Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Ph.D Student, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
2
Associate Professor, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
Abstract
Purpose: The aim of the this study is to identify the components that influence interactions with sports clubs and fan support in Premier League football teams, based on cultural-social theory.
Methods: This research employed a mixed-method study, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative approaches. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted. The research team conducted 15 interviews initially, and after reaching theoretical saturation, 2 more interviews were added, bringing the total to 17 interviews. For the quantitative aspect, fans of the Iranian Premier League football were included in the study. Through convenience sampling, 400 individuals were selected to complete an electronically administered questionnaire. Qualitative data analysis utilized initial, axial, and selective coding. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods were applied for data analysis, utilizing SPSS-22 and Smart PLS-4 software for all statistical analyses.
Results: The research findings revealed that influential factors of sports clubs on fan support from a cultural-social perspective were identified in 2 themes and 12 concepts. The first theme, cultural factors, encompassed seven concepts: social environment, inhibitory, supportive, cultural sustainability, consumer culture, religious, and nationalistic. The second theme, social factors, included five concepts: social classes, demographic characteristics, societal dynamics, social changes, and social cohesion of fans. The quantitative results confirmed all paths of the research models and demonstrated a good fit. Furthermore, social (P=0.001) and cultural factors (P=0.001) had a significant impact on football fan support.
Conclusions: Based on the research findings, it can be inferred that the interactive effect of sports clubs on fan support, grounded in cultural-social theory, is influenced by various factors. These factors may vary depending on the prevailing conditions in the community being studied. Therefore, relevant officials and managers should always take into account the diverse socio-cultural conditions of society and align their sports club values accordingly.
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