Designing a Qualitative Model of the Factors Affecting Psychological Commitment in Football Fans based on Grounded Theory

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD Candidate of Sports Management, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran

2 Associate Professor of Sports Management, Kharazmi University

3 Associate Professor of Sports Management, University of Tehran

Abstract

Psychological commitment has been to date one of the interesting research topics in sports psychology. To achieve a deeper understanding of sports fans' psychological characteristics, this study aimed to design a qualitative model of the factors affecting psychological commitment in football fans in Iran based on grounded theory approach. In this qualitative-analytical study, 27 experts in the field of sports and fan loyalty in the Iranian Football Premier League from the top universities in Iran were interviewed based on purposive and triangulation sampling approach. The data analysis was also performed by open and axial coding, of which 53 concepts and 11 categories were classified under five general themes. The developed research model consisted of five major effective factors including: triggers, psychological characteristics, demographic characteristics, reference groups, and club-related issues. The results revealed that such factors could be the main actors shaping sports fans' psychological commitment.

Keywords


Asghari, F., Ghazanfari, A., Sharifi, T., & Ahmadi, R. (2021). The modeling of the effect of personality traits
on sports motivation mediated by the sports commitment. Razi Journal of Medical Sciences, 28(3),
246-256.
Baena-Arroyo, M. J., García-Fernández, J., Gálvez-Ruiz, P., & Grimaldi-Puyana, M. (2020). Analyzing
consumer loyalty through service experience and service convenience: differences between instructor
fitness classes and virtual fitness classes. Sustainability, 12(3), 828.
End, C. M., & Foster, N. J. (2010). The Effects of Seat Location, Ticket Cost, and Team Identification on Sport
Fans' Instrumental and Hostile Aggression. North American Journal of Psychology, 12(3).
Hassanzadeh, A. (2019). Iranian women, inside or outside of the stadium? An anthropological study on female
representation of national identity in Iran. Journal of Sociology of Social Institutions, 5(12), 73-100.
Keshtidar, M., Sahebkaran, M., Talebpour, M., & Kalashi, M. (2018). Investigating the effect of brand identity
and character on brand loyalty of football team fans. International Journal of Sport Management and
Marketing, 18(1-2), 105-115.
Mahony, D. F., Madrigal, R., & Howard, D. (2000). Using the psychological commitment to team (PCT) scale
to segment sport consumers based on loyalty. Sport marketing quarterly, 9(1).
Moharramzadeh, M., Khodamoradpoor, M., & Kashef, S. M. (2017). The Effect of Customer Experience
Mediator on the Relationship between Managers' Social Responsibility and Customer Loyalty in Sport
Clubs. Journal of Sport Management, 8(6), 941-956.
Raizada, S., Tripathi, A., & Bagchi, A. (2020). Factors Influencing Team Loyalty Amongst Indian Sports Fans.
Annals of Tropical Medicine and Public Health, 23, 231-763.
Reghunathan, A., & Joseph, J. (2021). Winning the loyalty cup: impact of symbol-related brand elements on
brand loyalty of sports clubs. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 21(3-4),
245-264.
Salimi, M., Soltan Hosseini, M., Tayebi, M., & Rahimi, A. H. (2020). Factors Affecting the Attendance of Iran
National Football Team Fans in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Based on the Consumed Values Theory.
Sport Management Studies, 12(60), 103-124.
Sarı, İ., Eskiler, E., & Soyer, F. (2011). Does psychological commitment to team enhance self-esteem? An
easy way to raise self-esteem. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1(19), 187-
196.
Siefken, K., Junge, A., & Laemmle, L. (2019). How does sport affect mental health. An investigation into the
relationship of leisure-time physical activity with depresion and anxiety. Human Movement, 20(1), 62-
74.
Stevens, S., & Rosenberger, P. J. (2012). The influence of involvement, following sport and fan identification
on fan loyalty: An Australian perspective. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship.
Tsiotsou, R. H. (2013). Sport team loyalty: integrating relationship marketing and a hierarchy of effects.
Journal of Services Marketing.
Wang, R. T., Zhang, J. J., & Tsuji, Y. (2011). Examining fan motives and loyalty for the Chinese Professional
Baseball League of Taiwan. Sport Management Review, 14(4), 347-360.
Wilkins, V. (2012). Understanding loyalty and motivation of professional sports fans. 
Yun, J. H., Rosenberger, P. J., & Sweeney, K. (2020). Drivers of soccer fan loyalty: Australian evidence on
the influence of team brand image, fan engagement, satisfaction and enduring involvement. Asia
Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics.