Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Associate Professor of Sports Management, Department of Sports Management, Faculty of Sport Science, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.
2
Department of Sports Management, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
3
Department of Sport Management, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Sports clubs leverage social media platforms to enhance fan engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty, recognizing fans as valuable social capital. This study examined the Gartner Business Model with the marketing activities of four of the most famous European football clubs. A comparative content analysis was employed to identify latent content and examine marketing activities across popular social media platforms. They included Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Chelsea, Liverpool, Real Madrid, and FC Barcelona. We used the Gartner model in this study. The Delphi method was utilized. A coding table was meticulously developed based on the validated components, and its reliability was confirmed using the Kappa coefficient. The subsequent content analysis was conducted in alignment with this framework. Real Madrid and Barcelona had higher marketing activities in supply and demand management on Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook than Chelsea and Liverpool. All four football clubs were less active in support services. In addition, the clubs that were more active in supply and demand management generated more revenue than others. Recognizing the crucial role of support services in fan satisfaction and retention, clubs can enhance the efficiency of their social media. With the emergence and increasing expansion of artificial intelligence among social network users and the impact it can have in managing their attitude towards the services and products offered in the sports market, especially world football, the managers of famous clubs should strengthen their relationship with fans more than ever.
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