ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research is to examine the impact of social media and sports fan engagement and explore whether social media engagement has a mediating effect on the relationship between fan engagement behaviour and fan loyalty. The research employed an explanatory research design to explain the cause-and-effective relationship among fan behaviour and fan loyalty. Self-administered questionnaires were employed in collecting the data. The target population for this study was fans of Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko, who were active on social media during the sample time frame. After a two and half month period of data collection, three hundred and twenty-five (325) questionnaires were valid for statistical analyses. The Partial Least Square (PLS) method was used to test the hypothesis. The study revealed that social media engagement has a positive and significant influence on fan behaviour and fan loyalty. Sport organisations predominantly use social media to increase their brand visibility and to develop fan relationships. The study found that loyalty in this population was more multifaceted than the unvarying consumer markets. Fans of the two clubs appeared to hold a higher sense of loyalty and control in their devotion to the club. The study contributes to new knowledge regarding the potential and limitations in the use of social media in marketing and relationships. The substantial use of social media seems to be primarily directed towards club’s visibility and relationship development. Social media usage is significant in improving fan loyalty in football clubs. The study provides evidence of how a fan’s behaviour and the club’s effort to engage via social media lead to fan loyalty and commitment.

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

            Chapter overview

This chapter provides a background to social media and sports fan engagement and presents the concept of social media and how it has evolved to the overall concept of engagement. Furthermore, the research gaps that this study seek to address are stated. The chapter also outlines the objectives and hypothesis of the study, purpose of the study, significance of the study, scope of the study and the chapter disposition.

            Background to the Study

Internet and Web 2.0 technologies have evolved and hence shifted the attention of organisations from outmoded forms of communicating marketing programmes like magazines, television, radio and newspapers to social media in order to better engage with  the public (Mangold & Faulds, 2009; Schulze, Scholer, & Skiera, 2014). Social media has gradually been adopted as an internet marketing tool within business (Michaelidous, Siamagka, & Christodoulides, 2011). Studies have shown and unravelled that Web 2.0 (social media) is a significant marketing tool and as such has continuously evolved over the past two decades (Deloitte, 2018; Hoffman, & Novak, 2012; Patino, Pitta, & Quinones, 2012). According to Eagleman (2013), social media is believed to be one of the fastest and proficient ways of growing a football club, communicating with fans and or national governing bodies of sports. It helps in facilitating, reinforcing consumption, accruing brand loyalty and fan retention (Kozinets, 2002; 2010). Then again, it is proven to be a giant catalyst for the footballing world and fans alike. It represents the easiest and fastest way to circulate information around the globe (PwC, 2018).

Not only has social media evolved, but has also offered a platform for sport clubs and management to interact and engage fans in real time (Meng, Stavros, & Westberg, 2015). As Vivek, Beatty, and Morgan (2012) note, in this day where social media is eminent, engagement has turned out to be the backbone of marketing, allowing consumers to be active members rather than being passive receivers. Based on the aforementioned, social media becomes a treasured marketing instrument, which permits satisfied consumers to make recommendations to prospective consumers (Boateng, 2014; Forbes & Vespoli, 2013). This also allows fans to be loyal and passionate about their teams irrespective of the club’s on- field performance and always recommend their preferred sport club to others.

Building on Keller (2013), social media offers enormous benefits for organisations. Lebel, Loving, and Campbell (2015) state that, sporting clubs utilise social media strategies to augment profit. Social media however offers football clubs with ground-breaking experiences and interactions to build rapport with fans outside the club’s home market (Stavros, Meng, Westberg, & Farrelly, 2014). Given the cumulative commercialisation of sports, it is not astonishing that clubs are impelled into the branding spotlight (Thompson et al., 2018). Therefore, the branding of sport clubs is seen as an essential fragment in guaranteeing achievement and maximising additional financial revenue (Bouchet et al., 2013). This is extremely possible since social media provides fans with the opportunity to find the latest sports information and also network with other fans (Hull & Lewis, 2014). Therefore, it is anticipated that Web 2.0 (social media) can create a chance for football clubs and fans to engage and interact based on the likes, shares, comments, tweets and retweets. Filo, Lock and Karg (2015) state that professional teams invest significant amount of resources and time into nurturing and maintaining fan engagement through social media. Deloitte (2018) asserts that

social media helps football clubs in accruing revenue and acquainting with prospective fans and setting up connections swiftly and smoothly.