Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 .A in Sport Management, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Shahroud University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran
2 Assistant Professor in Sport Management, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Shahroud University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran
3 Associate Professor in Sport Management, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Shahroud University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran
Abstract
Objective: The present study investigated the motivational factors of sports fans for participation in the virtual pages of football clubs.
Methodology: This research is an exploratory kind of mixed method that was performed in two qualitative and quantitative parts. In the qualitative part, along with the analysis of the existing literature, 20 interviews were conducted with social media experts, sports marketers, and active sports fans on the clubs' websites, Instagram pages, and the Telegram channel, which resulted in the extraction of nine factors motivating virtual participation. In the quantitative part, using interpretive-structural modeling, the levels and relationships between the factors were determined and analyzed in an integrated manner. In this part, using the pairwise comparison questionnaire, the opinions of 14 active fans on the mentioned virtual pages were collected. These fans were selected by purposive sampling.
Results: By analyzing the questionnaires, motives for fans’ participation in the clubs’ virtual pages were categorized into six levels: 1) entertainment; 2) income and reward; 3) empowerment; 4) identification, solidarity and social interaction, and supporting the club; 5) brand interest and demanding; 6) gaining information.
Conclusion: Focusing on the virtual behavior of the fans, the present study shows another way to develop the clubs' relationship with their fans and expand their fan base, which is based on the importance and position of the fans' motivations for participating in the virtual pages.
Keywords
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