The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of athlete social responsibility on fan identity with the mediating role athlete reputation, fan engagement and athlete brand image. The research method was descriptive-correlational and the statistical population of the study consisted of all students of public universities in the west of the country, 720 of whom were selected as a statistical sample. The tool for measuring the research variables was a questionnaire which was used after confirming its face and content validity by professors and also its internal reliability using Cronbach's alpha test. Structural equation modeling method was used to test the hypotheses. The results showed that the athlete's social responsibility directly has a positive and significant effect on the athlete's reputation (0.60), fan engagement (0.59), athlete brand image (0.19) and fan identity (0.33). Also, the athlete reputation has a direct and significant positive effect on the athlete brand image (0.725), fan engagement on the image of the athlete (0.51) and athlete brand image on the fan identity (0.58). Finally, the results indicate that the athlete's social responsibility indirectly affects the fan identity through the mediation of the athlete brand image with a coefficient of 0.11, the mediation of the athlete reputation and athlete brand image with a coefficient of 0.08, and the mediation of the fan engagement and the athlete brand image It has a positive and significant effect with a coefficient of 0.17. Thus, athletes can achieve this important and vital consequence, namely fan identity, by participating in a variety of social responsibility activities and focusing on the concept of fan engagement and how to implement it, managing their brand reputation and image.

The study aims to investigate the shared brand equity of a sports team, types of social interactions of team fans towards this content and the impact of these two variables on the level of fans' engagement in the context of the Instagram network. This study was a kind of mixed method research. The statistical population of this study was posts of Esteghlal F.C. Instagram page (2370 Post) that 500 posts was selected as a sample. Content analysis method was used to identify the covered brand equity in Instagram images and to identify the parasocial interactions of fans, and the effect of these two variables on the engagement level of the fans were analyzed by Two-way ANOVA. Analyzing the content of images showed that the club has shared ten brand attributes including team success, star player, head coach, brand mark, management, club’s history and tradition, club’s culture and values, event’s image, sponsor and fans with fans. Fans also react to these brand attributes in the form of four kinds of engagement: loving, aspiring, belonging and criticizing. The results of two way Anova showed a significant difference between the average levels of fans engagement in brand attributes. In addition, the results of this test showed that the average level of fans engagement in terms of their parasocial interactions has a significant difference. Also, the results of this test indicate a significant difference between the average levels of fans engagement in the composition of brand attributes and fans interactions. The highest level of engagement was related to the combination of loving and brand attributes of star players.

In this study, some predictions and consequences of football fans' engagement have been examined. The present research is applied in terms of purpose and in terms of how to collect descriptive information of correlation type. To collect the required data, Persepolis football team fans (n = 220) were considered as a statistical sample and completed the electronic questionnaires voluntarily. To collect data from six questionnaires; Team Quality Questionnaire Zhang et al. (1997), Communication Quality Questionnaire Nyadzayo et al. (2015), Emotional Satisfaction Questionnaire Reynolds & Beatty (1999), Perceived Value Questionnaire Daniel Sweeney (2008), Engagement Questionnaire Researcher-made, Behavioral Questionnaire Kim (2008) has been used. The results of structural equation modeling showed that team quality affects emotional satisfaction and engagement of fans, but relationship quality only affects engagement. The relationship between emotional satisfaction and fan engagement as well as the relationship between engagement and behavioral intentions was positive and significant. The role of positive mediation of emotional satisfaction on the relationship between team quality and fan engagement was confirmed. Also, Perceived value moderated the causal relationship between relationship quality and emotional satisfaction. According to the results, it is suggested that the clubs, by improving the quality of their team and relationship with the fans, create a permanent engagement for them so that they can increase their intention to re-presence and word of mouth spread.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming sports marketing by enabling more personalized fan experiences, enhancing customer engagement, and optimizing marketing operations. AI technologies such as machine learning, predictive analytics, and chatbots are widely used to drive innovation and create new revenue models in the sports industry. However, despite the benefits, the integration of AI in sports marketing comes with challenges related to technical implementation, economic risks, and ethical concerns. This article aims to review entrepreneurial strategies in AI-enhanced sports marketing platforms and explore their effectiveness in driving innovation, market expansion, and customer engagement. This narrative review uses a descriptive analysis method to synthesize literature from academic journals, industry reports, and case studies related to AI-driven marketing strategies in sports. The analysis focused on identifying key entrepreneurial approaches such as innovation, market penetration, partnerships, and revenue models within AI-enhanced sports marketing platforms. The study identified several successful entrepreneurial strategies enabled by AI, including innovation in product development through personalized fan engagement platforms and virtual reality experiences. AI also supports market expansion by enhancing digital advertising and enabling dynamic pricing. Strategic partnerships with technology companies are crucial for accessing advanced AI tools, while customer-centric strategies driven by AI have improved fan engagement. The analysis also highlighted the challenges associated with AI adoption, including high costs, data privacy issues, and ethical considerations. Nonetheless, AI-driven revenue models such as subscriptions and targeted advertising are creating new business opportunities. AI is reshaping sports marketing by enabling new entrepreneurial strategies that drive innovation, market growth, and customer engagement. While challenges exist, the future of AI in sports marketing holds significant potential for further growth and transformation

