Analyzing Fans' Lived Experience of Challenges of developing Football Fan Culture Study of Foulad Mobarake Sepahan Cultural and Sport Club

Subject Areas : Social Psychology Studies in sport

Salmann Azarbayejani ¹ , Saeed Sharifi ² , Ali Rashipoor ³

1 - Department of Cultural Planning and Management. Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch. Islamic Azad University. Isfahan. Iran.
2 - Department of Cultural Planning and Management. Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch. Islamic Azad University. Isfahan. Iran.
3 - Department of Cultural Planning and Management. Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch. Islamic Azad University. Isfahan. Iran.

Received: 2022-10-25 Accepted : 2023-01-15 Published : 2023-06-22

Keywords: Foulad Mobarake Sepahan Cultural Sports Club, fandom, fandom culture, Lived experience, football,

Abstract :

Objective: due to the strategic importance of the physical presence of fans in stadiums and the regulation of sports relations and their place in the development of fan culture, understanding the challenges facing football fans is considered a significant issue that is independent of the capacities created by the centers. And sports clubs need to be analyzed and read from the perspective of the fans. Therefore, the purpose of the current research is to analyze the lived experience of fans of the challenges of developing the culture of football fandom.Methodology: Qualitative research method is a phenomenological type with a descriptive approach and based on the Colaizzi model. The research community was the members of Sepahan Isfahan Sports Club and the cultural managers of the club. Of these, the research sample reached data saturation with 20 people. The purposeful sampling method was dependent on the criteria and heterogeneous. The data collection tool was a semi-structured interview. The validity of the data was confirmed through external auditors, in-depth description, returning to the interviewees and two coders.Results: The findings of the research after implementing the information and coding the data in several categories including the re-engineering of the fans' thoughts in the development culture, the increasing trend towards media consumption, instrumental attitude towards the fans, the feminization of sports, the social responsibility of the fans, the cultural-social competence of the fans and Fan businesses were categorized.Conclusion: The development of fan culture requires preparation to face challenges, a major part of which can be done by increasing individual and interpersonal skills by fans; the results of this research will be effective in strengthening and rebuilding the attitudes of the managers and planners of fan centers for the development of fan culture.Paying attention to the upcoming challenges of the fan culture requires sports centers to create the necessary frameworks and standards to attract, educate and promote the fan culture and modify the existing processes in order to support the development of fandom. Based on this, fan centers need to draw a technical and cultural map in order to reach the desired sports position with the aim of continuing the presence of fans through the expansion and development of entrepreneurship and value creation of sports at the community level.

References:

Adjei, O. (2021). Football fans consumption media during Covid-19: The Ghanaian perspective.‏ International Journal of Educational Research and Review, Vol. 2(5) pp. 053-060, July, 2021

Aloia, A. & Law, J. (2020, May 22). EFL: How coronavirus is affecting lower-league clubs, players, fans and livelihoods. BBC Sport.

Antonowicz, D., Kossakowski, R., & Jakubowska, H. (2021). A bittersweet welcome: attitudes of Polish ultra-fans toward female fans entering football stadiums. Sport in Society, 24(7), 1183-1199.‏

Armstrong, G., & Hobbs, D. (2004). Tackled from behind. In Football, violence and social identity (pp. 199-230). Routledge.‏

Atkinson, C., McBride, M., and Moore, A., 2020. Pitched! informants and the covert policing of football fans in Scotland. Policing and society, Latest

Bauer, H. H., Stokburger-Sauer, N. E., & Exler, S. (2008). Brand image and fan loyalty in professional team sport: A refined model and empirical assessment. Journal of Sport Management, 22(2), 205-226.

Biscaia, R., Ross, S., Yoshida, M., Correia, A., Rosado, A., & Marôco, J. (2016). Investigating the role of fan club membership on perceptions of team brand equity in football. Sport Management Review, 19(2), 157-170.‏

Brown, C. (2022). Football must not forget its inclusive responsibilities in the rush to get fans back into stadiums. Managing Sport and Leisure, 27(1-2), 119-124.‏

Burton, N., Bradish, C., & Dempsey, M. (2019). “Exploring expatriate fan identification in international football supporters”. Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal.

Colaizzi, P. F. (1978). Psychological research as the phenomenologist views it.‏

Dogari, K. A., Apuke, O. D., & Shadrach, I. (2018). Comfort or Conflict? Investigating the Attitude and Experiences of European Football Fans in Television Viewing Centers in Nigeria. Global Media Journal, 16(30), 1-10.‏

Dolles, H., & Söderman, S. (2005). Globalization of sports: The case of professional football and its international management challenges. Deutsches Institut für Japanstudien.‏

Dwyer, B. (2013). The Impact of Game Outcomes on Fantasy Football Participation and National Football League Media Consumption. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 22(1).‏

Eslami. A. (2019) Ethics oriented -culture model among Iranian Football Premier League Spectators. PhD thesis, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Ardabil Branch. (in Persian)

European Sport Management Quarterly, 12(5), 501–524.

Faria, S., Pereira, M. S., Ferreira, P., & Rodrigues, P. (2022). Understanding the effect of social media marketing activities on football fans’ satisfaction and engagement: A study of Portuguese 2nd League Professional Football Clubs.‏

Fillis, I, Mackay, C (2014) Moving beyond fan typologies. Journal of Marketing Management 30(3–4): 334–363.

