Predicting Fan Behavior Through Egocentric Network Analysis: Examining Season-Ticket Holder Renewal

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 217-228
Author(s):  
Matthew Katz ◽  
Bob Heere ◽  
E. Nicole Melton
Keyword(s):  
Network Analysis ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
College Football ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Season Ticket ◽  
Sport Fans ◽  
Fan Behavior ◽  
Past Behavior ◽  
Sport Fan ◽  
Egocentric Network

The purpose of this study is to utilize egocentric network analysis to predict repurchase behaviors for college football season-ticket holders. Using a research approach grounded in network theory, we included the relational and behavioral characteristics of sport fans in a binomial regression model to predict renewal decisions among college football season-ticket holders. More specifically, we developed a model that incorporates the egocentric network variables, past behavior, and behavioral intentions to empirically test which consumer characteristics predict future behavior. Building on previous research emphasizing the role of socializing agents and social connections in sport fan consumption, through the use of egocentric network analysis, we examined the effects of social structure and social context on repurchasing decisions. Moreover, the present study is positioned within the larger discourse on season-ticket holders, as we aimed to add a network theory perspective to the existing research on season-ticket holder churn and renewal.

The Strength of Fan Ties: Emotional Support in Sport Fan Egocentric Networks

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 291-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Katz ◽  
Aaron C. Mansfield ◽  
B. David Tyler
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Support ◽  
Sport Management ◽  
National Football League ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Sport Fans ◽  
Sport Fan ◽  
Egocentric Network ◽  
Interpersonal Ties

Sport management researchers have increasingly noted a relationship between sport spectatorship and well-being, with the line of inquiry predicated on transformative sport service research. In this study, the authors contribute to transformative sport service research by utilizing multilevel egocentric network analysis to examine the consumption networks of National Football League fans over the course of one season. The authors utilized a network theory approach to explore how emotional support is created and embedded within sport fans’ networks of interpersonal ties and social relationships. Through multilevel modeling, the authors highlighted how attributes of both the ego (i.e., focal actor) and alter (i.e., individual with whom ego shares a tie) affect emotional support. Previous studies of transformative sport service research and the link between well-being outcomes and sport spectatorship have implicitly examined only ego-level attributes (i.e., team identification), yet the present work suggests that emotional support depends on the interpersonal ties and network structures within which sport fans are embedded.

Classifying Sport Consumers

2020 ◽  
pp. 323-356
Author(s):  
David P. Hedlund ◽  
Rui Biscaia ◽  
Maria do Carmo Leal
Keyword(s):  
Sense Of Community ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Social Recognition ◽  
Shared Knowledge ◽  
Sporting Events ◽  
Sports Fans ◽  
Cluster Analyses ◽  
Sport Fans ◽  
Fan Behavior ◽  
Sport Fan

Sport fans rarely attend sporting events alone. While traditional consumer and sport fan behavior research often examines fans based on demographic characteristics, recent advances in understanding how sport fans co-create and co-consume sporting events provides substantial evidence that sports fans should be examined as tribal groups. Tribal sport fan groups can be identified based on seven dimensions, including membership; geographic sense of community; social recognition; shared rivalry; and shared knowledge of symbols, rituals and traditions, and people. In this research, these seven dimensions are used to classify sport fans (n=1505) through hierarchical and k-cluster analyses. The results of the cluster analyses using the seven dimensions suggest six unique clusters, labelled as (1) casual fans, (2) moderate remote fans, (3) moderate local fans, (4) local developing tribal fans, (5) remote tribal fans, and (6) tribal fans. A discussion of these six fan groups and the implications regarding associations with demographics and other important variables are provided.

Those Who Rarely Attend Alone

2018 ◽  
pp. 386-416
Author(s):  
David P. Hedlund ◽  
Rui Biscaia ◽  
Maria do Carmo Leal
Keyword(s):  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Social Recognition ◽  
Structural Testing ◽  
American Football ◽  
Division I ◽  
Sporting Events ◽  
Sports Fans ◽  
Sport Fans ◽  
Fan Behavior ◽  
Sport Fan

Sport fans rarely attend sporting events alone. While traditional consumer and sport fan behavior research frequently segmented fans based on demographic characteristics, recent advances in understanding how sport fans co-create and co-consume sporting events provides substantial evidence that sports fans should be examined as tribal groups. In this chapter, seven dimensions of sport fan tribalism are proposed and tested (membership; geographic sense of community; social recognition; shared rivalry; and shared knowledge of symbols, rituals and traditions, and people) with samples from top-level American college football (Division I American football) and the top level of professional Portuguese soccer (Primeira Liga). The results provide reliability and validity evidence in support of the seven-dimension scale. In addition, the structural testing of the scale highlights differences between tribal fans and their teams (relative to other teams) in terms of five behavioral intentions and two commitment- related outcome variables. The implications of labeling sports fans at tribal, the use of the seven-dimension scale and the structural results are all discussed.

