CH 25 Routledge Handbook of Communication

Sport Fandom in the Digital World

Introduction

• Sport spectatorship is a major leisure activity worldwide (James and Ridinger, 2002).

• Increasingly shifting to online platforms; significant rise in consumption of sports content through social media and mobile devices.

• In 2012, 26% of sports fans used social media to follow sports, up from 15% in 2011 (Laird, 2012).

• Fans now engage with the sport experience through tweets, texts, blogs, and Facebook while watching games, enhancing fandom experiences.

• Researchers need to constantly observe changes in media and fandom.

How We Become Sport Fans

• No universal measure for fanship due to its complexity.

• Example: American football fans vs. soccer fans; exhibit different behaviors despite similar attachments.

• Fanship not universal; varies based on cultural and geographical contexts (Gantz, 2011).

Motivations for Becoming a Sport Fan

• Group Affiliation: Desire to connect with others (Gantz, 1981).

• Family: Fans engage to spend time with family (Gantz and Wenner, 1995).

• Aesthetic Enjoyment: Appreciation of the sport's aesthetics (Sloan, 1989).

• Self-Esteem: Success of the team enhances fan's self-esteem (Branscombe and Wann, 1994).

• Entertainment: Fans seek enjoyment from watching games (Gantz, 1981).

• Escape: Fans utilize sports to escape daily life (Sloan, 1989).

• Economic: Opportunities for profit from gambling on sports (Frey, 1992).

• Eustress: Positive stress from caring about team outcomes (Branscombe and Wann, 1994).

Fandom in the Digital World

• Increased opportunities for interaction with teams, athletes, and other fans via the Internet.

• Fan activities range from information gathering to entertainment-seeking behaviors.

• Uses and Gratifications Theory is utilized to analyze fan behavior online.

Research Findings

• Fans use message boards for information gathering and community interactions (Clavio, 2008a).

• Four dimensions of fan behavior include:

  • Interactivity: Fans engage in discussions and share opinions.

  • Information Gathering: Seeking knowledge about teams and players.

  • Diversionary Uses: Engaging in unrelated discussions.

  • Argumentation: Engaging in discussions (trash talk).

• Fans turn to social media (e.g., Twitter, Facebook) to stay updated and connected with favorite athletes.

Online Transference of Offline Sport Fandom

• Fans follow similar pathways to fandom; self-esteem and group affiliation play significant roles.

• BIRGing (Basking In Reflected Glory): Fans associate with wins.

• CORFing (Cutting Off Reflected Failure): Fans distance themselves from losses (Wann and Branscombe, 1990).

• Research shows digital platforms reflect traditional fandom behaviors, such as BIRGing and CORFing on message boards (End, 2001).

Fan-Athlete Interactions in the Digital World

• Digital media, especially Twitter, facilitates parasocial interactions between fans and athletes (Sanderson and Kassing, 2011).

• Athletes create intimate connections with fans through personal information sharing on social media.

• Studies found athletes use Twitter primarily for personal interaction with fans rather than marketing (Pegoraro, 2010).

Sports Fans as Content Creators

• Fans express fandom through digital platforms, shifting from traditional gatherings to online interactions.

• User-generated content revolutionizes how fans engage with sports, allowing more direct relationships with teams and athletes.

• The rise of digital media has empowered fans to report on sports incidents and engage as reporters (Sanderson, 2009).

Conclusion

• Online media significantly impacts fan-identification and self-esteem, surpassing traditional media forms (Phua, 2010).

• The Internet provides unparalleled access to information and interactions regarding favorite teams.

• Both content consumption and production are increasingly influenced by fans through social platforms, redefining the landscape of sport fandom in the digital age.

Sport Fandom in the Digital World

Introduction

Sport spectatorship is a major leisure activity worldwide (James and Ridinger, 2002), and it is increasingly shifting to online platforms. There has been a significant rise in the consumption of sports content through social media and mobile devices. In 2012, 26% of sports fans used social media to follow sports, a notable increase from 15% in 2011 (Laird, 2012). Fans now engage with the sport experience through tweets, texts, blogs, and Facebook while watching games, enhancing their fandom experiences. Consequently, researchers need to constantly observe changes in media and fandom.

How We Become Sport Fans

There is no universal measure for fanship due to its complexity. For instance, American football fans and soccer fans exhibit different behaviors despite similar attachments to their respective sports. Fanship is not universal; it varies based on cultural and geographical contexts (Gantz, 2011).

Motivations for Becoming a Sport Fan

Several motivations drive individuals to become sport fans. One primary motivation is group affiliation, as many fans desire to connect with others (Gantz, 1981). Family interactions also play a crucial role, with fans engaging in sports to spend quality time with family (Gantz and Wenner, 1995). Additionally, fans might appreciate the aesthetics of the sport (Sloan, 1989) or experience enhanced self-esteem through their team's success (Branscombe and Wann, 1994). Other motivations include the pursuit of entertainment (Gantz, 1981), using sports as an escape from daily life (Sloan, 1989), economic opportunities to profit from gambling on sports (Frey, 1992), and positive stress from caring about team outcomes, referred to as eustress (Branscombe and Wann, 1994).

Fandom in the Digital World

The digital world offers increased opportunities for fans to interact with teams, athletes, and other fans via the Internet. Fan activities range from information gathering to entertainment-seeking behaviors. The Uses and Gratifications Theory is utilized to analyze fan behavior online. Research indicates that fans often utilize message boards for information gathering and community interactions (Clavio, 2008a). Four dimensions of fan behavior can be identified: interactivity, where fans engage in discussions and share opinions; information gathering, which involves seeking knowledge about teams and players; diversionary uses, involving engagement in unrelated discussions; and argumentation, which includes engaging in discussions like trash talk. Many fans turn to social media platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook, to stay updated and connected with their favorite athletes.

Online Transference of Offline Sport Fandom

Fans generally follow similar pathways to fandom, with self-esteem and group affiliation playing significant roles. Concepts like BIRGing (Basking In Reflected Glory), where fans associate with their team's wins, and CORFing (Cutting Off Reflected Failure), where fans distance themselves from losses, are relevant here (Wann and Branscombe, 1990). Research has shown that digital platforms reflect traditional fandom behaviors, such as BIRGing and CORFing, particularly on message boards (End, 2001).

Fan-Athlete Interactions in the Digital World

Digital media, especially Twitter, facilitates parasocial interactions between fans and athletes (Sanderson and Kassing, 2011). Athletes often create intimate connections with fans by sharing personal information on social media, and studies have found that athletes typically use Twitter mainly for personal interaction with fans rather than for marketing purposes (Pegoraro, 2010).

Sports Fans as Content Creators

Fans express their fandom through digital platforms, marking a shift from traditional gatherings to online interactions. User-generated content has revolutionized fan engagement with sports, enabling fans to create more direct relationships with teams and athletes. The rise of digital media has empowered fans to report on sports incidents and act as reporters themselves (Sanderson, 2009).

Conclusion

Online media significantly impacts fan-identification and self-esteem, often surpassing the effects of traditional media forms (Phua, 2010). The Internet provides unparalleled access to information and interactions regarding favorite teams. Both content consumption and production are increasingly influenced by fans through social platforms, thus redefining the landscape of sport fandom in the digital age.