Fitzpatrick, D., & Hoey, P. (2022). From fanzines to foodbanks: Football fan activism in the age of anti-politics. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 10126902221077188.

Gaffney, C. (2015). Virando o jogo: The challenges and possibilities for social mobilization in Brazilian football. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 39(2), 155-174.‏

Hewer, P., Gannon, M., & Cordina, R. (2017). Discordant fandom and global soccer brands:‘Let the people sing’. Journal of Consumer Culture, 17(3), 600-619.

Heydari, F, (2018). Investigating the anti-brand community in professional football: A study of the behavior of Esteghlal and Persepolis fans on social networks, Master Thesis, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Kurdistan. (in Persian)

Holt, O. (2020). Oliver Holt: Don’t pretend real football is back … this is a pale imitation, and the game we love may never return. Mail Online.

Hosseini Ala, S.M. (2019). A study of sociological strategies to reduce the tendency to violence and aggression of football spectators, Master Thesis, Payame Noor Center, Mashhad, Payame Noor University, Khorasan Razavi Province. (in Persian)

Jackson, J., & MacInnes, P. (2020). Liverpool among clubs to argue against paying £330 m rebate to broadcasters. The Guardian

Joern, L., & Havelund, J. (2020). Ultras in Denmark. The new football thugs?. Soccer & society, 21(1), 50-60.‏

Jones, C. (2022). Kourat el Kadem: soccer culture and fandom in postcolonial Francophone Algerian texts. The Journal of North African Studies, 27(1), 143-159.‏

Krzyżowski, F., & Strzelecki, A. (2022). Creating a fan bond with a football club on social media: a case of Polish fans. Soccer & Society, 1-14.‏

Guba, E. G., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry Newbury Park.‏

Lopez-Gonzalez, H., & Tulloch, C. D. (2015). Enhancing media sport consumption: Online gambling in European football. Media International Australia, 155(1), 130-139.‏

Montazeri, A., Taleb Pour, M., Andam, R., & Kazem Nejad, A. (2019). The Role of Social Responsibilities in Attitude of Iran Football Fans. Sport Management Studies, 11(53), 157-180.‏

Norouzi Seyed Hossini, R. (2021). Understanding Lived Experience of Sports Public Relations Managers from Media Crisis (A Phenomenological Approach). Communication Management in Sport Media, 8(2), 13-26.

Parry, K. D., & Richards, J. (2022). Football Fans and Food: Feeding the Desire. In Routledge Handbook of Sport Fans and Fandom (pp. 377-387). Routledge.‏

Parsamehr. M & ,.Niknejad. M & ,.Rasoolinejad. S.P. (2014). Investigating the Motivations Related to Youth Support for Football (Case Study: Yazd University Students), Journal of Sport Management and Motor Behavior, V(10), N19; 187-196. (in Persian)

Parsamehr. M & Turkan. R. (2009). Investigating the Factors Affecting the Support of Individuals of Iran League Football Teams, Iranian Journal of Sociology, Fall 2009, V10, N3; 85-105. (in Persian)

Penfold, C., & Cleland, J. (2022). Kicking It Out? Football Fans’ Views of Anti-Racism Initiatives in English Football. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 46(2), 176-198.‏

Purkiani, M. & Boroumand. M & Hosseini. SA & Afrozeh. A. (2020). The Effect of Emotions on Satisfaction, Support and Behavioral Goals of Fans of Iranian Premier Football Clubs, Sports Marketing Studies, V(1), N2; 133-148. (in Persian)

Rafeei, F. & Nazari. R. & Niazy. P. (2022). Presenting the Pattern of Mentoring Behavior of Iranian Sports Managers: As a strategic behavior, Journal of Strategic Sociological Studies in Sport 2022, V (2), N2, 1-16. (in Persian)

Roan, D. (2020). Coronavirus: Fans may not be able to return to sporting events until at least end of March. BBC Sport.

Ronay, B., 2019. He’s one of our own: China’s dream of world cup domination has no boundaries. Guardian, 20. 12 October

Sadegi, H., & Nazari, R., Rahimi, G. (2022) The Role of tendency toward spirituality and moral ideology among Athletes, Journal of Strategic Sociological Studies in Sport 2022, V (2), N2, 34-42. (in Persian)

Samra, B, Wos, A (2014) Consumer in sports: Fan typology analysis. Journal of Intercultural Management 6(4–1): 263–288.

Shabani, S. (2016) Identification of cultural measures effective in improving the security of Iranian football stadiums, PhD thesis, Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Guilan. (in Persian)

Skott-Myhre, H. (2017). Youth and subculture as creative force. In Youth and Subculture as Creative Force. University of Toronto Press.

Slater, M., & Waugh, C. (2020, August 15). Explained: How football will welcome fans back to stadiums. The Athletic.

ZamaniDadaneh S, Esmaili M R, Zarei A. The Effect of Club Social Responsibility on the Supportive Behavior of the Football Fans Brand: (Case Study of Persepolis Tehran Club). Research in Sport Management and Motor Behavior. 2021; 11 (22) :181-200. (in Persian)

Zuser, T. (2022). Rearticulating football fans in Hong Kong: between activism, localism, and consumerism. Cultural Studies, 36(2), 260-278.‏