Fan Experience Research Articles

VAR and flow in soccer (football): changes to the fan experience

ABSTRACT In this paper I look at the reasons for implementing VAR and the effect that it has had on the fans of soccer (football) in particular. I begin with a discussion of why VAR has been adopted in sports in general and in soccer specifically. I then discuss the notion of ‘flow sports’ and try to develop at taxonomy for classifying sports in terms of the relative importance of flow. Following this, I discuss the effect of VAR implementation on flow sports in general before examining the effect of VAR on the fan experience in soccer, a game which I characterize as one of the purist examples of team flow sports. Finally, I discuss the effect of VAR on the fan experience of flow when watching sports. My main contention is that VAR, at least in its current forms, represents an erosion of the flow experience in matches which impoverishes the fan experience. In light of the perceived benefits of VAR for match officiating, I doubt that it will be going away anytime soon. The best that we can hope for is that it evolves so as to cause minimal disruption to the flow in flow sports.

Analysis of NBA player salary based on multiple linear regression model

Abstract. This study explores the use of machine learning techniques to predict NBA player salaries. Traditional salary evaluation methods often rely on subjective expert judgment, whereas data-driven approaches can provide more objective and accurate predictions. With the advancement of data analysis techniques and machine learning algorithms, it is now feasible to predict player salaries based on performance data. This study employs advanced statistical and machine learning techniques to analyze detailed player performance data, including points scored, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks, to establish a data- and algorithm-based salary prediction model. This model can assist team management in making more scientific decisions during contract negotiations and player acquisitions, thereby avoiding the overvaluation or undervaluation of players and achieving a more balanced and fair salary distribution. Accurate salary predictions help teams allocate their limited salary cap more effectively, optimizing budget management and enhancing overall team competitiveness. This study not only demonstrates the practical value of data analysis and machine learning methods in the sports field but also promotes the further development of data science in sports management. Additionally, the results of the prediction model can provide valuable references for fans and media, enhancing their understanding of player salaries and team management strategies. This transparency enriches the overall fan experience and media coverage of the sport, facilitating more informed discussions and debates about player value and team decisions.

When Sport Fandom Meets Motherhood: A Qualitative Exploration of Women’s Experiences

Existing literature provides nascent insights into structural arrangements that shape mothers’ experiences of being a sport fan, yet we know little about the social meaning sport fandom holds for mothers. This exploratory study draws on qualitative interviews with 41 mothers from Australia and North America to examine their understandings of sport fandom in the context of their everyday lives and contemporary ideologies about mothering. Findings suggest that sport fandom presents an opportunity for mothers to redefine and transform both fan and mothering practices, thereby challenging popular orthodoxies that fandom becomes less important to women after having children. By foregrounding mothers’ efforts to stay engaged with their fandom, we extend research on the experiences of women sport fans and offer alternatives to normative constructs of fandom.

“Keeping it lowkey”: Exploring the experiences of Korean women fans of women's volleyball

Recently, there has been a significant increase in female audiences and fans at professional sport events in South Korea (hereafter Korea), particularly women's volleyball. This growth in higher viewer ratings and stadium attendance is attributed to elements such as athletes’ sportsmanship and their dynamic athletic performances. However, there is little known about the Korean women's volleyball league's fanbase. Previous studies have focused on the experiences of male and female fans’ interpretations of sport fan characteristics, experiences of female fans, or those of traditionally male-dominant sports such as ice hockey and football. Therefore, this study explores the experiences of self-identified women fans of women's professional volleyball in Korea. We seek to understand how research participants were introduced to volleyball, how they express their fanship, and how they define sport fans. According to the findings, a combination of structural systems in higher education and media streaming during pandemic restrictions has allowed volleyball content to become more accessible to research participants. Furthermore, the study examines how dukjil and fan service play significant roles in maintaining fanship, and the influence of generational characteristics on how women fans perceive and define sport fans.

Sports betting on sports consumers’ behavioral intention

ABSTRACT The legalization of sports betting has transformed the sports industry, and strategic partnerships between professional leagues and betting companies have become commonplace. The purpose of this study was to explore how sport fans actively engage in their favorite team via sports betting and examine the relationship between sports betting involvement, flow, satisfaction, and behavioral intentions among sports fans. An online survey was conducted to collect data from U.S. sports fans (N = 342), and partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the data. The results showed that sports betting involvement positively affects fans’ flow experience and satisfaction, which in turn increases their behavioral intentions regarding game attendance and media consumption. Overall, the study contributes to the sport management literature by substantiating the positive role of sports betting in enhancing sports fan experiences. The study provides valuable insights into how sports betting can be used to increase behavioral intention via satisfaction and flow.

