Background and objective
Increasing professionalization – in terms of improvement of structures and embracement of new business opportunities – as well as growing commodification has been a conflict hotspot in team-fan-relationships in German soccer. Fearing a loss of fans with financial and societal implications, organizations have been dealing with countermeasures. For example, FC Schalke 04, as one of the most popular German soccer clubs, has defined fan centricity as one of their overarching goals besides sportive and financial success. For a longer period, the concept of fan centricity lacked a definition. The present study fills this void by proposing a definition and conceptualization of fan centricity as well as exploring the consequences. The study focuses on the Bundesliga as the soccer league that attracts most stadium spectators within Europe.
Design and results
A qualitative, explorative research design (in-depth-interviews) has been used. In order to derive a holistic understanding of fan centricity, 27 informants from both management-related (e.g., club management, federation management, senior consulting) and fan-related functions (e.g., fan representatives, ultra-group representatives, fan experts) were considered. Based on the categorization of the experts’ opinions, a definition of fan centricity can be derived:
Fan centricity is an organization’s strategic and operational (i.e. process- relevant) focus on the establishment and maintenance of relationships with fans in a reciprocal sense, with adapting operating models and facilitating fan influence on organizational and soccer cultures.
Seven categories describe the construct: identification and segmentation of fans; fan involvement in decision making; facilitation of extra-role behavior; communication and mediation; optimization of fan experience; facilitation of fan influence on organizational and soccer-related changes; and adaptation of modus operandi. The construct has a variety of consequences such as a positive impact on team-fan-relationships, increased media & sponsoring attractiveness, and the influence on governance & compliance.
Implications
The definition and the components of fan centricity help initiate a theory-building process. It is a fan-related construct of strategic nature and focuses both on the team as well as fans. The present research provides valuable insights for team sports managers. The framework might help managers to cope with commodification-conflicted relationships through strategic reorientation of their teams.
Contact
Chair of Sport and Health Management
Prof. Dr. Jörg Königstorfer
Secretary: Mirjam Merz
Uptown Munich Campus D
Georg-Brauchle-Ring 60/62
80992 Munich Germany
Phone: +49.89.289.24559
Fax: +49.89.289.24642