Rusting on fans: Nurturing sport team identification via the creation of generational fandom - A case study

Authors

M. O'Shea
Abel Alonso, Edith Cowan University

Document Type

Journal Article

Keywords

Fandom, Professional sport organisations, Rusting on, Sport management, Sport marketing

Faculty

Faculty of Business and Law

School

School of Marketing, Tourism and Leisure

RAS ID

14250

Comments

O'Shea, M., & Alonso, A. D. (2012). Rusting on fans: Nurturing sport team identification via the creation of generational fandom - A case study. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 12(41306), 39-56. Available here

Abstract

A complex issue faced by sport marketers relates to how they nurture new generations of fans in a rapidly evolving sport/entertainment marketplace. The study examines this issue among marketers and CEOs of three professional sport organisations. The application of the psychological continuum model (PCM) is considered as a framework for understanding. The key emphasis was the organisations' capacity to 'rust on' new and traditional fans in order to nurture long-term allegiance. In a ferociously competitive marketplace, where sport brand diversity (more clubs) can create fan confusion and desertion, the traditional importance of club-fan bonds through 'rusting on' remains a focus.

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