Unveiling the Intersection of Individual Stardom and Team Loyalty in Social Network Reflections: The Case of Soccer-Stars Ronaldo and Messi

Tsahi Hayat; Tal Samuel-Azran; Tal Laor; Yair Galily

doi:10.1177/00027642241261201

Unveiling the Intersection of Individual Stardom and Team Loyalty in Social Network Reflections: The Case of Soccer-Stars Ronaldo and Messi

Tsahi Hayat, Tal Samuel-Azran, Tal Laor, Yair Galily

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This study investigates sport fandom’s major dimensions: star attraction and team identification, analyzing transfers of soccer players Ronaldo and Messi. Data from teams’ official social media (Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X) using scripts inform our analysis. Results reveal star attraction’s significant prominence over team identification. Instagram, linked to celebrity culture and star fandom, displays the highest online growth, emphasizing star attraction’s centrality in sport fandom on social media. Implications for fans, teams, and marketers are discussed, emphasizing the need for nuanced understanding to enhance engagement and marketing. Overall, valuable insights into sport fandom’s complex dynamics in the social media age emerge.

Original language	English
Journal	American Behavioral Scientist
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/00027642241261201
State	Accepted/In press - 1 Jan 2024
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

fandom
soccer
social media
social networks analysis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Social Psychology
Cultural Studies
Education
Sociology and Political Science
General Social Sciences

Access to Document

10.1177/00027642241261201

Cite this

@article{90bb449fc2614ddea5eb1b57bb8b94c0,

title = "Unveiling the Intersection of Individual Stardom and Team Loyalty in Social Network Reflections: The Case of Soccer-Stars Ronaldo and Messi",

abstract = "This study investigates sport fandom{\textquoteright}s major dimensions: star attraction and team identification, analyzing transfers of soccer players Ronaldo and Messi. Data from teams{\textquoteright} official social media (Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X) using scripts inform our analysis. Results reveal star attraction{\textquoteright}s significant prominence over team identification. Instagram, linked to celebrity culture and star fandom, displays the highest online growth, emphasizing star attraction{\textquoteright}s centrality in sport fandom on social media. Implications for fans, teams, and marketers are discussed, emphasizing the need for nuanced understanding to enhance engagement and marketing. Overall, valuable insights into sport fandom{\textquoteright}s complex dynamics in the social media age emerge.",

keywords = "fandom, soccer, social media, social networks analysis",

author = "Tsahi Hayat and Tal Samuel-Azran and Tal Laor and Yair Galily",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 SAGE Publications.",

year = "2024",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1177/00027642241261201",

language = "English",

journal = "American Behavioral Scientist",

issn = "0002-7642",

publisher = "SAGE Publications Inc.",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Unveiling the Intersection of Individual Stardom and Team Loyalty in Social Network Reflections

T2 - The Case of Soccer-Stars Ronaldo and Messi

AU - Hayat, Tsahi

AU - Samuel-Azran, Tal

AU - Laor, Tal

AU - Galily, Yair

PY - 2024/1/1

Y1 - 2024/1/1

N2 - This study investigates sport fandom’s major dimensions: star attraction and team identification, analyzing transfers of soccer players Ronaldo and Messi. Data from teams’ official social media (Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X) using scripts inform our analysis. Results reveal star attraction’s significant prominence over team identification. Instagram, linked to celebrity culture and star fandom, displays the highest online growth, emphasizing star attraction’s centrality in sport fandom on social media. Implications for fans, teams, and marketers are discussed, emphasizing the need for nuanced understanding to enhance engagement and marketing. Overall, valuable insights into sport fandom’s complex dynamics in the social media age emerge.

AB - This study investigates sport fandom’s major dimensions: star attraction and team identification, analyzing transfers of soccer players Ronaldo and Messi. Data from teams’ official social media (Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X) using scripts inform our analysis. Results reveal star attraction’s significant prominence over team identification. Instagram, linked to celebrity culture and star fandom, displays the highest online growth, emphasizing star attraction’s centrality in sport fandom on social media. Implications for fans, teams, and marketers are discussed, emphasizing the need for nuanced understanding to enhance engagement and marketing. Overall, valuable insights into sport fandom’s complex dynamics in the social media age emerge.

KW - fandom

KW - soccer

KW - social media

KW - social networks analysis

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85196651033&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1177/00027642241261201

DO - 10.1177/00027642241261201

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85196651033

SN - 0002-7642

JO - American Behavioral Scientist

JF - American Behavioral Scientist

ER -

Unveiling the Intersection of Individual Stardom and Team Loyalty in Social Network Reflections: The Case of Soccer-Stars Ronaldo and Messi

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this