans as the respondents and explores the relationship between fan identity and fan consumption behavior from the perspective of the influence mechanism. Literature, content analysis, questionnaires, and rooted theory were used in the research process to study fan consumption behavior in conjunction with identity theory. Based on the research, the following conclusions were drawn: Firstly, it was proved that the fan identity model has some scientific validity and that self-identity, social identity, and cultural identity constitute the identity of Shanghai basketball fans. Secondly, it is further verified that the Shanghai basketball fan identity has a more significant influence on the consumption behavior of fans. Specific suggestions are also suggested to enhance Shanghai basketball fans’ consumption tendencies and behavior.

Soul under the Skin: A Study on Empathy Effect of Online Virtual Idols

With the change of digital technology, the growing activity of subculture and the popularity of fan economy, the development of virtual idols is more and more rapid. It also has an important impact on the emotion and behavior of fans, and many fans will have empathy for virtual idols. This paper takes the fans of virtual idols as the object of our investigation, which analyzes the contact frequency, contact time, interaction behavior, sense of identity and other aspects between fans and virtual idols. The result shows that there is a significant positive correlation between people's empathy for virtual idols and the time of their contact, the frequency of their interaction, and their sense of identity with virtual idols.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR OF SPORTS FANS: NATIONAL, FOREIGN AND INTERNATIONAL LEGAL REGULATION

The article analyzes the issues of responsibility of sports fans for illegal behavior during mass sportsevents. The forms of manifestation of illegal behavior of fans, the current Russian and foreign legislation in this area are investigated. The legislation of the European Union is being considered, including theEuropean Convention on the Prevention of Violence and Hooligan Behavior of Spectators during SportingEvents and, in particular, football matches, the legislation of other states establishing responsibility forthe illegal behavior of fans. The article presents an analysis of certain norms of Russian law that establishresponsibility for violating the Rules of behavior of spectators during official sports competitions, includingsuch an administrative measure as a ban on attending sports events. It is concluded that it is necessary tostrengthen responsibility for offenses committed by sports fans, the adoption in the Russian Federation ofa number of special norms establishing criminal liability for such crimes, and the adoption of a special lawregulating the sphere of professional sports

AHP분석을 활용한 e스포츠 팬 행동 우선순위 탐색

This study was conducted to provide basic data to be used in future esports marketing by deriving factors for the behavioral priority of esports fans using AHP analysis. The research was conducted in the order of literature study, expert evaluation, and AHP analysis. A total of 15 experts including field experts and academic experts were recruited for the AHP analysis. To analyze the collected data, descriptive statistical analysis and AHP analysis were performed. The results confirmed through this study are as follows. First, through literature study and expert evaluation, a total of 12 esports fan behavior factors were derived. Second, the importance of the top factors of esports fan behavior factors was confirmed in the order of players, teams, and streamers. Third, in the player factor, skill and professionalism were confirmed as important factors. In the team factor, game type, constituent players and coaching staff were identified as the main factors, and in the streamer factor, the fun of broadcasting was confirmed as an important factor. Through this study, it has been proven that in esports, players are a behavioral factor that precedes the team. The significance of this study can be found in that it confirmed which factors should be considered first in esports fan marketing.

Transport Behaviour of Fans Arriving to the Polsat Plus Arena Gdańsk Football Stadium as an Element of City Logistics Management

Transport Behaviour of Fans Arriving to the Polsat Plus Arena Gdańsk Football Stadium as an Element of City Logistics Management

How are fans affected by the commercialization of elite sports? A review of the literature and a research agenda

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a holistic understanding of extant studies addressing the impact of commercialization on fans of elite sports.Design/methodology/approachIn doing this, the authors performed a structured review of 42 academic articles published between 1992 and 2020 that all focus on how fans respond and are affected by the commercialization of elite sports.FindingsThe structured review shows that the impacts of commercialization on fans relate to four different themes. These are (1) fan identity, (2) fan attitudes, (3) fan emotions and (4) fan behaviours. However, the analysis also shows that research within each category is largely scattered, and more research within each category is needed.Originality/valueThe paper highlights the complex and dynamic nature of commercialization. It presents a research agenda for future research and emphasizes a need to integrate the interests of several stakeholders when managing the impacts of elite sport commercialization.

Temporal team switching after the elimination of the supported team at a knockout tournament

PurposeWhile the tournament format is common within organized sports, little is known about the supporting behavior of tournament event fans. The defeat of the supported team and its' subsequent elimination could influence how fans associate themselves with the event. Hence, the present study aims to investigate the fans' responses to the favorite team's elimination at a knockout tournament focusing on whether they are willing to continue following the event and choose another team to support.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper fans' temporal switching behavior was explored in relationships with fans' identification with geographic area, sport itself and teams. The audience watching the Japanese National High School Baseball Championship was targeted for the online survey in March 2020, resulting in the final sample of 502 (287 observations used for reliability and validity tests).FindingsIndependent sample t-tests and logistic regression were employed in the study. 80% of respondents intended to continue following the tournament, which was associated with a higher attachment to sports. Place attachment by itself was not associated with the intention to continue. Most of the respondents who chose a certain team to support after the favorite team's elimination have retained their pattern of choosing the team (63.9%). Interestingly, fans with higher place attachment not only choose to continue following the tournament after their prefectural team's elimination but were willing to support another team from the same region.Originality/valueThis is one of the first papers providing evidence of tournament fan behavior and temporal switching.