Effect of baseball stadium food service quality on outcome variables with emphasis on the moderating role of stadium atmosphere

PurposeWhile existing research has predominantly focused on the positive relationships between service quality and outcome variables, there has been limited investigation into the influence of food service quality on these variables or the moderating role of stadium atmosphere in the realm of sports marketing. This study aims to fill these gaps by examining the structural relationships between baseball stadium food quality, timeliness, satisfaction, and behavioral intention with an emphasis on the moderating effect of stadium atmosphere.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from spectators attending baseball games. This study established the validity of the measurement scale through confirmatory factor analysis, factor loadings, average variance extracted, and construct reliability using Cronbach’s alpha. In addition, this study employed structural equation modeling with maximum likelihood estimation to examine positive relationships and mediating effects and used Jamovi statistical software to conduct moderation analysis.FindingsThe findings demonstrate the significant impacts of food quality on satisfaction and behavioral intention, the positive effects of timeliness on satisfaction and behavioral intention, and the notable influence of satisfaction on behavioral intention. Additionally, this study found that satisfaction partially mediates the aforementioned relationships and that stadium atmosphere moderates these pathways.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature by addressing the impact of food service quality on outcome variables within sports marketing, an area that has received limited attention. Specifically, it examines how food quality and timeliness influence consumer satisfaction and behavioral intention. Furthermore, the study highlights the moderating role of stadium atmosphere, demonstrating its potential to enhance the relationship between food quality and consumer outcomes. These findings expand our understanding of consumer behavior in sports settings, offering practical strategies for team officials to enhance fan experiences. By diversifying menu options, optimizing concession operations, and collaborating with local vendors, team officials can significantly improve food service quality and create a more engaging stadium atmosphere.

When TV neighbours become good friends: Understanding Neighbours fans' feelings of grief and loss at the end of the series.

Fans may experience significant upset and distress when a television series ends. However, grief and loss reactions to the end of a fictional series have seldom been investigated. It is likely that the degree to which such reactions are felt is influenced by viewing motives (e.g., pleasure, meaning making), connection to the series and its fan community, relationships formed with characters, including parasocial bonds and experiences of empathy, and tendency to engage with others' perspectives and emotions, including fictional characters. The purpose of this study was to examine predictors of fans' grief and loss reactions to the end of the television series Neighbours, which aired from 1985 to 2022. Fans (n = 1289) completed an online survey shortly after the screening of the final episode. The survey measured grief emotions and cognitions, acceptance that the series had ended, distress at the loss of a parasocial relationship with a favourite character, feelings of closure, and expressions of gratitude for the series. Predictors of these grief and loss reactions examined in the survey were viewing motives, fan identity, strength of a parasocial relationship formed with a favourite character, empathy towards that character, and tendency to take others' perspectives, experience empathic concern and personal distress, and tendency towards engagement with fictional characters. Greater grief and loss reactions were experienced by fans whose motives for watching involved being entertained and exposed to different lifestyles, who felt a stronger fan connection to the series, and who formed stronger parasocial empathic relationships with their favourite character. Factors such as gender, age, and empathic tendencies predicted various types of grief reactions. Understanding fan experiences when a long-running series ends advances theory and research on viewer parasocial relationships and engagement with media, as well as providing evidence that the loss of a series or favourite character can be viewed as a type of grief experience.

Privacy-preserving sports data fusion and prediction with smart devices in distributed environment

With the rapid advancement of sports analytics and fan engagement technologies, the volume and diversity of physique data generated by smart devices across various distributed sports platforms have grown significantly. Extracting insights and enhancing fan experiences from such data offer considerable benefits. Yet, this process unveils two primary challenges. Firstly, efficiently utilizing the vast datasets in sports analytics is daunting due to the complex nature of the sports industry. Secondly, the data collected from diverse sources and stored in distributed platforms contain sensitive information like fan preferences and athlete performance metrics, posing risks of privacy breaches. To address these challenges, we leverage an advanced Locality-Sensitive Hashing technique, known as PSDFPALSH\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$_{\ ext {ALSH}}$$\\end{document}, tailored for the sports domain. This paper presents a new privacy-preserving method for sports data fusion and prediction in distributed environments, utilizing enhanced Locality-Sensitive Hashing to protect sensitive information while maintaining high data utility. Through extensive experimentation, our approach demonstrates superior performance over existing methods in terms of Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), and computational efficiency.

