Moving beyond fan typologies: The impact of social integration on team loyalty in football

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to develop detailed insight into loyalty among football fans of Hibernian FC, moving beyond typologies to a more socially grounded approach. Issues explored include patterns of consumption, distinctions between fan groups, and antecedents of loyalty. The origins and development of the club are evaluated, and consumer fanaticism, football fan loyalty, consumption behaviour, and the sociological impact of fan communities are discussed. Data were collected using a variety of methods, including participant observation, in-depth interviews, and analysis of websites and fan forums. Key findings relate to the impact of family and community influences on loyalty, initial experiences of developing associations with the club, through to the impact of socialisation, and the lived experience of being a supporter. A supporter matrix is constructed as a portrayal of the loyalty found at the club. A range of theoretical implications is considered, and the matrix promoted as a tool for understanding loyalty in clubs with similar social structures and community connections.

Keywords:

• loyalty
• football
• consumption
• fanaticism
• case study

Notes

1. ¹Pseudonyms have been used for all respondents.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ian Fillis

Ian Fillis’ research interests include small-business marketing, creativity, arts marketing, research methodology, international and export marketing, e-business, and aesthetics. He has published widely in outlets such as the International Small Business Journal, Journal of Marketing Management, and the European Journal of Marketing, as well as research monographs and book chapters. He has carried out a number of funded projects, including several concerning the socio-economic impact of the crafts sector. He is previous Chair of the Academy of Marketing Entrepreneurial and Small Business Marketing Special Interest Group. He has also served as guest editor on a number of special journal issues concerning small business, and has delivered invited seminars on creativity, research methodology, small business, and arts marketing to universities in the UK, Sweden, Finland, Australia, and the United States.

Craig Mackay

Craig Mackay is a marketing graduate of the University of Stirling, and has a keen interest in football and sports marketing. He currently works as a market research specialist for Sercon Support Services in the cleaning and security markets, carrying out a range of research projects, as well as strategy and planning activities.

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