Providing Professional Commitment Model of Male Referees in Iranian Football Premier League

This study deals with the effect of structural empowerment on professional commitment of male referees with the mediating role of job characteristics in Iranian football premier League. Datacollected using a self-report survey. In addition to demographic items, the survey comprised 46 items measuring structural empowerment, professional commitment and, job characteristics. Experts in sports management and football refereeing confirmed the face and content validity of the questionnaire. 130 valid questionnaires completed by referees in the Persian Gulf Pro League in Iran. Structural equation modeling, confirmatory factor analysis and, path analysis were conducted for data analysis by using PLS Smart software. The effects of structural empowerment on professional commitment (T-Value= 2.27 and ß= -0. 18) and job characteristics on professional commitment (T-Value = 8.93 and ß = 0.63) were both positive and significant. The effect of structural empowerment on job characteristics (T-Value = 4.94 and ß = 0.43) was positive and significant. Referee’s Job characteristics had a significant mediating role in the relationship between structural empowerment and their professional commitment (T-Value= 4.15, ß= 0.27). The findings can provide critical insights for sport managers be more efficient in the field of football refereeing.