A website is crucial for a professional sports club as it serves as the primary hub for engaging with fans, sponsors, and media. In today's digital age, the website of a sports club is much more than just a static page that lists match schedules or player information. It is a dynamic platform that plays a vital role in shaping the club’s identity, enhancing its visibility, and serving as a bridge between the club and its global audience. This direct link allows the club to share real-time updates, such as live scores, breaking news, player transfers, and match reports. Moreover, fans can access behind-the-scenes content, exclusive interviews, and multimedia content such as videos and photos, which not only keep them informed but also create a sense of closeness and involvement. One of the most important aspects of a well-maintained website is its role in fan engagement. A sports club's success is deeply intertwined with the loyalty of its fanbase, and a website can act as the central hub where fans come together. Through the website, fans can interact by sharing opinions, participating in polls, contests, and forums, and even engaging in live chats during games. Social media integration is also a key factor in this, as fans can share content across platforms, amplifying the club's reach. A strong digital presence not only helps maintain existing fan relationships but also cultivates new ones, especially as more sports fans follow their favorite teams online. Through consistent updates and an easy-to-navigate interface, a well-managed website fosters a sense of community among fans, regardless of geographical barriers.  Furthermore, a website is essential for revenue generation. The club can offer a wide range of products, from official merchandise to digital memorabilia, all available for purchase online. The online store makes it easy for fans to show their support by purchasing jerseys, caps, scarves, and other items associated with their favorite teams and players. Ticket sales for matches, both home and away, can also be facilitated through the website, allowing fans to book seats well in advance. Beyond traditional ticket sales, clubs can utilize their website for selling exclusive packages, such as VIP experiences, meet-and-greets, and access to premium lounges. This opens up additional streams of revenue and adds to the overall experience of following the team. A club’s website is also a strategic platform for promoting partnerships and sponsorships. Sponsors often look for clubs that provide broad and engaged audiences, and a website offers analytics on user engagement, which can be shared with sponsors to demonstrate their return on investment. Through banner ads, sponsored content, and exclusive partnerships, clubs can generate significant revenue, while also adding value for their partners by helping them reach new demographics. The website’s design and content can showcase sponsors in various ways, ensuring they get visibility and engagement. In addition to these commercial aspects, a website can also highlight the club’s social responsibility efforts. Many professional sports teams engage in charity work, community programs, and campaigns for important causes. This work can be showcased on the website, providing transparency and building goodwill among fans. Fans feel more connected to a club that reflects their own values and contributes positively to the community. Liverpool FC, for example, is known for its commitment to social causes and often highlights its community outreach programs, which resonate strongly with its global fanbase. By dedicating space on the website to these efforts, the club reinforces its brand as not only a competitive sports entity but also as a positive social force. In this research, Liverpool FC’s website was chosen as a case study because Liverpool is one of the most globally recognized and successful football clubs, with a strong emphasis on fan engagement. Founded in 1892, the club has a rich history that includes numerous domestic and international victories, and it boasts a passionate fan base that spans across continents. Their website is a key component of their digital strategy, designed to interact with a massive international fan base that includes millions of followers across social media platforms. Liverpool’s use of technology to engage with its supporters is cutting-edge, and analyzing such a well-established club's website provides valuable insights into effective fan engagement techniques, digital marketing strategies, and how to leverage a strong online presence to build loyalty and generate revenue. The aim of this study was to analyze Liverpool FC's official website through the perspective of fan management. The research paradigm was interpretive, and the researchers took a qualitative approach. Specifically, a qualitative content analysis was conducted through focus group discussions. The focus group consisted of four experts in the subject of sports fandom who were selected using a purposeful, judgmental approach. Three focus group sessions were held, during which the content from the website was coded and analyzed. This approach allowed the research team to develop patterns and identify key themes related to how Liverpool FC manages its online presence and interacts with its fans.The findings of the study revealed that there were six major structures within Liverpool FC’s website: news, data, fan engagement, social responsibility, revenue generation, and branding. Each section was found to play a critical role in building and maintaining the club’s online presence. In the news section, six programs were running across three different media platforms. This section was crucial for providing timely updates to fans, covering everything from match previews and post-match reports to player interviews and injury updates. By keeping fans informed and engaged, this section helps sustain interest in the club, even during the off-season. In the data section, ten programs were identified, all running across three platforms. This section primarily focused on providing fans with in-depth statistical analysis of games, player performance, and historical data. For fans who are interested in the analytical side of the sport, this section offers a treasure trove of information that enhances their viewing experience. The fan engagement section was the largest, with fourteen programs spread across six different media platforms. This included interactive features such as polls, fan forums, live chats, and social media integration, all of which help build a sense of community and encourage fan participation. In the social responsibility section, eleven programs were found running across four media platforms. This area of the website highlighted Liverpool FC's charitable efforts, community outreach programs, and partnerships with local organizations. By engaging in these activities, the club not only strengthens its relationship with the local community but also enhances its brand image on a global scale. In the revenue-making section, seven programs were identified across six platforms. This section covered merchandise sales, ticketing, and premium content offerings. By optimizing this section, the club can maximize its revenue streams and ensure sustainable growth. Finally, in the branding section, five programs were running across three platforms. This section focused on maintaining the club's image, promoting its identity, and reinforcing its core values. Branding is essential for differentiating the club from its competitors and ensuring long-term success. Professional sports club managers can use the analysis and categories developed in this study to improve their own fan engagement strategies. By understanding which features resonate with fans, they can tailor their online presence to enhance loyalty and satisfaction. Additionally, insights into Liverpool FC's methods for merchandise sales, ticketing, and media sharing could help managers optimize their own revenue streams and strengthen their club’s brand. The study provides a roadmap for how a well-structured website can be an indispensable tool in the modern sports industry.

