Searching for "the normal one" - the influence of club affiliation on supporters' demands

Titelangaben

Brandt, Christian ; Kaden, Martin ; Faix, Axel ; Kurscheidt, Markus:
Searching for "the normal one" - the influence of club affiliation on supporters' demands.
In: Soccer & Society. (2026) .
ISSN 1743-9590
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14660970.2026.2680286

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Abstract

While the demands of active football supporters, such as ultras and other organized fan groups, have been extensively researched, the attitudes of the ‘silent, ordinary supporters’ remain largely unknown. Therefore, this article investigates the attitudes of ‘normal supporters’ toward current governance issues in football and how these factors influence overall satisfaction with club management. Moreover, the study compares five club-related fan clusters to explore distinct differences in attitudes and self-concepts within fan communities. The empirical analysis is based on a unique and large survey sample (N = 11,643) of supporters of German first division (Bundesliga) clubs. The results indicate that attitudes toward participation have the strongest impact on overall satisfaction across all clusters, with only minor differences. Attitudes toward clubs’ public engagement and the range of products/services show comparatively low, if any, significant effects. Overall, the results suggest a high degree of homogeneity in ‘normal supporter’ attitudes.