I Love You Kid, But…: Intergenerational Soccer Fandom Conflict

Abstract

Although sports fandom is one of the broadest and most significant social phenomena in modern life, few studies have examined the sources of children’s sports fandom. The reason may be related to the presumption that the main source of a child’s fandom is his or her father. Indeed, literature has repeatedly stressed the role of the family, and specifically the father, in shaping children’s identification with sports teams, alongside other social and psychological factors. The current study examines the significance of the untypical cases in which a son does not follow his father’s path and chooses to support a different soccer team. As uncommon cases frequently highlight what is commonly taken for granted, the current study explores the deep meanings of a disruption in fandom legacy that fathers typically take for granted. Through in-depth interviews with fathers whose children support a soccer team other than their own, the current study identifies that such fandom choices of sons, impact fathers on four levels, namely family legacy, team heritage, masculinity, and religious identification. Intergenerational fandom conflicts between father and son highlight the powerful implications of fans’ connections to their respective teams, and the continuing role of gender-based expectations in the world of sports.

Team loyalty and intergenerational influence: the role of nurturant fathering in the transference process

“…This intergenerational influence parallels findings regarding various values and beliefs that parents pass down to their children during their adolescent years (Glass et al, 1986;Jennings et al, 2009;Moore et al, 2002). The outcomes of this study also support research indicating that the father plays a prominent role in the formation of a child's overall team attachment (Fredricks and Eccles, 2005;Funk and James, 2006;Hyatt et al, 2018;Koo and Hardin, 2008;Tamir, 2019). In particular, the current study aligns with Moore et al's (2002) findings on the importance of maternal influences on consumer product preferences of daughters.…”

“…IGI comprises the within-family transmission of beliefs, traditions, and values from one generation to the next (Mandrik et al, 2005;Moore and Bowman, 2006;Schindler et al, 2014). A focus on IGI in a sports context seems logical as the family is the first and typically strongest socialization agent for individuals, particularly concerning consumer behavior (James, 2001;Moore et al, 2002; The role of nurturant fathering Tamir, 2019). For example, parents facilitate cognitive skill development in a child's early years while simultaneously passing down values and beliefs during critical stages of the child's development (Glass et al, 1986;Jennings et al, 2009;Moore et al, 2002).…”

“…Family interactions, specifically those with one's parents, have commonly been cited as key sociocultural factors that help shape individuals' bonds with a team. Among these family exchanges, the father has been found to have the strongest formative impact on overall team attachment (Fredricks and Eccles, 2005;Funk and James, 2006;Hyatt et al, 2018;Koo and Hardin, 2008;Tamir, 2019). Although past studies demonstrate the power of family interactions in developing individuals' team loyalty, there is a dearth of research exploring how the formation process of individual team loyalty occurs through these intergenerational influences.…”

The Color Is the Message: Sports Fans’ Obsessions with Team Colors

“…The team represents something deep in fans’ identities, allowing them to express themselves, engage in competition, experience excitement, and release strong emotions on a regular basis over the entire course of their lives. Consequently, the connection between a fan and her team is firm and compelling (Tamir, “I Love You Kid”). Fans are proud of belonging to a sports community, and they highlight their affiliation.…”

Exploring children’s reactions to sponsorship transition: a study of interpersonal and pro-social demands

“…By 11 years of age, these choices are fully developed and children can express their preferences and articulate their relationships with brands in a critical and competent manner (Grønhøj and Gram, 2020). These preferences extend to sport and, as football fans, children are said to have “powerful” connections to their teams (Tamir, 2019), with football a predominant factor in their young lives. Fandom provides identity, bonds, immediate friendships (Thomson and Williams, 2014), popularity and social status (End et al , 2004), and for children, being a fan is said to satisfy the intrinsic need for “belongingness and acceptance” (Gardikiotis et al , 2014).…”