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Abstract
Current literature on sport fandom is dominated by social identity theory, emphasizing dichotomous categorizations that contrast ‘fans’ versus ‘others’ based on easily measured variables (wearing a jersey, attending a match, etc.). We believe that this approach often excludes those who may consider themselves fans of a team, athlete or sport but may not fit within the proscribed and predefined norms of fan behaviour. To bridge this gap, we draw from identity theory and performative gender theory to propose Performative Sport Fandom. We believe this new theoretical approach is a more ecumenical and nuanced way to understand sport fans on their own terms by focusing on how these roles are performed. Performative Sport Fandom also lends itself to examine how roles are negotiated both internally and externally, including how they are blended and what happens when roles conflict.
Notes
1 Buffalo Wild Wings is a restaurant franchise based in the USA that caters to sports fans with numerous wide-screen televisions tuned to various sporting events.
2 The Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints are franchises in National Football League (NFL) based out of the USA. The Steelers team colours are black and gold. Baton Rouge is in Louisiana and located approximately 130 km from New Orleans.
3 See e.g. CitationCrawford, Consuming Sport; CitationRichard and Robertson, eds. Globalization and Sport.
4 CitationCrawford, Consuming Sport, 62.
5 CitationHills, Fan Cultures, ix.
6 CitationHills, Fan Cultures, x.
7 CitationWann et al., Sport Fans, 2–3.
8 CitationCrawford, Consuming Sport, 56.
9 See e.g. CitationJames and Ridinger, ‘Female and Male Sport Fans’, 260–78.
10 See e.g. CitationPalmer, ‘“Grog Squad”’.
11 See e.g. CitationFink, Trail, and Anderson, ‘Environmental Factors Associated With Spectator Attendance’, 8–19.
12 CitationJacobson, ‘Social Psychology of the Creation of a Sports Fan Identity’, 1–14.
13 CitationCrawford and Gosling, ‘Myth of the “Puck Bunny”’, 477–93; CitationJones, ‘Female Fandom’, 516–37. Gosling, ‘Girls Allowed?’, 250–60.
14 CitationWann et al., Sport Fans, 6.
15 Hogg, Terry, and White, ‘A Tale of Two Theories’, 255–69; CitationStets and Burke, ‘Identity Theory and Social Identity Theory’, 224–37.
16 Hogg, Terry, and White, ‘Tale of Two Theories’, 262.
17 CitationStets and Burke, ‘Identity Theory’, 234.
18 CitationWann et al., Sport Fans, 2.
19 CitationBurke, ‘Self: Measurement Requirements’, 18–21.
20 CitationButler, ‘Performative Acts and Gender Constitution’, 519–31; CitationButler, Gender Trouble.
21 For a detailed explanation of the differences between Erving Goffman's dramaturgy and Judith Butler's performative gender theory, see CitationLawler, Identity, 101–21.
22 CitationWood, Gendered Lives, Location 1874 of 10,899.
23 CitationWood, Gendered Lives, Location 1874 of 10,899, 526.
24 Burke, ‘The Self’, 19.
25 CitationCallero, ‘A Modified Measure of Role-Identity’, 486–7.
26 CitationWood, Gendered Lives, Location 1874–1888 of 10899.
27 CitationButler, ‘Performative Acts’, 520.
28 See e.g. CitationDavis and Weaving, ‘Philosophical Perspectives’; CitationAitchison, ‘Gender Sport Identity’.
29 Burke, ‘Self: Measurement Requirements’, 19.
30 Palmer, ‘“Grog Squad”’.
31 CitationCrawford, Consuming Sport, 20.
32 CitationHills, Fan Cultures, xi.
33 CitationHills, Fan Cultures, xii.