Gender Differences in Sport Fans: A Replication and Extension
Keywords:
sport fans; gender; sport fan identityAbstract
The purpose of this study was to assess whether there are differences in male and female sport fans. This study replicated and extended the study by Dietz-Uhler, Harrick, End, and Jacquemotte (2000) conducted twenty years ago. Participants completed a questionnaire to assess whether they categorized themselves as sport fans, their sport knowledge, the sport fan behaviors they displayed, and the degree of sport fan identification. Unlike the previous study, results showed that males were more likely than females to consider themselves a fan of sport. Males also reported thinking of themselves as more authentic sport fans than females, as possessing more sport knowledge than females, and engaging in more traditional sport-fan behaviors than females. Males and females did not differ significantly in their reasons for being a sport fan, which was also different from the previous findings. Exploratory mediational analyses revealed that the degree of sport fan identification explains gender differences in sport-fan behaviors. Implications for these results focus on measurement issues related sport fan identity and behavior, with an eye toward a greater focus on females’ experiences as sport fans.
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