Using Conspiracy Narrative to Sustain Athlete Loyalty: The Case of Babar Azam

This study explores the cognitive and emotional mechanisms through which fans preserve loyalty to a struggling athlete, using the case of Pakistani cricketer Babar Azam during a period of public criticism and poor performance. Employing grounded theory methodology, the research draws on primary interviews to inductively develop the Conspiracy-Driven Loyalty Preservation Model (CLPM). The CLPM reveals that fan loyalty is sustained through five interlinked stages: emotional displacement, cognitive reframing, identity anchoring, moral justification, and reputation repair. At each stage, conspiracy narratives (e.g. media bias and political interference) serve functional roles – such as offering scapegoats, enabling moral disengagement, and constructing coherent alternative realities. These mechanisms help fans reduce dissonance, protect identity, and justify continued allegiance, even amid widespread criticism. The research offers theoretical and practical insights for athlete brand management and public relations, particularly in South Asian contexts where national identity, media credibility, and collective emotions intersect.