Crisis Calling: Fan Relationships With Athletes

This study identifies the importance and complexities of parasocial relationships, as well as looks at the effects these relationships have on NFL sport consumers in our society. Sport fandom, specifically high-level fandom attachments such as parasocial relationships (PSR), have called for a need to examine what occurs for both athletes and fans when a parasocial relationship is jeopardized in times of inevitable athlete or league crisis. This study applies Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) and Turning Point Approach to examine these complex parasocial relationships. Due to gaps in literature looking at parasocial breakup (PSB) and relationship turbulence through public relations crises for athletes and sport organizations, this study takes the opportunity to examine limits of crises that may cause practitioners to need to act. Three research questions about this offer several key findings about perception ties between team and athlete, public perceptions of athletes and teams after crisis events, and parasocial breakups following crisis events. Using a pre-test/post-test survey research design, participants were exposed to one of three crisis situations that their selected favorite athlete and team was involved in. Results showed as PSR increases in strength so does fan identification with both athlete and team. Additionally, results highlighted that crisis scenario type had no effect on public perception of athletes or team organizations. However, when participants were directly asked about PSB, those included in the highest crisis severity cluster, were more likely to initiate a PSB than those in the accidental and victim.