Paper Presentation II:
The Fans
Thursday, April 8, 15.15–17.15

Anthony Kerr
La Trobe University, Australia

Globalisation and advances in communications technology, notably cable television and broadband Internet, have greatly expanded the potential marketplace for professional sport teams. Lewis (2001) claimed that fans are now more likely to support a team based less on a shared geographic connection than on personal reasons and so foreign fans, not content to support only local teams, have expanded their loyalties. Kerr (2008, 2009) describes these individuals as ‘satellite supporters’ and their numbers continue to rise. For instance, Manchester United has seen its worldwide fan base double in the past five years to 139 million ("Reds fans double," 2008) while Real Madrid could have as many as half a billion fans (Henriksen, 2004).

According to Real Madrid’s Jose Angel Sanchez, these developments will see consumers “support a local side, and one of the world’s big six [teams]” (Frost, 2004, p. 367). With an estimated 100 million fans worldwide (Estridge, 2007), and a roster of international stars, the English Premier League’s (EPL) Liverpool F.C. is well-positioned to be part of this group. Indeed, Liverpool F.C. threatens to topple Manchester United as the most popular EPL club for foreign fans ("Liverpool closing in on United off the pitch," 2008).

Although satellite supporters might prove the future lifeblood (and sustainability) of a sport franchise, especially for those brands that seek international expansion, their psychological attachment to a foreign-based team has been largely unexplored. This research used a mixed methods case study (approximately 1,200 questionnaires and 30 interviews) and examined the team identification of satellite supporters of the Liverpool F.C. This article identifies nine primary antecedents as critical to their initial identification with the team: i) media coverage; ii) style of play; iii) the presence of a particular player(s); iv) team success; v) history of success; vi) participation in the highest division; vii) stadium; viii) history of ethical behaviour; and ix) the broadcast quality of games. Principal component analysis (PCA) confirmed that these antecedents could be reduced to five factors. Furthermore, supporters appear to possess an emotional connection with each other and consistently embraced opportunities to interact with each other, both online and in person.

References

• Estridge, H. L. (2007, May 11). Rangers owner talks sports business Retrieved September 11, 2007, from http://dallas.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2007/05/07/daily47.html
• Frost, L. (2004). Globalisation and the Future of Indigenous Football Codes. Economic Papers, 23(4), 355-368.
• Henriksen, F. (2004, September 13). Lure of United dims as Real reel in fans Retrieved August 7, 2006, from http://www.realmadrid.dk/news/article/default.asp?newsid=5194
• Kerr, A. K. (2008). Team Identification and Satellite Supporters: The Potential Value of Brand Equity Frameworks. Papers from the 6th Annual Sport Marketing Association Conference, 48-66. Retrieved from http://www.usq.edu.au/sma08/conference/callforpapers/default.htm
• Kerr, A. K. (2009). Online Questionnaires and Interviews as a Successful Tool to Explore Foreign Sports Fandom. In N. K. L. Pope, K. L. Kuhn & J. Forster (Eds.), Digital Sport for Performance Enhancement and Competitive Evolution: Intelligent Gaming Technologies. Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
• Lewis, M. (2001). Franchise Relocation and Fan Allegiance. Journal of Sport & Social Issues, 25(1), 6-19.
• Liverpool closing in on United off the pitch (2008, December 13). Retrieved October 19, 2009, from http://www.iol.co.za/general/news/newsprint.php?
  art_id=vn20081213083107404C616530&sf=
• Reds fans double (2008, January 9). Retrieved June 17, 2008, from http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/
  manchester_united/s/1031105_reds_fans_double