This paper investigates the pillars of content strategy and fan engagement in social networks during 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

The purpose of this paper is to seek reasons behind the differences in fan engagement in social media channels of PyeongChang Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

Facebook and YouTube channels are used to analyze engagement and growth. Subsequent effects of fans engagement with different social media content have also been analyzed in the study. Data were collected using the Social Bakers Suite platform for the period of fifteen days of the Winter Paralympics. For the purpose of analysis 3 platforms have been used for 25 different analysis. From 25, the most significant analysis was presented in the findings. Content and sentiment analysis is used as a main research methodology.

The findings of this paper showed that the fans are more engaged with the contents of the Paralympic channel even though the number of followers were almost as half as the Olympics channel. The contents that were generated through marketers/organizer did not perform as well as user/fan generated content.

This study will add to the body of academic practitioner research on social media content creation and will provide an opening for marketers to leverage social media networks for marketing communications. This cross‐channel study of the Olympics and Paralympic channels found positive effects on content consumption and in the promotion of fan engagement.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the sports industry by enhancing athletic performance, improving predictive analytics, managing health, boosting fan engagement, and ensuring accurate officiating. This review provides a comprehensive examination of AI's applications in sports, drawing from a systematic literature search across databases such as PubMed, IEEE Xplore, and Google Scholar. The methodology involved selecting recent, relevant studies that contribute to understanding AI's impact in sports, with data extraction focusing on AI applications, specific sports contexts, observed benefits, challenges, and future opportunities. In enhancing athletic performance, AI analyzes data from sensors, cameras, and wearable devices to identify strengths and weaknesses, optimizing training programs. Examples include AI-driven platforms in football and basketball that track player positions and actions, providing actionable insights for coaches. Predictive analytics, another crucial AI application, involves forecasting game outcomes and evaluating player performance through historical and current data, aiding in strategic decision-making. AI also plays a vital role in health management and injury prevention by analyzing biomechanical and physiological data to predict potential injuries and monitor recovery, ensuring athletes' well-being and prolonging careers. Fan experience is significantly enhanced through personalized recommendations, virtual assistants, and augmented reality experiences, deepening engagement and satisfaction. Officiating benefits from AI technologies like VAR in football, which review and analyze controversial decisions to ensure accuracy and fairness. Despite the promising applications, challenges such as data quality, cost, and ethical concerns, including privacy and bias, remain. Future opportunities lie in developing real-time feedback systems and integrating AI with the Internet of Things (IoT) for comprehensive data collection, further revolutionizing performance analysis and injury prevention. This review highlights AI's transformative potential in sports, emphasizing the need for high-quality data, cost-effective solutions, and ethical considerations to maximize its benefits and address existing challenges.

