The effect of sports motivations on the perception of fans' behavior with the mediating role of relationship quality in karate athletes in Alborz province

The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of sports motivation on the perception of fans' behavior in karate athletes of Alborz province. This research is descriptive and correlational based on the structural equation model and applied in terms of purpose. The statistical population of this research includes karate athletes of Alborz province. A large number of athletes in this province are actively involved in karate. Due to the variety of different styles of martial arts in karate, the number of athletes is infinite. For sampling in this research, proportional sampling method was used based on the number of structural equation model variables. Based on this, 5 to 10 participants were randomly selected for each athlete. In addition, at least 200 participants were considered to cover all variables. To avoid sample attrition, a total of 237 questionnaires were distributed among the respondents using non-probability quota sampling. The questionnaire was used by Paek et al (2020) as a data collection tool in this research. The validity and reliability of this questionnaire has already been confirmed. SPSS and Lisrel software were used for data analysis.
The success of professional sports depends a lot on the relationship with its fans. The quality of the relationship between fans and athletes creates a sense of empathy and strengthens team and individual performance. Since every fan always wishes to see his team win and likes to watch his team win, then the effect of the relationship between spectators and athletes should be taken care of. In the research conducted by Paek et al (2021), it was found that "relationship quality" mediates the relationship between emotional motivations and behavioral goals and has five components of trust, commitment, intimacy, co-identity and mutual influence. Karate is one of the most popular sports in Iran and the world, and the Iranian Karate Super League is one of the top leagues in the world. This sport, like other sports, has many fans whose behavior has a great impact on athletes and their performance. The role that sports motivations can have on the perception of fans' behavior and also the quality of the relationship on the perception of fans' behavior; It prompted the researcher to conduct a study on the effect of brother's sporting motivations on fans' behavior through the mediation of relationship quality. Considering the importance of each of the mentioned variables, to achieve the positive behavior of the fans and the research gap that exists in the mentioned subject, especially in the sports field of karate.
According to the research findings, the results show that sports motivations have a positive and significant effect on the quality of the relationship (t value = 16.7, β value = 0.57) and also on the perception of fans' behavior. = 37.5, β value = 0.47). The mediating role of relationship quality in the relationship between sports motivations and the perception of fans' behavior has also been confirmed, and also the mediating model of relationship quality in the effect of sports motivations on the perception of fans' behavior in karate athletes of Alborz province has a good fit, and also the amount of the direct effect of sports motivations on The perception of fans' behavior is equal to 0.47, and the indirect effect of Bradarock's sports motives on the fans' behavior is equal to 0.216, and the total effect of sports motives on the perception of fans' behavior is estimated to be 0.686. Therefore, it is inferred that by increasing one standard deviation in the scores of sports motivations, the scores of the perception of fans' behavior directly by 0.47 standard deviation, indirectly and through the quality of the relationship by 0.216 and overall by 0.686 standard deviation will increase.
Currently, the sports environment needs innovation and new ideas more than ever. Spectators and fans, like athletes, are the main customers of sports and their presence in sports competitions is very important. However, little research has been conducted on the motivations of sports fans. In order to attract acceptable behavior of fans, it is necessary to strengthen their cognitive and emotional motivations. Communication with other compatriots is also an important factor in the presence of fans in stadiums, and establishing this communication depends on the motivation of people. No communication can be established without common points, and in such communication, common sporting motives and the quality of communication are very important.
In sports communication, the existence of common sports motives and the quality of communication are very important. Improving the feeling of sports nostalgia and paying attention to the quality of services and knowledge management can increase the desire of fans to attend the stadium. Also, the presence of spectators in the stadium has a positive effect on the performance of athletes. Creating a fit between the team brand and the charitable marketing program can strengthen the positive attitude of the fans and increase their desire to buy products and attend the stadium. Social media plays an important role in identifying and fostering passion, hope, confidence and camaraderie among fans. Also, sports and participation in physical activities for women lead to increased sense of power, belonging and feminist reconstruction. By doing sports, women can increase their self-confidence and self-esteem and improve their life control. By having sports motivation and strengthening its components in people, the quality of relationship and communication with the people around them is improved. Factors such as trust, commitment, sincerity and belief in one's own ability in people strengthen their ability to advance sports goals and obtain desired knowledge. Also, today, due to the existence of the Internet and various websites, access to sports information has become easier. However, television is considered as a very effective media in attracting fans.
It can be concluded that having sports motivation and strengthening related factors helps it. To improve the quality of relationships and communicate more effectively with others. This shows that sports motivations can be an important factor in social interactions and human relations in the field of sports. By increasing sports motivation and strengthening its components, people can get better results in their sports and daily life. This research shows that karate athletes can improve the quality of their communication with fans and have more effective communication with them by having strong sports motivations and strengthening its components. In general, based on the findings of this research, paying attention to sports motivations and strengthening them in karate athletes and other athletes can lead to improving the quality of communication with others and increasing social interactions.