Classifying Sport Consumers

2021 ◽  
pp. 254-287
Author(s):  
David P. Hedlund ◽  
Rui Biscaia ◽  
Maria do Carmo Leal
Keyword(s):  
Sense Of Community ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Social Recognition ◽  
Shared Knowledge ◽  
Sporting Events ◽  
Sports Fans ◽  
Cluster Analyses ◽  
Sport Fans ◽  
Fan Behavior ◽  
Sport Fan

Sport fans rarely attend sporting events alone. While traditional consumer and sport fan behavior research often examines fans based on demographic characteristics, recent advances in understanding how sport fans co-create and co-consume sporting events provides substantial evidence that sports fans should be examined as tribal groups. Tribal sport fan groups can be identified based on seven dimensions, including membership; geographic sense of community; social recognition; shared rivalry; and shared knowledge of symbols, rituals and traditions, and people. In this research, these seven dimensions are used to classify sport fans (n=1505) through hierarchical and k-cluster analyses. The results of the cluster analyses using the seven dimensions suggest six unique clusters, labelled as (1) casual fans, (2) moderate remote fans, (3) moderate local fans, (4) local developing tribal fans, (5) remote tribal fans, and (6) tribal fans. A discussion of these six fan groups and the implications regarding associations with demographics and other important variables are provided.

The Role of Sport Fan Curiosity: A New Conceptual Approach to the Understanding of Sport Fan Behavior

2011 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seong-Hee Park ◽  
Daniel Mahony ◽  
Yu Kyoum Kim
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Factors ◽  
Present Review ◽  
Conceptual Approach ◽  
Sport Fans ◽  
Fan Behavior ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Sport Fan ◽  
Social And Cultural Factors ◽  
Shed Light

Most literature on sport fan behaviors has focused on highly identified or loyal sport fans. While the literature has found that factors influencing current sport fans and their behaviors are related to, and based on, various psychological, social, and cultural factors, only a limited number of studies have investigated what factors initially attract individuals to consume sport. Curiosity has been found to be one of the crucial motivators that initially influence human exploratory behaviors in many domains. Using theories of curiosity, the present review aims to shed light on the role of curiosity in explaining various sport fan behaviors.

Development and Validation of a Measure of Sport Fans’ Specific Curiosity

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 621-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seong-Hee Park ◽  
Jae-Pil Ha ◽  
Daniel Mahony
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
General Information ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Measurement Scale ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Sport Fans ◽  
Fan Behavior ◽  
Sport Facility ◽  
Sport Fan ◽  
Development And Validation

While there is a relatively rich literature measuring curiosity outside of sport, there is little research on measuring sport fans’ curiosity. Based on Berlyne’s (1960) two dimensions of curiosity, the current research project aimed to develop a reliable and valid measurement scale for sport fans’ specific curiosity. Convenience samples of university students were used. Three studies were used to develop the 11-item Sport Fan Specific Curiosity Scale (SFSCS) was developed. Specifically, the SFSCS consisted of three factors: specific information (5 items), general information (3 items), and sport facility information (3 items). The SFSCS was found to be a reliable and valid scale to measure sport fans’ specific curiosity. The scale should be useful in predicting aspects of sport fan behavior for sport fans at various stages.

scholarly journals Becoming Sport Fans: Relative Deprivation and Social Identity

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Chae Rhee ◽  
John Wong ◽  
Yukyoum Kim
Keyword(s):  
Relative Deprivation ◽  
Social Identification ◽  
Team Identification ◽  
Support Teams ◽  
Sport Fans ◽  
Sport Team ◽  
Fan Behavior ◽  
Irrational Behavior ◽  
Community Identification ◽  
Sport Fan

This study explores how people become sport fans by elucidating why people support teams even when they are unsuccessful. This study fills a gap in the literature on sport fan behavior by applying Relative Deprivation and Social Identification Theories to understand sport fans’ seemingly irrational behavior. We conducted a series of interviews with 17 sport fans with diverse backgrounds. Findings suggest that interaction among Community Identification, Relative Deprivation, Team Identification, Sport Involvement and Representativeness of a sport team helps explain why people support certain teams and become fans, regardless of team success. Findings suggest that team Representativeness in a specific community is one of the most important factors influencing people to become fans. We also found that sport involvement is very important, especially if relative deprivation can elicit team identification from people with little to no sport involvement. Further research may identify the exact relationship between sport involvement and relative deprivation.

