Antecedents and Consequences of Sports Fans Engagement (Case of Persepolis F.C Fans)

In this study, some predictions and consequences of football fans' engagement have been examined. The present research is applied in terms of purpose and in terms of how to collect descriptive information of correlation type. To collect the required data, Persepolis football team fans (n = 220) were considered as a statistical sample and completed the electronic questionnaires voluntarily. To collect data from six questionnaires; Team Quality Questionnaire Zhang et al. (1997), Communication Quality Questionnaire Nyadzayo et al. (2015), Emotional Satisfaction Questionnaire Reynolds & Beatty (1999), Perceived Value Questionnaire Daniel Sweeney (2008), Engagement Questionnaire Researcher-made, Behavioral Questionnaire Kim (2008) has been used. The results of structural equation modeling showed that team quality affects emotional satisfaction and engagement of fans, but relationship quality only affects engagement. The relationship between emotional satisfaction and fan engagement as well as the relationship between engagement and behavioral intentions was positive and significant. The role of positive mediation of emotional satisfaction on the relationship between team quality and fan engagement was confirmed. Also, Perceived value moderated the causal relationship between relationship quality and emotional satisfaction. According to the results, it is suggested that the clubs, by improving the quality of their team and relationship with the fans, create a permanent engagement for them so that they can increase their intention to re-presence and word of mouth spread.