How Football Stars' Brand Authenticity Shapes Fan Loyalty: The Mediating Role of Team Brand Image

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of personel brand identification and celebrity authenticity of famous athletes on fan loyalty. In order to test the hypotheses of the model, the fans of the four major football teams (Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş, Trabzonspor) in the Turkish Super League were selected as the research group. The data collected from 408 fans with online tools were analysed with structural equation modelling through Smart PLS software. According to the findings, talent and originality among rarity constructs affect celebrity authenticity. In addition, football players‘ personal brand identification and celebrity authenticity positively affect team image, while team image positively affects fans’ behavioural and attitudinal loyalty. Football team managers and sports marketing departments need to recruit famous players to improve club image and fan loyalty. In addition, the harmony between the famous footballer and the team image plays an important role in this relationship. This study presents a multidimensional conceptual framework based on Brand Authenticity Theory. The model offers a different perspective by identifying rarity constructs (talent, discretion and originality) as antecedents of celebrity authenticity and examining their impact on both personnel brand identification and team brand image.