Sport Fans: The Psychology and Social Impact of Fandom

315 Pages·2018·6.336 MB·English

by  Daniel L. Wann, Jeffrey D. James

SPORT FANS
Sports, and the fans that follow them, are everywhere. Sport Fans: The
Psychology and Social Impact of Fandom examines the affective, behavioral,
and cognitive reactions of fans to better comprehend how sport impacts
individual fans and society as a whole. Using up-to-date research and theory
from multiple disciplines including psychology, sociology, marketing, history,
and religious studies, this textbook provides a deeper understanding of topics
such as:
• the pervasiveness of sport fandom in society
• common demographic and personality characteristics of fans
• how fandom can provide a sense of belonging, of uniqueness, and of
meaning in life
• the process of becoming a sport fan
• sport fan consumption
• and the future of sport and the fan experience.
The text also provides a detailed investigation of the darker side of sport fandom,
including fan aggression, as well as a critical look at the positive value of fandom
for individuals and society.
Sport Fans expertly combines a rigorous level of empirical research and
theory in an engaging, accessible format, making this text the essential resource
on sport fan behavior.
Daniel L. Wann is Distinguished Professor of Psychology in the Department of
Psychology at Murray State University.
Jeffrey D. James is the Mode L. Stone Distinguished Professor of Sport
Management in the Department of Sport Management at Florida State
University, and also Chair of the department.

SECOND EDITION
Sport Fans
The Psychology and Social
Impact of Fandom
DANIEL L. WANN
JEFFREY D. JAMES
Second edition published 2019
by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
and by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2019 Taylor & Francis
The right of Daniel L. Wann and Jeffrey D. James to be identified as authors
of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with sections 77 and
78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in
any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation
without intent to infringe.
First edition published by Routledge, 2001
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Wann, Daniel L., author. | James, Jeffrey D. (Jeffrey Dalton) author.
Title: Sport fans : the psychology and social impact of fandom / Daniel
L. Wann, Jeffrey D. James.
Description: Second edition. | New York, NY : Routledge, 2019. |
Includes bibliographical references and index. | “Earlier edition
entered under title.”
Identifiers: LCCN 2018016207 | ISBN 9781138683150 (hb : alk. paper) |
ISBN 9781138683167 (pb : alk. paper) | ISBN 9780429456831 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Sports spectators—Psychology. | Sports spectators—Social
conditions. | Sports—Social aspects.
Classification: LCC GV715 .W36 2019 | DDC 306.4/83—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018016207
ISBN: 978-1-138-68315-0 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-138-68316-7 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-0-429-45683-1 (ebk)
Typeset in Sabon
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
From Dan:
To mom and dad, who always were there;
To Michelle, who always will be there.
From Jeff:
To Valerie, Kylie, and Kenzie, what I “do” may not always make sense, so I am
very thankful you love me enough—and are patient enough—to let me “do my
thing.”
We are your biggest fans.

CONTENTS
Acknowledgments ix
Photo Credits x
1
An Introduction to the Study of Sport Fans 1
PART I HOW AND WHY FANS FOLLOW SPORTS, TEAMS,
AND ATHLETES 25
2
The Process of Becoming a Sport Fan: The Psychological
Continuum Model 26
3
Points of Attachment: Understanding Connections to
Teams, Players, and Beyond 42
4
Motivation and Sport Fandom 65
5
The Impact of Sport Fandom on Sport Consumption
Behavior 83
PART II THE EMOTIONAL AND AGGRESSIVE REACTIONS
OF SPORT FANS 103
6
The Emotional Reactions of Sport Fans 104
7
An Introduction to Fan Aggression 127
8
Understanding the Causes of Fan Aggression 135
9
Sport Fan Riots 157
vii
viii Contents
PART III THE CONSEQUENCES OF SPORT FANDOM FOR
INDIVIDUALS AND SOCIETY 173
10
The Psychological Consequences of Sport Fandom 174
11
The Societal Consequences of Sport Fandom 198
PART IV SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 217
12
The Future of Sport Fandom: Gazing Into the Crystal Ball 218
References 229
Index 294
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors wish to acknowledge the following individuals for their invaluable
assistance throughout the writing of this book. First, we would like to thank
Georgette Enriquez, Brian Eschrich, and the staff at Routledge Press for their
tireless efforts throughout the various phases of this project.
Second, a special note of thanks must be given to Brian Gordon, Robert M.
Carini Jr., Laurence DeGaris, and the other anonymous reviewers for their
efforts as reviewers on earlier versions of this book. Your insights and sugges-
tions were most useful and informative and served to strengthen this book.
Third, we would like to recognize the contributions of Merrill J. Melnick,
Gordon W. Russell, and Dale G. Pease, coauthors on the first publication to this
text. Their work on the original edition was invaluable in shaping the direction
of this book.
Finally, we would like to express our gratitude to the following individuals
who assisted with editing and other logistical tasks: Ashley Bieze, David
Crittendon, David Castleman, Tommy Derossett, and Joanna Tweedie. We are
so very grateful for your willingness to assist us; without your efforts, this pro-
ject could not have been completed.
ix