The social identity of esports fans and their behavioural intentions: A case study on Diogo Jota, Diogo Jota Esports and Adidas.

Description

Electronic sports (esports) have become more popular throughout the years and have attracted more viewers than traditional sports, allowing new research about fans. This study aims to explore the fans’ identity with Diogo Jota and his esports team, and its effect on their future behavioural intentions towards the sponsor brand. Data were collected among Diogo Jota’s fans (n = 412) through an online questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were calculated using SPSS 26.0 and then the data were analyzed using AMOS 26.0. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was also conducted on the model proposed to ensure the measurement model’s psychometric properties. Results revealed that fans’ identity with Diogo Jota had a significant positive effect on their identity with the esports team, and team identity showed a positive and significant predictor of their behavioral intentions towards the sponsor brand. Findings also suggest that the effects of fans’ identity with Diogo Jota on brand word-of-mouth and brand purchase intention are positive and significant in the presence of the mediating variable – team identity. Due to the lower score of team identity, managerial implications address the need to explore and reinforce the social role of the fan’s identity with Diogo Jota's esports team.

Authors

Keywords

Professor Advisor

Tiago Ribeiro

Project Document