Brand Community and Symbolic Consumption in Korean Professional Baseball Fandom : Focusing on Uniform Practices

This study investigates the social meaning of uniforms in Korean professional baseball fandom using brand community theory. Qualitative data were collected through focus group interviews with fans of two Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) teams, the Samsung Lions and the LG Twins. The analysis examined how uniforms are experienced and used in everyday fan practices. The findings show that uniforms function not merely as merchandise but as symbolic resources through which fans recognize one another, express affiliation, and maintain relationships. Wearing and customizing uniforms strengthened a sense of belonging during shared cheering experiences, while specific items such as marked or rare uniforms signaled fan commitment and personal history within the community. Fan activity was also not limited to the stadium; participants extended their fandom into online spaces by sharing game experiences and displaying uniforms and collectibles through social media interactions. In this process, consumption operated as both self-expression and a medium of social connection. The study contributes to sports fandom research by demonstrating that brand community elements—consciousness of kind, rituals and traditions, and moral responsibility—are enacted through symbolic practices centered on uniforms. It suggests that fandom is sustained not only by spectating but also by ongoing interaction mediated by symbolic artifacts. These findings provide implications for understanding how fan communities are maintained through shared practices and mediated interaction in contemporary sports culture.