Date of Award

4-2025

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Geography

First Advisor

Lisa DeChano-Cook, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Lucius Hallett, Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Gregory Veeck, Ph.D.

Keywords

Fandom, fantasy, football, proximity, team

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

This study explores how fantasy football participation in varying geographic proximities to NFL teams has altered traditional fan allegiances (i.e. team loyalty or fandom) as an alternate consumer product for the game of football. After utilizing survey data to quantify concepts of fandom and team identification amongst respondents, respondent groups were sorted into various groups based on both fantasy participation and location relevant to NFL teams. A series of hypotheses describing relationships between proximity, fantasy football participation, and fan perceptions are analyzed using a series of statistical tests. No statistical significance was found when comparing strength of team identification amongst respondents across geographic category groups, and no correlation for preference between a fantasy team win or a favorite NFL team win was found amongst these same groups either. All geographic category groups showed a similar ratio of NFL to favorite team fandom with no statistically significant difference amongst the groups in terms of these ratios. Lastly, an ordinary least squares linear regression model utilizing fantasy football participation and geographic category groups proved to be a poor predictor for alterations to team identification strength amongst respondents. These results give credence to the deep-rooted nature of team identification and loyalty amongst fans in all regions.

Download

Share

COinS