From gamification to personalization: sports media, Web 3.0 and the desire for the ultimate fan experience

PurposeThe purpose of this essay is to explore the ramifications of Web 3.0 on sports media and the desire for the ultimate fan experience.Design/methodology/approachThe essay explains how Web 3.0 will influence (1) the social TV experience, (2) the drive for zero latency in sports streaming, (3) the desire for exclusive sports memorabilia and experiences, (4) artificial intelligence-driven content and (5) the potential decentralization of certain elements within the sports media ecosphere.FindingsThe core fan experience will still be recognizable, but AI, VR, blockchain and other elements will be infused within it.Originality/valueRamifications on sports media scholarships are offered.

The Impact of Digital Media on Sports Management

The objectives of this research study were (1) to analyze the transformative impact of digital media on sports management practice in Chengdu, (2) to explore the integration of digital platforms and the adoption of advanced technologies in the sports industry, and (3) to identify the challenges faced in the digital age. This hybrid research study employed a combination of quantitative data from online surveys, qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews, and content analysis. The research involved different stakeholder groups in Chengdu’s sports industry, aiming to provide a comprehensive perspective on the utilization of digital media in sports management. Major Findings/Results: (1) The field of sports management in Chengdu has significantly shifted towards digital media, with digital platforms playing a pivotal role in fan participation, marketing strategies, and brand building. Personalized and interactive content has become increasingly preferred by consumers. (2) The study highlighted the importance of advanced technologies such as AI, VR, and 5G in enhancing fan experience and operational efficiency in the sports industry. (3) Key challenges identified include digital rights management, online content regulation, and maintaining fan engagement in a competitive digital landscape. The comparative analysis with global trends revealed both unique and common digital sports management practices in Chengdu. The study underscored the necessity for sports organizations to adapt to the evolving digital environment while considering ethical and regulatory aspects. This research contributes to the academic discourse on sports management in the digital age, offering valuable insights for practitioners and policymakers. It underscores the transformative role of digital media in sports management and advocates for innovative strategies, cultural sensitivity, and ethical integrity in Chengdu’s digital sports landscape.

Co-producing virtual consumption extraordinary experiences: a netnography of Brazilian NBA fans

The concept of extraordinary experience in the consumer culture tradition it is a seminal theme since 1980. Over the last few decades, discussions have advanced to incorporate virtual ambiance, prosumption abilities, and interaction between peers. Likewise, the consumption of sports leagues has been reframed based on these three emerging themes. Thus, the present study seeks to understand the consumption extraordinary experiences of Brazilian NBA fans through their virtual interactions. To this end, a netnography was carried out between 2018 and 2020 on Twitter. The results point to the overlapping media and sports aspects that allow Brazilian fans of the league to experience liberating or stochastic moments and produce their performances or live adventures with NBA broadcasts. Consequently, such findings endorse the ability of sports league fans to prosume extraordinary experiences aligned with elements that reflect sports business management efforts.

Predicting Team Success in the Indian Premier League Cricket 2024 Season Using Random Forest Analysis

Background. Random Forest is a popular machine learning algorithm used for classification and regression tasks. The study purpose is to investigate the use of Random Forest machine learning to predict the winning chances of teams in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Objectives. By analyzing comprehensive player statistics, including matches played, batting and bowling averages, as well as fielding contributions, the study aims to understand the factors that influence team success in T20 cricket and provide actionable insights for team management, betting markets, and cricket enthusiasts. Material and methods. The study involved 10 cricket teams competing in the IPL 2024 season. Player statistics and match outcomes data from previous IPL seasons were collected and cleaned, with missing values addressed through imputation. The features were based on player statistics, including both aggregate measures and calculated metrics. A Random Forest is chosen as the machine learning model, trained using preprocessed data, with features derived from player statistics as input and match outcomes as the target variable. The dataset was split into training and validation sets, using methodologies such as cross-validation to ensure a robust model performance. Results. The Random Forest model demonstrates strong predictive performance, with a low Mean Squared Error (MSE) of 8.2174, Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) of 2.8666, and a high R-Squared value of 0.9173, indicating approximately 91.73% variance explained in the data. Chennai Super Kings emerge as frontrunners with a predicted performance percentage of 83.4%, while teams like Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants show lower predicted performance percentages, suggesting potential areas for its improvement. Conclusions. This study reveals the effectiveness of Random Forest machine learning in forecasting IPL match outcomes based on player statistics. It provides valuable insights into team dynamics and offers actionable recommendations for team management and cricket enthusiasts. The findings enrich our understanding of IPL match dynamics, contribute to the evolution of cricket analytics, and promote greater engagement with sport, ultimately enhancing the fan experience in the IPL.

