FiT Publishing

Women’s sport has newfound momentum and popularity, and fans are proceeding to engage through various channels like social media. However, social media is not always positive, and there exists a dark side to this online dynamic. Left unchecked and unexamined, it is possible that fans withdraw from these digital spaces, a potential critical problem for sport marketers seeking to build online fan communities. This study explored fans’ experiences of toxicity in women’s sport social media communities through semi-structured interviews with self-identified women’s sport fans. The findings...Read more

The proliferation and growth of women’s professional sport over time has seen a range of consumer outcomes and attention. Recently, there has been increased acknowledgement by sport marketing researchers that there is something inherently unique about the consumption and engagement of individuals as fans of women’s sport. Simultaneously, there have been new findings regarding the importance of brand associations for new sport teams as they seek to craft a brand to ensure financial success. Th is study builds on this work by showcasing the changing nature of consumer perceptions as they...Read more