Those Who Rarely Attend Alone

2018 ◽  
pp. 71-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
David P. Hedlund ◽  
Rui Biscaia ◽  
Maria do Carmo Leal
Keyword(s):  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Social Recognition ◽  
Structural Testing ◽  
American Football ◽  
Division I ◽  
Sporting Events ◽  
Sports Fans ◽  
Sport Fans ◽  
Fan Behavior ◽  
Sport Fan

Sport fans rarely attend sporting events alone. While traditional consumer and sport fan behavior research frequently segmented fans based on demographic characteristics, recent advances in understanding how sport fans co-create and co-consume sporting events provides substantial evidence that sports fans should be examined as tribal groups. In this chapter, seven dimensions of sport fan tribalism are proposed and tested (membership; geographic sense of community; social recognition; shared rivalry; and shared knowledge of symbols, rituals and traditions, and people) with samples from top-level American college football (Division I American football) and the top level of professional Portuguese soccer (Primeira Liga). The results provide reliability and validity evidence in support of the seven-dimension scale. In addition, the structural testing of the scale highlights differences between tribal fans and their teams (relative to other teams) in terms of five behavioral intentions and two commitment- related outcome variables. The implications of labeling sports fans at tribal, the use of the seven-dimension scale and the structural results are all discussed.

Exploring and Measuring Spectator Sport Fanaticism

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brendan Dwyer ◽  
Carrie LeCrom ◽  
Gregory P. Greenhalgh
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Media Consumption ◽  
Sport Fans ◽  
Sport Team ◽  
Expert Review ◽  
Fan Behavior ◽  
Spectator Sport ◽  
Three Samples ◽  
Sport Fan

Spectator sport fan behavior is vast and represents one of the society’s most universal leisure activities. While event attendance and media consumption has received a great deal of attention from researchers, there is growing understanding that sport fans interact with their favorite teams in numerous other ways. Little is known, however, of what constitutes the fanatical behavior of sport spectators. Thus, there is an opportunity to understand the impassioned actions of the sport fan population to provide marketers and media providers with a better understanding of how sport fans interact with team brands beyond direct consumption. The current study aimed to discover and develop an instrument to measure spectator sport team fanaticism. Two focus groups were utilized to uncover and generate items. Three samples and an expert review were then conducted to validate the instrument. The following four unique dimensions were uncovered and preliminarily validated: instigation, superstition, committed interaction, and vicarious impact.

scholarly journals Pro-Environmental Sustainability and Political Affiliation: An Examination of USA College Sport Sustainability Efforts

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 5840
Author(s):  
Jonathan M. Casper ◽  
Brian P. McCullough ◽  
Danielle M. Kushner Smith
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Political Ideology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Political Affiliation ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Season Ticket ◽  
Sport Fans ◽  
Collegiate Sport ◽  
Sustainability Initiatives ◽  
Sustainability Program

Political ideology is one of the most powerful predictors of perceptions about environmental sustainability and related behaviors. The purpose of this study was to investigate how sport fans’ sustainability-specific values, perceptions, and norms related to awareness, engagement, and influence of USA collegiate sport sustainability efforts based on political affiliation, accounting for age and gender. Data were collected using an online survey distributed to season ticket holders after the 2019 college football season that featured three sponsored sustainability initiatives at each home game. Multivariate analysis of variance and chi-square difference tests found that self-identified Democrats reported significantly higher pro-environmental values and norms, but sustainability program engagement, sponsored initiatives awareness, and influence of initiatives on behavior were politically neutral. Path analysis found that ascription of responsibility was a significant predictor of sustainability-related engagement and behaviors for both Independents and Republicans. The results and discussion sections highlight how academics and practitioners can account for political affiliation when creating campaign messaging for environmental initiatives.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document