Staging the stands: the ritual choreography of sports fandom and collective emotion regulation

This study reconceptualizes sports fandom through a performative paradigm, framing avid spectators as co-performers in a collectively choreographed social drama. Using a sequential exploratory mixed-methods design, it first employed field observations and in-depth interviews (N = 18) within the highly ritualized fan culture of professional football clubs in South China. Thematic analysis deconstructed the choreographic grammar of fan performances, identifying three core dimensions: Bodily Synchronization, Rhythmic Immersion, and Symbolic Display. These informed the development of a novel 9-item Choreographic Participation Scale (CPS). Following confirmatory factor analysis, a refined 5-item version of the CPS was used in the final structural model, maintaining the three-dimensional structure with improved fit. A subsequent quantitative survey of devoted fans (N = 342) integrated the CPS with established measures. Structural Equation Modeling revealed that choreographic participation strongly predicted enhanced social identity (β = .66, p < .001) and positive affect (β = .59, p < .001), with significant effects on emotional catharsis and well-being. Mediation analysis confirmed that social identity and positive affect served as significant pathways through which choreographic participation influenced both catharsis and well-being. Crucially, these psychological benefits were robust regardless of match outcome. The findings empirically support Turner's theory of ritual drama, positioning the stadium as a modern liminal space where a “dancing collective body” fulfills fundamental needs for ritualized belonging and emotional synchrony through embodied performance.