Abstract
Surveying 2,245 people from six nations immediately following the conclusion of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, this study focused on the extent to which fan identification can predict media consumption and nationalistic feelings toward one’s country. Findings revealed that, while sport fanship, fanship toward the Winter Olympics, and fandom for one’s national Olympic team(s) each predicts increased consumption, a hierarchy was established with Winter Olympic national team fandom being a stronger predictor than the others. Differences in fan identification’s impact on media consumption and nationalistic qualities among participants were found among the represented nations as well.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
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Notes on contributors
Kenon A. Brown
Natalie Brown-Devlin (Ph.D., The University of Alabama, 2014) is an assistant professor in the Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations and Associate Director for Research in the Centre for Sports Communication & Media at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research interests explore the intersection of identity, crisis communication, digital media, and sport.
Andrew C. Billings
Kenon A. Brown (Ph.D., The University of Alabama, 2012) is an associate professor and graduate coordinator for the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at The University of Alabama. His research interests include athlete image management and audience effects of international sporting competition.
Michael Devlin
Michael Devlin (Ph.D., University of Alabama) is an associate professor at Texas State University in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. His research interests include the psychology and sociology of sport fans as it relates to media consumption and marketing.
Natalie Brown-Devlin
Andrew C. Billings (Ph.D., Indiana University) is the Ronald Reagan Chair of Broadcasting in the Department of Journalism & Creative Media at the University of Alabama. His research typically resides in the nexus of sport, media, and issues of identity.