The role of social networks in the team identity of fans of Iran's Premier League football teams with the mediating role of controlling team corruption

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Msc, Department of Sports Management, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Sports Management, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.

3 Ph.D, Department of Sports Management, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

Abstract

The aim of the current research was to investigate the role of social networks in the team identity of fans of Iran's Premier League football teams with the mediating role of controlling team corruption. This research was quantitative and its approach was correlational. The statistical population of the present study included all the fans of the Premier League football teams. The sample size was estimated to be 270 using Haier et al.'s approach, and to ensure reliability, 300 questionnaires were collected, of which 272 questionnaires were fully answered and analyzed. The random sampling method was simple. The measurement tools of the research included three questionnaires of social networks (Jahanbani, 2017), reduction of team corruption (Zare et al., 2015) and team identity (Shojaei et al., 2016), which content and form validity were confirmed (12 people). In this research, frequency, mean, standard deviation and multiple regression (structural equations) tests were used for data analysis with the help of SPSS and SmartPLS3 software. The results showed that social networks (0.57) and team corruption control (0.42) had a significant effect on the fans' team identity, and social networks (0.64) had a significant effect on corruption control. The findings indicated that sports teams can establish disciplinary systems to encourage or punish players, formulate efficient rules and regulations in league transfers, prevent corruption in the process of recruiting players, and provide transparent facilities to players and team managers. provide the ground for team identification of sports fans.

