Funci´on de correlaci´on anis´otropa

The bottom right quadrant of the grid consists of high individual fortitude and high community support. This situation is distinct from that of the “village” because in this case the cultural/social environment may assume a stationary or passive, though enticing role. This is a particularly healthy situation for the firm because the product service is embedded inextricably within some portion of the consumers psyche, as well as his or her lifestyle. The consumable is part and parcel of the consumers self identity and his or her social identity, that is the person cannot conceive of him or herself as a whole without it. Oliver (1999) suggests that this quadrant represents the highest state of loyalty and that in this stage the consumer has reached a level of action loyalty. In this action loyalty phase the consumer is assumed to be in a state where they are committed to the action of repurchasing a brand or product and are prepared to overcome various obstacles that may prevent this act.

The situation described above would appear to mirror the relationship of many sporting fans to their favoured team. Sports fans are renowned for their high levels of attachment and involvement to sporting teams often devoting large portions of their time and money to following a clubs fortunes. Committed fans also show a willingness to overcome obstacles to their support, such as travelling significant distances to support their team or enduring the results of a particularly poorly performing team ((deteriorating brand performance)

more evidence.

The discussion of the “Immersed self identity” quadrant suggests that in this instance

the consumable is part and parcel of the consumers self identity and his or her social identity. In the sporting arena researchers have regularly drawn attention to the identification of the sporting fan.

Many authors conducting research in the area of sport fan behaviour have studied the degree of identification sports fans have with their team (fisher & Wakefield, 1998, Wann & Branscombe). Several authors have used the term Involvement to describe sport fans. This construct is described by Shank and Beasley (1998) as the perceived interest in and personal importance of sports to an individual., while it is defined by Bahk (2000) as the significance of sport spectating for the fan in everyday life.(ref1)”

Roese and Manieri describe (1997) the strength of fan attitudes and how for many people sport spectating represents “one of the most passionate and intense of human endeavours, utterly dominating affect and cognition for short periods of time”

Guttman (1986) describes some sport fans as “emotionally committed consumers of sporting events”

Reeden et al (2000) describe the fanatical stance that some sport supporters take towards their chosen team.

This tendency for some supporters to become highly identified has led to sport related researchers exploring the work relating to social identity theory as a means to explaining fan loyalty. Research has found that individuals who are emotionally involved devotees to a team or club are far more likely to repurchase that teams match tickets and to evaluate that product or experience more positively. This high level of involvement with a sporting club is often linked to high levels of identity salience. Salient identities are those that are an important part of who we are and ones we display routinely.

A study by Arnett (2000) found that a sporting fans level of identity salience was the best predictor in relation to a fans decision to purchase a chosen teams match tickets.

Arnett found that while other factors such as satisfaction with the product/service were important in fan ticket purchase behaviour, identity salience was a much greater influence in this area. With specific reference to sporting fans the level of identity salience an individual possesses with regard to their favourite club has been termed the degree to which they hold a ”fan identity”.

Formation of Fan Identities

While the work conducted by Oliver and the “immersed self-identity” quadrant described above appears to closely depict the relationship fans have with their sporting teams, it does however fail to explain how and why consumers develop identities linked to consumer brands or sporting teams.

In attempting to explain why fans form such deep ceded bonds with sporting clubs Arnett

suggests that the act of being a "fan" can be a personalized role, a part of the self, and, therefore, a vehicle by which people can maintain their self-concept. Fans that form an identity related to a club may experience strong feelings associated with "their" club and may feel a sense of

posited that high levels of attachment enhance identity salience. Thus, the more attachment a person feels to a club, the more important that identity becomes to their sense of self.

Research into the formation of sports related “fan identities” is in its infancy, the key forces that influence sporting fan identities are in the main as yet to be explored.

However assessment of the research related to the formation of salient identities, and loyalty formation in general consumer settings provides a number of potential factors which may influence the creation of “fan identities”,

According to authors researching identity salience, socialisation is a key factor in influence in this process

Identity salience is likely to influenced by social ties and the use of identity related products. There is a great deal of evidence supporting the relationship between social connections and identity salience . (Arnett 2000)

Socialization

It is not at all unreasonable to assume that individuals become fans through socialization,

primarily by friends and family. This socialisation into sport fanship would appear to occur on two distinct levels – socialisation into sport in general, and socialisation into team/brand loyalty. Sport Socialisation

It is possible that fanship can be traced back to childhood sports socialization. While it once would have been fair to say that sport fans were predominantly male, it is not necessarily true today. However, boys especially are traditionally socialized into sports at a young age (Chorbajian, 1978; Smith, 1979). Boys are introduced to athletics at early ages, through both parental influences and marketing means, such as bedding and clothing, which are likely to have athletic themes or

emblems on them (Chorbajian, 1978). Other socialization agents which make a strong contribution to sport socialization include the community, toys, peers and role models (Giuliano, Popp & Knight 2000).

Team Socialisation

Individuals are socialised into fanship of particular teams by a number of sources, however it is likely that the most influential group in this area is the immediate family.

The intergenerational family influence of parents or relatives has been suggested as an influential component in building brand loyalty in general consumer settings (Sheth et al 1999 )

For example a consumer who, as a child, saw his/her parents consistently purchase Kenmore appliances, might be expected to accept his/her parents history with that brand as evidence of the superiority, dependability or value of the Kenmore brand and thus those children as adults are more likely to be loyal to the Kenmore brand. (Sebastian & Bristow2001)).

This form of socialization is one which is likely to be particularly relevant with regard to the development of sport fan loyalty.

A child’s witnessing of a parent or relatives devotion to a chosen team is likely to have a

significant impact on their attitudes towards that team, particularly if the adult figure is a dedicated fan. Much as in the example used above a child consistently viewing their parents allegiance to Liverpool FC, may take this as evidence of the clubs superiority and strength and thus would be more likely to be brand loyal to the club in their adulthood.

The parent or relative may further their influence by attempting to push their team of choice on the child. This can be achieved by escorting the child to a teams matches or by purchasing the child any number of team related items.

A common method currently used by adults to socialise their children into fanship, and indeed display their own loyalty to a team, is to deck their children out in the replica kits of their chosen club, manufacturers have made this a possibility by producing garments small enough to fit children as young as two years of age.

The work of Sheth also provides some impetus into the formation of fan identities. Sheths loyalty model depicted three fundamental concepts that contribute to a consumers brand loyalty.

Perceived brand performance fit

Social and Emotional identification with the brand Habit and long history with the brand

FIG 4

Sheth suggests social and emotional identification with the brand as a key component in brand loyalty, in much the same way Oliver asserts this is the case with relation to the Immersed Self identity quadrant.

Perhaps more significant however is the final construct proposed by Sheth, that of habit and long history with the brand, a construct likely to be a driver in this identification.

Habit and History

Habit and History with a sporting club is also likely to be a major contributor in the creation of the die hard sporting fan.

Because sporting clubs are in the main located in a fixed position (except in the case of stadium relocation) they have a relatively stable base of consumers and thus the ability to build long lasting and meaningful relationships with the sporting supporters in their geographical region..

It is natural that consumers interested in a particular sport become attached to the first and most accessible team they encounter, a process that most usually occurs during an individuals

childhood. The media bias towards local clubs and the proximity to the local clubs stadiums will often mean that an individuals “hometown” or local team is the club with which the individual makes these first attachments and thus the club which they build an allegiance to. It is also likely that the longer an individual lives in close proximity to a chosen club and is an active supporter of

Perceived brand Performance Fit

Social /emotional Identification with the brand

Habit/ history with the brand

Attitude/ toward, Likeability of the brand Repeat Purchase of the brand Customer brand Loyalty

this club the stronger the ties will become with this club, and the less likely the individual will be to change allegiance to a rival team.

A 2001 premier league survey provides some evidence to the role of habit and history in fan creation. This study found that of season ticket holders, across all clubs, around 90% of fans had supported their club in excess of five years, with many having supported for a much longer time period.

FIG 5

Conceptualizing loyalty formation as based on the Self Identity Theory

In the situation depicted above the consumer builds a strong relationship and identification to the club based on socialisation, habit and history. The core product provides the impetus for the consumers identification, however the clubs environment may also further attract the consumer to the club, and further heighten identification levels. This connection between the consumer and

Socialisation

Habit

History

Fit with clubs environment

Identification with the club

Loyalty Repeat

both the clubs core product and club environment stimulates continued repeat purchasing and further loyalty.