Fan Cultural Competencies in Football
Subject Areas : Sports Management Studies
Salmann Azarbayejani
1
(Department of Cultural Planning and Management. Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch. Islamic Azad University. Isfahan. Iran.)
Saeed Sharifi
2
(Department of Cultural Planning and Management. Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch. Islamic Azad University. Isfahan. Iran.)
Ali Rashipoor
3
(Department of Cultural Planning and Management. Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch. Islamic Azad University. Isfahan. Iran.)
Keywords: Support, Support Culture, Football, Cultural Competencies.,
Abstract :
Objective: Considering that football, as a popular sport, is based on the supporter's axis, the importance of supporter's cultural competence has become an important issue despite the presence of multicultural environments. In order to understand it, the present study aims to analyze the lived experience of fans in football. Fan cultural competencies have become an important issue due to the fan-centric nature of football as a popular sport on the one hand and the importance of competencies in multicultural environments. To understand it, the present study intends to analyze the lived experience of fans in the sport of football. Accordingly, the purpose of phenomenological research is the lived experience of fans in football in the field of understanding the cultural competencies of fans. Methodology: The phenomenological research method is descriptive and based on the collage model. The research community was members of the Sepahan Isfahan Sports Fans Association and the club's cultural directors of these, 20 research samples were saturated. The purposive sampling method was standard dependent and inconsistent. The data collection tool was a semi-structured interview. The validity of the data was verified through external auditors, in-depth descriptions, return to interviewees, and two coders. Results: After implementing information and coding the data, the research findings were classified into three categories including cognitive, emotional and behavioral competencies. Cognitive competencies include advocacy literacy development, awareness gap control, avoidance of social and cultural bias, strengthening positive cultural memory and attitudes, and behavioral competencies including cultural self-efficacy, cultural monitoring, role modeling and social and cultural responsibility, and emotional competencies including emotional capital development, strengthens self-will, reproduces the culture of youth and strengthens women's culture. Conclusion: The cultural competences of the fans will be one of the main prerequisites of sports with the breadth and cultural diversity resulting from multicultural environments. The growing trend of cultural and sports clubs' fan centers trying to turn ordinary people into professional fans increases the need to pay attention to these skills. There is a capacity of sports enthusiasts to accept the fan club as a value-added feature for the sports club. Paying attention to cultural competencies creates a competitive advantage for the clubs that develop the fan base.
