Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Ph.D. Student, Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
3 M.Sc., Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
4 Ph.D. Student, Department of Sport Management, Sport Sciences Research Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate fans' involvement levels in the selected teams of the football premier league of Iran based on psychological continuum model. Research method was descriptive survey and application by its aim. For this purpose, 394 fans of four popular teams of football premier league (Esteghlal, Persepolis, Tractor and Sepahan) were selected as the sample. Funk's questionnaire (2008) was used to gather data. The reliability of the questionnaire was calculated and obtained 0.92 by Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Descriptive statistics and confirmatory factor analysis were used for data analysis. The results of confirmatory factor analysis showed that multidimensional model of participation could be used to classify the fans in various theoretical stages. In fact, the concept of involvement offered an appropriate platform to study the psychological relationships of fans with the teams. Based on the psychological continuum model, the results indicated that in the selected teams of football premier league, fans' involvement levels were more related to the attachment level and the lowest involvement levels were related to the loyalty level. Managers can improve the fane to the loyalty level and maintain them at this level through providing the opportunity for fans to take pictures with players, to establish meetings for fans' clubs and to donate the fan cards.
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