Crowdfunding as fan engagement strategy: memory, identity, and next-generation fandom in Brazilian football

In contemporary football, the sport’s global impact has redefined the boundaries of fan engagement. This proposal aims to understand how crowdfunding campaigns, when linked to fans’ collective past, reinforce the emotional bonds between clubs and supporters. Based on an ethnographic approach, the fieldwork lasted seven months and combined semi-structured interviews with participant observation. The research investigated the Colina Tour, a guided visit to Vasco da Gama Stadium, which enabled the observation of practices, discourses, and interactions within a space of sociability shaped by memory, as well as the analysis of crowdfunding initiatives that mobilized thousands of supporters. The case analysed offers a strong model of how historical memory, when activated through digital tools, can consolidate a loyal fan base. This study shows that fan engagement can take the form of active co-production of a club’s affective and historical heritage, highlighting how digital tools and collective memory strengthen supporter loyalty.