Designing a Paradigmatic Model of Psychological Motivators for the Presence of Spectators in Football Stadiums of the Persian Gulf Premier League

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Phd Student of Sport Management, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran

2 umz

3 Phd Student of Sport Management, Sari Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran

Abstract

Purpose: Spectators, like athletes, are the main customers of sports, whose motivation to participate in sports competitions is very important. Therefore, it is important to determine the motivations of Iranian spectators to attend the Premier League of the Persian Gulf.
Methods: The present research method is qualitative (grounded theory - with the Strauss and Corbin approach), exploratory in purpose, and applied in result. Through snowball sampling, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 experts in the field of football until saturation was reached.
Results: The findings showed that causal factors (social transformation, individual factors, the nature of harm, opportunities for exploitation in sports, and the quality of the venue) led to attention to the central phenomenon (investigating the psychological motivators for the presence of spectators in football stadiums of the Persian Gulf Premier League), contextual factors (modeling, the influence of the match day, the desirability of the club's income, and the social environment), intervening factors (mental, health, structural, economic, managerial, social, and executive constraints), its strategies (educational and health development, financial development, executive development, managerial development, and structural development), and the existing consequences (motivation enhancement, sports community productivity, managerial development, health knowledge enhancement, positive fan behaviors, and health consequences).
Conclusion:  This model helps to better understand the needs and expectations of spectators and can lead to an improved experience for them, as well as an increase in their attendance at stadiums.

