The Relationship between Team Identification and Loyalty in Professional Sports

Pantelis Nassis,1 Nicholas D. Theodorakis,2 Symeon P. Vlachopoulos,2 & Yannis Afthinos1

1Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Athens, Hellas

2Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Serres, Hellas

Abstract

The present study, based on social identity theory, examined the relationship between fan identification and loyalty in prodessional sports. 128 Greek university students participated in the study. Linear regression analyses showed that team identification predicted to a considerable extent various important fan behaviors: (a) the number of games of their favorite team attended in the last season, (b) the number of years fans fol- low their favorite team and (c) the frequency fans follow their favorite team trough television / radio / newspapers. Overall, the study’s results provided evidence of the importance of team identification in predicting fans’ behavioral loyalty.

Keywords: fan identification, behavioral loyalty, fan behavior