Fenton, Alex, Keegan, Brendan and Parry, Keith D. (2023) Understanding Sporting Social Media Brand Communities, Place and Social Capital: A Netnography of Football Fans. Communication & Sport, 11 (2). pp. 313-333. ISSN 2167-4795
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Abstract
The emergence of social media and digital channels have expanded communication
practices and also created new, virtual spaces where sports fans can interact and
communicate directly with each other and with clubs. This article examines the
potential for social media brand communities to develop a sense of both community
and place amongst sports fans. It explores their influence in placemaking initiatives
through the bonding and bridging social capital of a football club’s supporters.
A netnographic study of a football club’s supporter networks (five channels) and
their interactions with social media brand communities was performed. Data
gathered from online sources was underpinned by interviews with 25 members of
the community. Findings were analysed via NVivo using bridging and bonding social
capital as a theoretical lens. The paper makes two primary contributions to
knowledge. It enhances our understanding of the impact of SMBCs and their use in a
sporting context—an area that has become increasingly significant during the
COVID-19 pandemic enforced lockdowns that have kept fans out of venues. It also contributes to our understanding of the influence of placemaking strategies upon the
social capital of supporter communities.
Item Type: | Article |
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Keywords: | social media brand communities; digital placemaking; social capital; place; sports fans; |
Academic Unit: | Assisting Living & Learning,ALL institute Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Business |
Item ID: | 18097 |
Identification Number: | 10.1177/2167479520986149 |
Depositing User: | Brendan Keegan |
Date Deposited: | 30 Jan 2024 14:28 |
Journal or Publication Title: | Communication & Sport |
Publisher: | SAGE Publications |
Refereed: | Yes |
Related URLs: | |
URI: | https://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/id/eprint/18097 |
Use Licence: | This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here |
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