Research in Sports Management and Movement Behavior

Modeling the effect of team identity and flow on the stadium atmosphere and spectator loyalty

Articles in Press

Authors

Hamid Roodbari
Hadi Tabatabaei
Soleiman Abdolahi
Hossein Akbari Yazdi
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between team identity and spectator flow with the atmosphere of the stadium and spectator loyalty. The research method is causal communication and the survey method is survey. The statistical population of the present study consists of 40,000 football spectators present at Azadi Stadium in the football match between Persepolis and Esteghlal Khuzestan in the 2017-2018 season. 384 of them were selected as the statistical sample of the study and the questionnaires were distributed among them as a non-random-voluntary sample. The research tools included James and Ross’s Team Identity Adjusted Questionnaire (2002), Csikszentmihalyi’s Stream Questionnaire (1990), Uhrich and Benkenstein’s Stadium Atmosphere Questionnaire (2012), and Mahoney et al.’s Spectators Loyalty Inventory (2000). The descriptive statistics and path analysis method were used in PLS software to analyze the data. The results showed that team identity and spectator flow with a path coefficient of 0.580 and 0.386, have a significant effect on the atmosphere of the stadium and also the three variables of stadium atmosphere, flow and team identity with path coefficients of 0.247, 0.248 and 0.428 have a positive effect on spectator loyalty. Based on the results of this study, it is suggested to the managers of clubs and stadiums to pay special attention to team identity and spectator flow in order to increase spectator loyalty and understand the appropriate atmosphere of the stadium.

Keywords

Team identity
Stadium Atmosphere
Flow
Sports Marketing
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Research in Sports Management and Movement Behavior

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 22 October 2020