'If there is no football, then we have nothing to discuss': a phenomenological study on football fandom and COVID-19 pandemic
by Ekaterina Glebova; Fateme Zare; Michel Desbordes; Gabor Geczi
International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing (IJSMM), Vol. 23, No. 5, 2023

Abstract: This paper aims to identify and describe changes in football fans' lives brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Meeting at the intersection of football fandom and COVID-19, the objective of this study was to understand and describe how and why football fans experienced the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of their sports' spectating habits. The findings are structured around seven overlapping areas at the intersection of football fandom and COVID-19: 1) emotions; 2) socialising; 3) demand for technologies; 4) temporality; 5) stadium attendance; 6) benefits; 7) stability and changeability. Findings indicated that the pandemic has negatively affected fans' social and emotional responses, which increase the demand for technologies such as: immersive technologies, performance advanced analytics with user friendly interfaces, and e-sports. The findings could be useful to sports management professionals and allow them to build strategies to deliver better fan experiences in extraordinary circumstances.

Online publication date: Fri, 01-Sep-2023

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