Optimization of Seating Arrangement in Sports Competition Venues Based on Recurrent Graph Neural Network

Seating in sports venues is a type of seating where rows are much more frequent than in other types of auditorium seating. Traditional seating looks to maximize capacity over fan experience. The stadium experience can be enhanced by recommending appropriate seating by viewer’s preferences and past behavior. Group customers would want to sit together when they go to a sports arena, but sometimes there are not enough seats available together. This study's methodology for improving viewing experience by optimizing seating arrangement using game type, historical ticket sales and opponent team is offered in this study as a way to get around this drawback. The data are collected from Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena seating dataset. Afterward, the data are fed to pre-processing. In pre-processing segment, the noise is removed and data is enhanced using Adaptive Robust Cubature Kalman Filter (ARCKF). The outcome from the pre-processing data is transferred to the Recurrent Graph Neural Network (RecGNN).The reserved seating, bowl seating and stadium seating are successfully classified by using RecGNN. RecGNN's weight parameter is optimized by the Lotus Effect Optimization Algorithm (LEA). On the Python working platform, the proposed RecGNN-LEA is implemented. The proposed strategy is analyzed using performance measures including recall, f1-score, accuracy, precision, and computation time. RecGNN's weight parameter is optimized by the Lotus Effect Optimization Algorithm (LEA). On the Python working platform, the proposed RecGNN-LEA is implemented. The proposed method is analyzed using performance measures including recall, f1-score, accuracy, precision, and computation time. The gained results of the proposed RecGNN-LEA method attains higher accuracy of 16.61%, 18.89%, and 17.92%, higher sensitivity of 16.37%, 12.23%, and 18.56% and higher precision of 14.81%, 16.79%, and 18.23%. The proposed SASCV-RecGNN-LEA method is compared with the existing methods such as SASCV-CNN, SASCV-LaRSA, and SASCV-TDNN models respectively.

Stadium Investments and Club Performance: Evidence From the English Premier League

Abstract: Many professional football clubs have big plans for new stadiums or stadium expansions. Bigger stadiums are a sign of status, help to increase and diversify revenue streams, and enhance the fan experience. So how should a football club go about getting a bigger stadium? Should they build a new one or expand their existing stadium? And how are these stadium investments associated with club performance? Using an event study approach, we analyze sporting performance in the years around stadium investments in the English Premier League from 1992/1993 to 2021/2022. We find that clubs with stadium expansions have better subsequent sporting performance while clubs with new stadiums do not. Further analysis indicates that investments in new stadiums are associated with a temporary decrease in transfer expenditure. This decrease is not the case for stadium expansions as transfer expenditure is maintained and performance on the field subsequently improves. In summary, our analysis indicates that stadium expansions are the better option for professional football clubs as they increase both stadium capacity and sporting performance in the short-term.

FANATISME PENGGEMAR TERHADAP ATTACK OF TITAN

The Attack on Titan anime has become an extraordinary phenomenon among anime lovers in Indonesia. This series attracts attention and has many fans, especially in anime-loving communities, with its tense storyline and stunning visuals. In this article, the author analyzes fan fanaticism towards Anime Attack on Titan through a qualitative phenomenological study in the Indonesian Anime Lovers community. Researchers plunged directly into the Indonesian Anime Lovers community to answer and feel what a fan's experience is, to see what forms of fanaticism exist within the community. In this article, various forms of fanaticism from Attack on Titan anime fans are found, such as changes in behavior, terror, intimidation, harassment by fans in the Indonesian Anime Lovers Community. Keywords: Fanaticism, Attack of Titan, Fans, Phenomenological.

