A Spatial Multidimensional Unfolding Choice Model for Examining the Heterogeneous Expressions of Sports Fan Avidity

The sports industry is one of the ten largest business sectors in the U.S., and its primary source of revenue is derived from sports fans. Yet, little has been published in the academic journals about fans' allocation of time, effort, and/or financial expenditures in regard to the sports they care so desperately about. The objective of this research is to uncover the multidimensional aspects of the observed manifestations of fan avidity, and explore the nature of the heterogeneity of such expressions. Data were collected from a student sample of football fans from a well-known university. Thirty-five different expressions of fan avidity were uncovered related to how these fans follow and support their football team. A spatial choice multidimensional unfolding model is developed and reveals four latent dimensions of fan avidity expression. The managerial aspects of these empirical findings are provided, as well as several directions for future research