he sports industry is experiencinga significant transformation driven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). This narrative review explores the multifaceted impact of AI on the sports industry, focusing on performance enhancement, economic transformations, fan engagement, and ethical considerations. The review begins with a historical overview of AI's early applications in sports, such as performance analytics and injury prevention, and progresses to recent advancements, including personalized training programs, real-time coaching feedback, and immersive virtual reality experiences.The economic implications of AI are profound, with AI-driven technologies creating new revenue streams through personalized digital marketing and dynamic pricing models, while also enhancing cost efficiency via automated processes and predictive maintenance. Market expansion is facilitated by AI's ability to analyze global trends and fan behaviors, enabling sports organizations to reach broader audiences.AI's role in enhancing athlete performance is highlighted through the use of advanced analytics, wearable technologies, and predictive algorithms that monitor health and prevent injuries. Case studies in soccer, basketball, tennis, and e-sports illustrate the successful integration of AI, showcasing its ability to improve both athlete outcomes and fan experiences.Ethical and social considerations are critically examined, addressing privacy concerns, algorithmic bias, employment impacts, and the evolving regulatory landscape. The review concludes with a discussion on future trends, including emerging AI technologies, long-term economic implications, and potential challenges. Insights from industry experts emphasize the transformative potential of AI and the importance of addressing ethical issues to ensure responsible use.

The purpose of this study was to Develop a model of fan engagement in brand value co creation of the Premier Football League.

The statistical population of this study were fans of the Iranian Football Premier League in Kermanshah and Sanandaj. The sample size was determined by structural equation sampling method and 420 correct questionnaires were used. A researcher-made questionnaire was used to achieve the research objectives. The formal validity and content of the questionnaire were confirmed by factor analysis in the opinion of sports management experts and the validity of its structure. Its reliability was 0.96 with Cronbach's alpha. Statistical correlation coefficients and confirmatory factor analysis were used to analyze the data with the help of two software, SPSS 21 and Amos.

Findings showed that eight factors including social identity, collective interests, financial, learning, individual, technical services, brand identity and organizational brand identity influenced the motivations of fan participation in developing the brand value of the Premier Football League.

Paying attention to the motivations of the fans in developing the brand value helps the league organization to be more profitable and to have a strong brand.

The Iranian handball premier league needs to understand the engagement pattern of league fans to retain fans, develop league products and develop league-related strategies. Therefore, this study aimed to developing the pattern of engagement behaviors of fans in the Iranian handball premier league. This research was a type of mixed research that was done by modeling method. Based on the existing authoritative literature, the initial conceptual model of the research was developed and then evaluated with data from the Iranian Handball Premier League. Data were collected using a questionnaire. The content validity index of the questionnaire was calculated as 0.872 and the composite reliability for all constructs were higher than the suggested cutoff point of 0.60. 306 questionnaires were included in the final analysis. The partial least squares method was used to evaluate the study's conceptual model. The findings showed that the study's conceptual model is a good fit with the data obtained from the field of Premier Handball League. Fans of the Iranian Handball Premier League showed the greatest tendency towards non transactional extra-role behaviors. Therefore, the managers of the Iranian Handball Premier League can expand their fan base as well as social exchanges between fans by providing engagement opportunities for fans.