Exploring Out-of-Market Fans In An NFL Fan Club

Authors

Peyton J. Stensland, University of Cincinnati
Zach Scola, University of New Hampshire
Brian S. Gordon, University of Kansas

Abstract

Sport fan motivations and points of attachment have been heavily investigated regarding the local fan. Yet, these important concepts have not been explored with out-of-market fans who are becoming increasingly important to sport league’s revenues (Collins et al., 2016). To examine this type of fan, the authors utilized semi-structured interviews with attendees of an out-of-market NFL fan club. Coding the interviews revealed themes regarding motivations and points of attachment. The motivations were social interaction and escape, as members were motivated to attend the watch party to hang out with like-minded fans and to break up their daily routine. The primary points of attachment were community attachment and fan community attachment, as members felt this group was reminiscent of Pittsburgh and attached to the other members of the group. This study highlights the importance of out-of-market fan clubs and addresses ways sport teams can cater to the out-of-market fan.

Recommended Citation

Stensland, Peyton J.; Scola, Zach; and Gordon, Brian S. (2020) "Exploring Out-of-Market Fans In An NFL Fan Club," Global Sport Business Journal: Vol. 8: Iss. 1, Article 7.
Available at: https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/gsbj/vol8/iss1/7