Sport Fan Team Identification Formation in Mid-Level Professional Sport

Team identification, the degree to which an individual feels psychologically linked to a team, has been a focal point in studies of sport fans and sport spectatorship (e.g. Fink et al., 2002 Fink, J. S., Trail, G. T. and Anderson, D. F. 2002. An examination of team identification: which motives are most salient to the existence?. International Sports Journal, 6(2): 195–207. [Google Scholar]; Jones, 1997 Jones, I. 1997. A further examination of the factors influencing current identification with a sports team, a response to Wann et al. (1996). Perceptual and Motor Skills, 85: 257–258. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]; Wann & Branscombe, 1993 Wann, D. L. and Branscombe, N. R. 1993. Sports fans: Measuring degree of identification with their team. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 24: 1–17. [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]; Wann & Dolan, 1994 Wann, D. L. and Dolan, T. J. 1994. Attributions of highly identified sports spectators. Journal of Social Psychology, 134(6): 783–794. [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]; Wann & Schrader, 1997 Wann, D. L. and Schrader, M. P. 1997. Team identification and the enjoyment of watching a sporting event. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 84: 954[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). Although the development of team identification has been examined extensively in established sport markets, the purpose of this study is to assess the relationship between sport fan team identification and motivations for initially becoming a fan of a new mid-level professional sport in a new market. A convenience sample of spectators (N=351) at an American Arena Football League (AFL) game completed a survey designed to identify and measure this relationship. A simultaneous multiple regression analysis revealed significant and positive predictive value for team identification from the following reasons for becoming a fan: parents and/or family (β=.125, p<.05), born and/or live in area (β=.210, p<.001), players and/or coaches (β=.411, p<.001), and tailgating and party atmosphere (β=.123, p<.05). The results have practical marketing implications for mid-level professional sport franchises (i.e. Women's National Basketball Association, NFL-Europe, Major League Soccer) and highlight the need for additional research across the professional sport spectrum, as franchises in these leagues struggle for market share against competing sport and entertainment options.