Group identity theory suggests that fans of sports teams see themselves as members of an organization, not just consumers of a product. To foster greater loyalty toward a sports team, managers should concentrate on strengthening fans’ team identity. One way to accomplish this goal is to recognize that a team identity is more than an association with a collection of athletes and coaches or an association with other fans. A team identity can also be symbolic of other types of group identities. Two main types of external group identities are demographic categories and membership organizations. Identifying the external group identities that a sports team is believed to represent and then aligning more closely with key external group identities provides managers with an opportunity to strengthen fans’ team identity and, consequently, their loyalty to a team.

Research question: Existing team identification research uses various definitions, conceptualisations, and theoretical frameworks. In this paper, we provide a theoretical analysis of previous research using the two dominant theoretical approaches: identity theory and the social identity approach. Our primary purpose is to provide a theoretical framework for the on-going study of 'team' identification in sport management research. Findings:Scholars have used identity theory (role) and the social identity approach (group) in their quest to understand team identification, however, limited attention has been paid to the differences between the two frameworks. We focus on two aspects of role and group Team identification Page 2 of 44 identification that epitomize divergence in terms of analytical focus and explanations for behavior: the basis for identification and salience.Implications. The manuscript concludes with three recommendations for future research.First, with the aim of making future research more specific, we recommend the use of fan (spectator) identification in studies using identity theory and team identification (organisation / brand) in studies exploring the influence of group identity. Second, we outline definitions for role (fan) and group (team) identification in sport research. Finally, we reflect on the measurement of team identification.

Brand community research has gained prominence over the past decade due to the increasing complexities of modern business and the goal of remaining profitable. As a result, "more and more companies are attempting to build deep, meaningful, long-term relationships with their customers" (Bhattacharya and Sen 2003, p. 76). In an effort to foster such relationships, researchers have proposed a communal approach to consumption (Cova and Pace 2006). A classic example of this community-based consumption is the subculture formed by Harley-Davidson devotees (Schouten and McAlexander 1995). Schouten and McAlexander (1995) were drawn to the thought that a single product (i.e., the Harley-Davidson motorcycle) defined a distinctive, homogeneous, and enduring subculture. The behavior of consumers driven by similar passions to form a group has come to the forefront as an object of study with relevance for marketing researchers (Cova and Pace 2006). The study of brand communities has revealed (in the aggregate) that these specialized subcultures enable an organization to better communicate, establish, and foster rich consumer relationships. Moreover, such relationships have been found to significantly and positively affect consumer behavior (e.g., Carlson, Suter, and Brown 2008;Homburg, Wieseke, and Hoyer 2009).From a sociological perspective, considerable progress has been made in examining both the existence and characteristics of brand communities (Luedicke 2006;Moore and Mazvancheryl 1996;Muniz and O'Guinn 2001;Schouten and McAlexander 1995) and the psychological connections consumers develop with these communities (Algesheimer, Dholakia, and Herrmann 2005;Carlson, Suter, and Brown 2008;McAlexander, Schouten, and Koenig 2002). Currently, however, the relationship between the brand community and the consumer has been examined as if it existed in a vacuum, unaffected by the identity process a consumer has with other communities. Little attention has been paid to the way in which consumers identify with other communities or how this process influences the way they identify with the focal brand community. This comes as a bit of a surprise since identification with other communities (e.g., religion or nation) should be assumed to influence brand perceptions and subsequently the decisional processes required to become part of a brand community.The purpose of this study was to measure consumer identification with several (brand) communities using a multidimensional psychometric community identity instrument grounded in social identity theory. Use of such instrumentation allowed the authors to examine how consumer identification with associated communities affected identification with the brand community. Data were collected on four different community identities (college football team, university, city, state) among students at the three major Florida universities. Results indicated that identification with the respective teams was affected by identification with other communities surrounding the team. This interplay among communit...

A consumer's loyalty to a specific sport team is longitudinal in nature. This longitudinal study examines the effects of consumers' attitudinal constructs (team identification, associated attachment points, consumer satisfaction, and behavioral intentions) on behavioral loyalty in the context of a professional soccer event. To test the proposed relationships, the authors assess the impact of consumers' self-reported measures (Time 1) on actual attendance frequency in the first half (Time 2) and the second half (Time 3) of the season. The results indicate that fan community attachment is the only construct that can predict attendance frequency over a longer period of time while team identification, satisfaction and behavioral intentions are not significant predictors of attendance frequency throughout the season. The theoretical model and results reinforce the importance of fan community attachment toward longitudinal attendance frequency and add new insights into the predictive validity of some of the attitudinal marketing measures in the field of sport management.At the very essence of each professional sport team's existence is the objective to acquire and maintain the support of a devoted fan base that will consume the team's service on a consistent basis. Fan consumption not only drives attendance but is also at the heart of media consumption, merchandise sales, and sponsorship. As such, the development of a fan base that is willing to consistently repurchase the product or service is crucial to each professional sport team. This is particularly challenging within the sport setting, because unlike most entertainment properties (e.g., movies, theater, etc.), sport teams cannot guarantee a quality performance. Fans might be disappointed after a game if their team loses or performs poorly. Therefore, understanding the process behind repeat purchases and what is driving this phenomenon has played a central role in academic research in sport marketing over the last few decades.Within sport management, there has been a plethora of research delving into the psychological processes behind sport consumption. Most of this work has been rooted in attitude theory, which suggests consumers' cognitive, affective, and conative responses to a specific object influence their consumption behavior (Eagly &

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