Keywords


  • Barajas, A., & Rodríguez, P. (2014). Spanish football in need of financial therapy: Cut expenses and inject capital. International Journal of Sport Finance, 9(1), 73.
  • Bee, C. C., & Havitz, M. E. (2010). Exploring the relationship between involvement, fan attraction, psychological commitment and behavioural loyalty in a sports spectator context. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 11(2), 37-54.
  • Bina, S. H., Elahi, A., & Saffari, M. (2020). Investigating predictability the Purchase behavior of Spectators based the Brand Equit of National teams. Sport Management and Development, 9(1), 172-185.
  • Bond, A. J., Cockayne, D., Ludvigsen, J. A. L., Maguire, K., Parnell, D., Plumley, D., & Wilson, R. (2020). COVID-19: the return of football fans. Managing sport and leisure, 1-11.
  • Brochado, A., Brito, C., Bouchet, A., & Oliveira, F. (2021). Dimensions of football stadium and museum tour experiences: The case of Europe’s most valuable brands. Sustainability, 13(12), 6602.
  • Byon, K. K., Zhang, J. J., & Baker, T. A. (2013). Impact of core and peripheral service quality on consumption behavior of professional team sport spectators as mediated by perceived value. European Sport Management Quarterly, 13(2), 232-263.
  • Cho, H., Khoo, E. C., & Lee, H. W. (2019). Nostalgia, motivation, and intention for international football stadium tourism. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 24(9), 912-923.
  • Cho, H., Lee, H. W., & Pyun, D. Y. (2019). The influence of stadium environment on attendance intentions in spectator sport: The moderating role of team loyalty. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 20(2), 276-290.
  • Da Silva, E. C., & Las Casas, A. L. (2017). Sport fans as consumers: An approach to sport marketing. British Journal of Marketing Studies, 5(4), 36-48.
  • De Carvalho, M., Boen, F., Sarmento, J. P., & Scheerder, J. (2015). What brings youngsters into the stadium? Sociopsychological predictors of soccer attendance among Belgian and Portuguese young fans. Revista Portuguesa de Ciências do Desporto, 15(1).
  • Emadi, M., & Nasseh, M. (2015). Analysis of affecting factors on fans' satisfaction and attendance in Iran football Premier League's stadium. Sport Management and Development, 5(3), 63-75. (in persian)
  • Erturan-Ogut, E. E. (2020). Neoliberalizing football and fandom: The authoritarian e-ticketing system in Turkish stadiums. International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, 12(1), 91-110.
  • Falah Kazemi, M., Gholipour, N., & Eidi, H. (2017). Prioritize the Factors Affecting the Existence of Empty Seats in a Football Stadium, Using TOPSIS. Sport Management Studies, 9(43), 237-256. (in persian)
  • Fernandez, M., & Walker, B. R. (2021). Spirituality in the stands: Sports spectatorship. Spirituality, wellbeing and personality.
  • Ferreira, M., & Bravo, G. (2007). A multilevel model analysis of professional soccer attendance in Chile 1990-2002. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 8(3), 49-66.
  • Getnet, D., Melkamu, Z., & Mengistu, S. (2024). Why do fans attend football games? Motivational factors in the Ethiopian Premier League, 2023-24. Retos, 60, 83-89.
  • Gómez González, C., García Unanue, J., Sánchez Sánchez, J., Ubago Guisado, E., & del Corral, J. (2016). Evidence on soccer-specific stadiums and attendance: The Major League Soccer case. Revista de psicología Del deporte, 25(3), 0019-22.
  • Gouveia, C., & Pereira, R. (2021). Professional football in Portugal: preparing to resume after the COVID-19 pandemic. Soccer & Society, 22(1-2), 103-114.
  • Horky, T. (2021). No sports, no spectators–no media, no money? The importance of spectators and broadcasting for professional sports during COVID-19. Soccer & Society, 22(1-2), 96-102.
  • Inoue, Y., Sato, M., & Nakazawa, M. (2018). Association between sporting event attendance and self-rated health: an analysis of multiyear cross-sectional national data in Japan. Global health research and policy, 3(1), 1-8.
  • Kim, M. J., & Mao, L. L. (2021). Sport consumers’ motivation for live attendance and mediated sports consumption: A qualitative analysis. Sport in Society, 24(4), 515-533.
  • Kim, S., Morgan, A., & Assaker, G. (2021). Examining the relationship between sport spectator motivation, involvement, and loyalty: A structural model in the context of Australian Rules football. Sport in Society, 24(6), 1006-1032.
  • Kogoya, K., Guntoro, T. S., & Putra, M. F. P. (2022). Sports event image, satisfaction, motivation, stadium atmosphere, environment, and perception: A study on the biggest multi-sport event in Indonesia during the pandemic. Social Sciences, 11(6), 241.
  • Maguire, K. (2021). Covid‐19 and Football: Crisis Creates Opportunity. The Political Quarterly, 92(1), 132-138.
