The inspirational effect of sporting achievements and potential role models in football: a gender-specific analysis

Abstract

This study examines the trickle-down effect of potential role models and sporting achievements, respectively. Specifically, we look at the inspirational effect of same-sex and opposite-sex role models on male and female participation in German amateur football. Longitudinal data on club memberships and amateur teams were collected for 21 regional football associations over a 15-year-period. The results of panel regression models show that the achievements of the 2006–2010 male national teams have a significant positive effect on the number of female club memberships and teams, supporting the notion of gendered heroism. Yet, male achievements in 2002 have a negative effect. Thus, sporting success does not automatically lead to the development of positive role models and inspirational effects, indicating that other factors (e.g. age, personality, and style of play) may play a role as well. Sporting achievements of female teams have no measurable inspirational effect on both male and female participation.

Keywords:

• demonstration effect
• gendered heroism
• sport event
• sporting success
• trickle-down effect

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 Another opportunity would have been to use the age range of players in the respective team. However, this parameter is considered less informative as it does not signal the general youth of a squad. From 2006 to 2010, the oldest players were the goalkeepers, Jens Lehmann and Jörg Butt. They were at least two years older than the oldest players in 2002 and 2012 who were forwards (Oliver Bierhoff and Miroslav Klose).