| Sport is an ever-expanding phenomenon throughout society (Coakley, 2004). Research has examined the relationships that exist between sport spectator and fan identification and areas such as sport marketing and sociomotivational factors (Pease & Zhang, 2001; Trail, Fink, & Anderson, 2003), the basking-in-reflected-glory/cutting-off-reflected-failure phenomenon (Wann & Branscombe, 1990; Wann et al., 1995), and aggression (Wann, Carlson, & Schrader, 1999; Wann, Haynes, McLean, & Pullen, 2003). However, few studies have examined the motivational and emotional components of sport spectator and fan identification and their effects on attendance and consumption patterns. The application of Reversal Theory (RT) (Apter, 1982, 2001) to sport spectator and fan identification could be beneficial to understanding these motivational and emotional components.;The purpose of this study was to develop the Metamotivational Sport Identification Scale (MSIS) to measure sport spectator and fan identification from an RT perspective. Spectators and fans (N = 1217) attending a NCAA Division-IA collegiate baseball tournament were asked to respond to a questionnaire package consisting of. (a) sociodemographic, attendance, and consumption variables, (b) the MSIS, and (c) the Sport Spectator Identification Scale (SSIS), a reliable and valid measure of sport spectator identification (Wann & Branscombe, 1993; Wann, Melnick et al., 2001).;A principal components extraction with varimax rotation was conducted to examine the construct validity of the MSIS. A total of five factors emerged from the analysis and explained a total of 54.83% of the variance. A principal components extraction was also conducted on the SSIS, resulting in one factor accounting for 62.34% of the variance. Subsequent correlation of the factor scores from the two analyses revealed significant (p < .01) correlations between 4 of the 5 MSIS factors and the SSIS factor. The results of these analyses suggest that the MSIS does measure components of sport spectator and fan identification. Logisitic regression analyses were also conducted to examine the predictability of MSIS, SSIS, and sociodemographic variables on attendance and consumption level. The results suggest that selected MSIS, SSIS, and sociodemographic variables significantly (p < .05) predict the likelihood of a sport spectator or fan choosing to attend games and purchase products at these games. |
