The Impact of Football Clubs’ Corporate Social Responsibility Activities on Fan Identification

This study aimed to investigate the impact of football clubs’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities on fan identification and to evaluate the role of demographic factors as control variables within this relationship. The research employed a correlational survey model, which is a quantitative research method. The population consisted of fans of teams in Turkey’s professional football leagues, with the sample group comprising 446 participants. A power analysis was conducted to determine this sample size. The data collection instruments were the Corporate Social Responsibility Scale for Sports Organizations, adapted into Turkish by Sönmezoğlu et al. (2016), and the Sport Spectator Identification Scale, adapted into Turkish by Günay and Tiryaki (2003). Data analysis utilized descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and hierarchical regression analysis. The correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship only between fan identification and the economic responsibility sub-dimension. Similarly, the hierarchical regression analysis indicated in Model 1 that this sub-dimension had a significant and positive effect on identification. Demographic variables were incorporated into Model 2, and it was observed that the effect of the economic responsibility sub-dimension remained significant. The frequency of attending matches at the stadium, gender, hometown team fandom, and age were identified as significant predictors. The findings demonstrate that, in Turkish football, economic responsibility is a more decisive factor in fan identification compared to other types of CSR activities, and this effect persists independently of demographic factors.