Fan Loyalty in Soccer: A Delicate Balance Between Love and Rivalry

by Jon Scaccia February 5, 2024

I went to college with a guy named “Liam.” He was ostensibly a fan of Manchester United. But really, he just hated Liverpool.

Even now, the ratio of his anti-Liverpool vs. pro-Man U posts is something like 5 to 1. I think a lot about how his fandom is more against than for.

Generally, the depth of fan loyalty and the intensity of rivalries raise an intriguing question: Does a deep love for one’s team inevitably lead to hostility towards its rivals?

This blog explores insights from the research article, “Does loving a group mean hating its rivals? Exploring the relationship between ingroup cohesion and outgroup hostility among soccer fans” by Martha Newson, Fiona White, and Harvey Whitehouse, published in the International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology.

Identity Fusion and Fan Behavior

The research dives into the psychology of British soccer fans through online surveys and experiments. A key focus is on identity fusion – a strong sense of oneness with the team. The study uniquely assesses not just the link between this fusion and aggression towards rival groups but also the influence of age, gender, and perceived threats from these rivals.

Surprising Findings: Love Over Hate

Contrary to the expectation that strong group identification leads to increased hostility, the study reveals a more nuanced reality. Highly fused fans do show more hostility but prioritize benefiting their own group over harming others. This pivotal finding suggests that the primary drive is the love for their group rather than hatred for rivals.

Moderating Factors: Age and Perceived Threat

A fascinating trend emerged among older soccer fans. Those who were highly fused with their team – feeling a deep, visceral connection – did not uniformly express hostility towards rival teams. Instead, their tendency towards hostility was conditional, triggered specifically under situations they perceived as threatening.

What constitutes a ‘high-threat’ condition? It could be a rival team posing a significant challenge to their beloved team’s success or perhaps a historical rivalry that brings back intense, maybe even bitter, memories. In such scenarios, the deeply ingrained loyalty and identity fusion lead to a defensive stance, which manifests as hostility towards the outgroup.

This behavior underscores a critical interaction between age and perception in fan psychology. Older fans, with a longer history of supporting their team, have a wealth of experiences influencing their perception of threats. Their responses are not just reflections of present dynamics but are also deeply rooted in the history and legacy of past encounters and rivalries.

Implications: Towards Positive Fan Engagement

These insights are crucial for designing interventions to reduce intergroup hostility in sports. They suggest focusing on promoting positive ingroup actions rather than simply suppressing negative outgroup sentiments. Additionally, the research underscores the importance of considering demographic factors and perceived threats.

A New Understanding of Sports Fandom

This study challenges the simplistic idea that strong group identification automatically leads to rival hostility. It emphasizes the importance of identity fusion and other factors in shaping fan behavior, offering a fresh perspective on the complexities of sports fandom.

For Further Reading For those intrigued by the psychology of sports fandom, the full article offers a comprehensive and insightful exploration of these themes.

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