Proselytism and Word-of-Mouth in Constemporary Sport Consumption

Abstract

The need for social interaction is one of the most basic units of fanship and communication is one of its important tool. When fans interact with people who do not cheer for your club, communication naturally occurs in two ways: positive (mouth to mouth), which is related to the suggestion and recommendation of the club and; negative (proselytism), which refers to ostensive defense, sometimes even in a malign way. The literature on the distinction between the two constructs is lacking and this study aims to analyze the relationship between word-of-mouth and proselytism, specifically in football fans. The results indicate that the constructs differ significantly and have different impacts on spending with the club and attending games.