Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 Department of Physical Education, Mal.C., Islamic Azad University, Malayer, Iran
2 Department of Physical Education, Ha.C., Islamic Azad University, Hamedan, Iran
Abstract
this research was conducted with the aim of developing a model of antecedents and consequences of fan-club relationship quality management in the context of the Iranian Football Premier League. The research method was qualitative-exploratory, employing thematic analysis as the primary strategy. The research population consisted of experts and key informants in professional football (club managers and deputies, fan relationship officers, sports marketing specialists, and faculty members), who were selected via purposive sampling followed by snowball sampling; the sample size was determined at 17 individuals based on theoretical saturation. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews. To ensure validity and reliability/trustworthiness, the criteria of credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability were utilized. Thematic analysis was conducted based on Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase framework.
The findings led to the extraction of 76 basic themes, 16 organizing themes, and 3 global themes: Relationship Quality Antecedents (Structural–Managerial Tactics, Communicational & Media Governance, Participation Mechanisms & Fan Voice, Socio–Emotional Tactics, Fan Experience & Contact Quality, Economic–Incentive Tactics, Justice & Authenticity in Benefits); Relationship Quality Process (Institutional Trust, Credibility & Club Reliability, Affective Commitment, Continuance & Normative Commitment, Intimacy & Unity, Identification & Meaning Co-creation); and Relationship Quality Consequences (Behavioral Loyalty, Fan Citizenship Behavior, Resilience & Sustainable Value Creation). These results indicate that relationship quality in Iranian football is a multilayered and governance-oriented process that achieves sustainable socio-economic outcomes through the path of trust, reliability, and identification. Therefore, it is suggested that clubs transition from campaign-based management to systematic relationship management by institutionalizing transparency, accountability, genuine fan participation, standardization of match-day experiences, and monitoring of relationship-oriented indicators.
Keywords
- Institutional Trust
- Fan Identification
- Customer Citizenship Behavior
- Professional Sports
- Thematic Analysis
Main Subjects
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