Keywords

Main Subjects


Abadgar, M., Ramzaninezhad, R., & Basharti Moghadam, M. (2023). Comparative analysis of social responsibility and team identity of fans of Persepolis and Esteghlal clubs in Tehran, 8th National Sports and Health Studies Conference, Tehran, (In Persian). https://civilica.com/doc/1988753
Abbaspour, H., & Arfai Moghadam, A.M (2019). Explaining the relationship between social networks and collective identity (case study: students of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 2017-2018). Master's thesis, Hakim Sabzevari University, Faculty of Literature and Human Sciences (In Persian).
Afzali Mousavi, S.M., Ashraf Ganjoi, F., & Zarei, A (2022). Identifying the factors affecting the emergence and spread of moral corruption and its control methods, Razi Journal of Medical Sciences, 29 (11), 213-221 (In Persian). SID. https://sid.ir/paper/1122765/fa
Akbari Yazdi, H., Latifi Fard, M., & Yadgari, A (2021). Identity, fandom and social media: Investigating the effect of team identity on the second page behavior of Iranian Premier League fans. Sociological and managerial analyzes in sports, 2(5), 59-84 (In Persian). Argan, m., özgen, c., sabri, k. A. Y. A., & tufanov, i. (2019). Influence of team-based trust and team identification on behavioral loyalty: a study of soccer fans. Gazi beden eğitimi ve spor bilimleri dergisi, 24(4), 199-214.
Bashiri, S., & Saii, M (1400). The role of social networks on the fight against financial administrative corruption (an examination of the views of Tehran University of Science and Research students). Political Studies Quarterly, 13(52), 53-79 (In Persian). https://journals.iau.ir/article_684979.html
Benthaus, j., risius, m., & beck, r. (2016). Social media management strategies for organizational impression management and their effect on public perception. The journal of strategic information systems, 25(2), 127-139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsis.2015.12.001
Browning, b., & sanderson, j. (2012). The positives and negatives of twitter: exploring how student-athletes use twitter and respond to critical tweets. International journal of sport communication, 5(4), 503-521. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsc.5.4.503
Bruner, M. W., Mclaren, C. D., Mertens, N., Steffens, N. K., Boen, F., Mckenzie, L.,... & Fransen, K. (2022). Identity leadership and social identification within sport teams over a season: a social network analysis. Psychology of sport and exercise, 59, 102-106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.102106
Ciziceno, m., & travaglino, g. A. (2019). Perceived corruption and individuals’ life satisfaction: the mediating role of institutional trust. Social indicators research, 141(2), 685-701. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12233
Collins, d. R., heere, b., shapiro, s., ridinger, l., & wear, h. (2016). The displaced fan: the importance of new media and community identification for maintaining team identity with your hometown team. European sport management quarterly, 16(5), 655-674. https://doi.org/10.1080/16184742.2016.1200643
Dees, w., walsh, p., mcevoy, c. D., mckelvey, s., mullin, b. J., hardy, s., & sutton, w. A. (2021). Sport marketing. Human kinetics.
Eagleman, a. N., & krohn, b. D. (2012). Sponsorship awareness, attitudes, and purchase intentions of road race series participants. Sport marketing quarterly, 21(4), 210. 222.
Funk, d. C., alexandris, k., & mcdonald, h. (2022). Sport team identification. In sport consumer behaviour (pp. 229-245). Routledge.
Gorse, s., & chadwick, s. (2011). The prevalence of corruption in international sport. A statistical analysis. Consultancy report for the remote gambling association. http://www.jogoseguro.pt/wp-content/uploads/2017/01.
Heidari, e., salimi, g., & mehrvarz, m. (2023). The influence of online social networks and online social capital on constructing a new graduate students’ professional identity. Interactive learning environments, 31(1), 214-231. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2020.1769682
Heidari, N., Hakakzadeh, M., & Manochehrinejad, M (2021). Economic development of the sports industry using social networks with the approach of hybrid plans and ISM modeling (interpretive structural modeling). Communication Management in Sports Media, 9(1), 71-86 (In Persian).
Jahantigh, S. (2019). Capabilities of social networks in the development of sports business. the second national conference of new ideas in business management, Tehran (In Persian). https://civilica.com/doc/949849/
Katz, m., baker, t. A., & du, h. (2020). Team identity, supporter club identity, and fan relationships: a brand community network analysis of a soccer supporters club. Journal of sport management, 34(1), 9-21. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.2018-0344
Lee, c., bang, h., & lee, d. (2013). Regaining fans' trust after negative incidents: fit between responses and nature of incidents. Sport marketing quarterly, 22(4), 235-246. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Cindy-Lee-13/publication.
Macpherson, e., & kerr, g. (2021). Sport fans’ responses on social media to professional athletes’ norm violations. International journal of sport and exercise psychology, 19(1), 102-119. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2019.1623283
Manoli, a. E., & janečić, d. (2021). Challenges to the role of media in reporting sport corruption: insights from reporters in balkan countries. International review for the sociology of sport, 56(6), 842-858. https://doi.org/10.1177/101269022096728
Mansouri, H., Rezaei, Z., Roozfarakh, A., & Abdulahi, M.H (2021). The relationship between team social responsibility and patronage intention of Premier League soccer fans: The moderating role of team identity. Studies in Sport Psychology, 10(38), 187-206 (In Persian). https://doi.org/10.22089/spsyj.2021.10482.2160
Mohammadi, M., & Dehghani, M (2023). The role of team identity in the pleasurable experience and intention of football fans to revisit Esteghlal Club's website. Communication Management in Sports Media, 10(3),  99-113  (In Persian).
Mousavi, S.Z., & Senjari, T (2021). Investigating the relationship between social networks and its impact on students' religious identity, the second national conference on student life with an emphasis on leisure, resilience and health, Hamedan, (In Persian). https://civilica.com/doc/1544653
Najafi Yengjeh, R., Janami, F., Taqvi Rafsanjani, E., & Saifullahi, A (2022). Examining the role of social networks on the image and identity of the team in the selected clubs of the Premier Football League of Iran, Journal of Sport Sciences, currently being published (In Persian).
Naseri, A., Yousefi, B., Hasani, Z., & Khazaei, A.A (2022). Analysis of network corruption in sports with Delphi-fuzzy approach. Organizational Behavior Management Studies in Sports, 9(1), 89-104 (In Persian). https://doi.org/10.30473/fmss.2022.62891.2400
Newman, T., Peck, J. F., Harris, C., & Wilhide, B. (2013). Introduction to principles of sport communication, marketing, and social media. Social media in sport marketing. Arizona, usa: holcomb hathaway publishers. MacPherson. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315212975
Pollack, j. S. (2022). The effects of social identity and team size on self-and collective efficacy in competition. (doctoral dissertation, Grand Canyon university). https://www.proquest.com/openview
Rahimizadeh, M (2021). Strategies and consequences of e-commerce in Iran's sports industry. Sports Management Journal, 13(4), 1071-1091 (In Persian). https://doi.org/10.22059/jsm.2021.223562.1752
Robinson, s., & parry, j. (2017). The impact of corruption on individual athletes, teams, and organisations. In corruption in sport (pp. 91-109). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit.
Schivinski, B., & dabrowski, D. (2015). The impact of brand communication on brand equity through facebook. Journal of research in interactive marketing, 9(1), 31-53. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIM-02-2014-0007
Seifpanahi Shabani, J., Khosromanesh, R., & Brakhas, H. (2022). Designing a model factors affecting on the sport Performance and success of football clubs. New Trends in Sport Management, 9(35), 161-177.
Shafiee,S., Zareian, H. & Brakhas Ghormish, H. (2017). The Effect of Business Intelligence on Financial Performance through Innovation and Brand Success (The Case Study: Private Sports Clubs in Rasht. Sport Management Studies, 9(41), 127-146. doi: 10.22089/smrj.2017.918
Shah, E. J., Fransen, k., Slater, M. J., & Barker, J. B. (2022). The impact of intra-team communication and support relationships on team identification and collective efficacy in elite team sport: a social network analysis. International journal of sport and exercise psychology, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2022.2084761
Shahidi, A.A (2019). The effect of membership in social networks on the levels of identification and feeling of social security of teenagers. Theological Belief Researches (Islamic Sciences), 9(35), 143-152 (In Persian).
Stathopoulou, a., quansah, t. K., & balabanis, g. (2022). The blinding effects of team identification on sports corruption: cross-cultural evidence from sub-saharan african countries. Journal of business ethics, 179(2), 511-529. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-021-04822-3
The business research company. (2020). Sports global market report 2021. Https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/ sports-global-market-report.
Yen, C. T. N. (2023). The role of mass media in vietnam’s anti-corruption campaign nowadays. European science review, (1-2), 15-21. https://doi.org/10.29013/ESR-23-1.2-15-21
Zaki, M., & Nasiri, M (2022). Meta-analysis of effective factors on corruption control in Iranian sports organizations. Strategic Studies of Sports and Youth, 21(58), 201-222 (In Persian). https://doi.org/10.22034/ssys.2022.1780.2264
Zare, A., & Heydarinezhad, S., Shirali, R (2015). The effect of mass media on the control of corruption in football. Communication Management in Sports Media, 3(4), 11-24 (In Persian). https://doi.org/20.1001.1.23455578.1395.3.4.1.1
Zarei, A., & Mohammadi, S (2022). The effect of marketing activities based on social networks on fans' intention to attend with the mediating role of team identity and satisfaction (a case study of Esteghlal's Instagram page). New Media Studies, 8(32), 277-300 (In Persian). https://doi.org/10.22054/nms.2022.55600.1057