  • Mazzei, L. C., Moraes, I. F., Carlassara, E. D. O. C., & Jr, A. J. R. (2020). Football in Brazil: what brings fans/consumers to stadiums and arenas in the city of São Paulo? International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 20(3-4), 193-210.
  • Mazzei, L. C., Moraes, I. F., Carlassara, E. D. O. C., & Jr, A. J. R. (2020). Football in Brazil: what brings fans/consumers to stadiums and arenas in the city of São Paulo? International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 20(3-4), 193-210.
  • Mostafaei, J. (2020). Paradigmatic model for female spectators' presence in football stadiums in Iran. Journal of Woman and Family Studies, 8(1), 9-39.
  • Murray, A. D., Archibald, D., Murray, I. R., Hawkes, R. A., Foster, C., Barker, K., & Mutrie, N. (2018). International Consensus Statement on Golf and Health to guide action by people, policymakers and the golf industry. British journal of sports medicine, 52(22), 1426-1436.
  • Öktem, T., & Kul, M. (2020). Examining the Relationship between Self-Efficacy and Aggression Levels of Students Interested in Weightlifting Sports. African Educational Research Journal, 8(4), 681-688.
  • Olczak, M., Reade, J., & Yeo, M. (2020). Mass outdoor events and the spread of an airborne virus: English football and Covid-19. Available at SSRN 368278.
  • Parnell, D., Bond, A. J., Widdop, P., & Cockayne, D. (2021). Football Worlds: Business and networks during COVID-19. Soccer & Society, 22(1-2), 19-26.
  • Phonthanukitithaworn, C., & Sellitto, C. (2018). Perceptions of service quality at football stadiums: influence on fans' intention to attend future games. Managing Sport and Leisure, 23(3), 204-224.
  • Rajabzadeh, R., Talebpoor, M., & Mirzapour, A. (2018). Examining Effective Factors on Spectators' Attendance in Volleyball Premier League: A Case Study of Mazandaran Spectators. Sport Management and Development, 6(11), 142-156. (In Persian)
  • Ramos, R. F., Biscaia, R., Moro, S., & Kunkel, T. (2023). Understanding the importance of sport stadium visits to teams and cities through the eyes of online reviewers. Leisure Studies, 42(5), 693-708.
  • Ranjbar, M., AkbariYazdi, H., & Elahi, A. R. (2020). Effect of Team Identity on Satisfaction and Behavioral Tendencies of Tabriz Traktor Sazi Football Spectators. Strategic Studies on Youth and Sports, 19(48), 137-150. (In Persian)
  • Reyhani, M., Eydi, H., Ramezaninezad, R., Mirzayee, A., & Abbasi, H. (2013). Soccer fans Motives of the professional football league in Iran. Sport Management Studies, 20, 63-78. (In Persian)
  • Salamat, N., Farahani, A., & Goodarzi, M. (2012). Survey of customer satisfaction of private and public clubs in Gorgan. Sports Management Studies, 13, 143-156.
  • Schreyer, D., Schmidt, S. L., & Torgler, B. (2019). Football spectator no-show behavior. Journal of Sports Economics, 20(4), 580-602.
  • Solberg, H. A., & Turner, P. (2010). Exporting sports rights to overseas markets: the case of European football. Sport in Society, 13(2), 354-366.
  • Szczeokowski, J. (2021). Building and maintaining the relationship with football fans during COVID-19. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 1270-1275.
  • Theodorakis, N. D., Alexandris, K., Tsigilis, N., & Karvounis, S. (2013). Predicting spectators' behavioural intentions in professional football: The role of satisfaction and service quality. Sport management review, 16(1), 85-96.
  • Vallerand, R. J., Ntoumanis, N., Philippe, F. L., Lavigne, G. L., Carbonneau, N., Bonneville, A., & Maliha, G. (2008). On passion and sports fans: A look at football. Journal of sports sciences, 26(12), 1279-1293.
  • Van Ours, J. C. (2021). Common international trends in football stadium attendance. PLoS one, 16(3), e0247761.
  • Watanabe, Y., Qian, T. Y., Wang, J. J., Pifer, N. D., & Zhang, J. J. (2020). Sport spectatorship and health benefits: a case of a Japanese professional golf tournament. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1494.
  • Sohrabi, Z. , Hasanzadeh, N. and Rahimi, A. (2021). Sport’s Function Analysis in Iran's Development. Research in Sport Management and Marketing2(3), 1-11. doi: 10.22098/rsmm.2021.1321
  • Yoshida, M., & James, J. D. (2010). Customer satisfaction with game and service experiences: Antecedents and consequences. Journal of sport management, 24(3), 338-361.
  • Hasanzadeh, N. , Moharramzadeh, M. and Naghizadeh-Baghi, A. (2021). Needs Assessment and Reasons for Consuming Food Supplements for Body-Building and Weightlifting Athletes in Ardabil Province. Research in Sport Management and Marketing2(1), 10-23. doi: 10.22098/rsmm.2021.1255
  • Zakizadeh, L., & Atghia, N. (2020). The Presence of New Technologies Affected on Ticket Sales Management in the World Sport Mega Events. Journal of Advanced Sport Technology, 3(2), 50-60. (In Persian)