Why win a World Cup? Thirty-six years of football and nation(alisms) in Argentina

ABSTRACT This article analyzes the categories established to study the connections between national identities and football in Latin America. It focuses particularly on that of the ‘public arena’, inspired by the work of Clifford Geertz, and that of ‘free zones’ in culture, introduced by the Argentine anthropologist Eduardo Archetti in his research into a ‘popular sports nationalism’ at the dawn of the twentieth century. As part of the analysis, it looks at the narrative of Argentina’s recent victory of the Qatar World Cup 2022 on television and in the experience of fans, as well as the (futile) attempts by politicians to channel the fervour. Finally, the article explores how the political hero moves into post-politics: the narrative twists that enable the shift from Maradona to Messi.

Public versus private aca-fan identities and platforms: An academic dialogue

This conversation between Yvonne Gonzales and Celeste Oon examines the difference between two contrasting fan experiences and identities. Through an exploratory academic dialogue, the authors aim to start a discussion on the ways in which our online selves and our IRL selves interact to create unique identities as both fans and scholars across, between, and within social platforms.

Digital technologies in sports: Opportunities, challenges, and strategies for safeguarding athlete wellbeing and competitive integrity in the digital era

Digital technologies are revolutionizing operations across various industries, including the sports sector. This study employed a mixed methods approach to investigate technology adoption rates and assess the perceived impacts on performance, injuries, operations, and fan experience in 21 sports organizations. Furthermore, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 industry experts, providing information on decision drivers, implementation challenges, emerging innovations, and ethical considerations associated with responsible technology integration. The survey findings revealed extensive usage of analytics, wearables, management information systems, and fan engagement platforms among the sports organizations under investigation. Notably, analytics and statistics tools, along with management information systems, were identified as having the most significant influence on enhancing organizational performance and efficiency. Wearable technologies emerged as crucial tools for injury prevention through the monitoring of athlete health metrics. Insights gleaned from the expert interviews underscored the potential of emerging technologies, such as augmented reality, athlete tracking, predictive analytics, exoskeletons, and AI coaching, in the sports industry. However, experts also highlighted implementation challenges, including financial considerations, skills gaps, resistance to change, uncertainties surrounding return on investment demonstration, and ethical risks that necessitate mitigation measures. The study results indicated that data-driven systems have the capacity to improve operations and athlete outcomes; however, an over-reliance on such systems may diminish the significance of human expertise. It is imperative that responsible integration of these technologies aligns with organizational goals and values. By investigating current trends in technology adoption, assessing perceived impacts, and considering stakeholder viewpoints through an integrated methodology, this study aimed to provide evidence-based guidance for maximizing the benefits of digital transformation in a responsible manner.

Unlocking the potential: A comprehensive meta-synthesis of Internet of Things in the sports industry

The current research aims to answer two significant research questions: What are the dimensions of the application of the Internet of Things in the sports industry? And what are the components of each aspect of using the Internet of Things in the sports industry? Also, this study responds to the development of literature on Industry 4.0 technologies in the sports industry. The current research used the meta-synthesis method and the seven-step method of Sandelowski and Barroso to review 131 related qualitative studies. The results of the surveys include 10 dimensions and 79 indicators of Internet of Things applications in the sports industry, including health management, safety and security management, optimization of management processes, fan experience, management of sports facilities and venues, improving performance (of referees and athletes), marketing and media, smart equipment, and sports tourism. The applications obtained from Internet of Things technology can be used in the determined dimensions for developing and improving sports. Finally, it is important to emphasize the importance of continuing to deepen knowledge about the Internet of Things as well as the new technologies available in the fourth generation of the industrial revolution and its applications in the field of sports. Research aimed at studying the potential of these technologies in the sports industry and its management is necessary.

Implementing trades of the National Football League Draft on blockchain smart contracts

PurposeDemonstrate proof-of-concept for conducting NFL Draft trades on a blockchain network using smart contracts.Design/methodology/approachUsing Ethereum smart contracts, the authors model several types of draft trades between teams. An example scenario is used to demonstrate contract interaction and draft results.FindingsThe authors show the feasibility of conducting draft-day trades using smart contracts. The entire negotiation process, including side deals, can be conducted digitally.Research limitations/implicationsFurther work is required to incorporate the full-scale depth required to integrate the draft trading process into a decentralized user platform and experience.Practical implicationsCutting time for the trade negotiation process buys decision time for team decision-makers. Gains are also made with accuracy and cost.Social implicationsFull-scale adoption may find resistance due to the level of fan involvement; the draft has evolved into an interactive experience for both fans and teams.Originality/valueThis research demonstrates the new application of smart contracts in the inter-section of sports management and blockchain technology.