‘When entertaining isn’t enough’: Fan motivation and word of mouth spreading of fan interests

Abstract

The motivational factors driving fanship and their relationship to the promotion of one’s fandom were assessed in two cross-sectional survey studies of American undergraduate students (Study 1, n = 354, Study 2, n = 896). Unlike most research on fan groups, which has focused primarily on sports fans, the present studies encompassed a variety of sport, music, media and hobby fan groups. Across both studies, fanship was positively associated with promoting one’s fan interest by word of mouth, a relationship mediated by the extent to which fan interest provided a sense of purpose and belonging. In contrast, the entertainment value of one’s fan interest was not associated with the likelihood of promoting fan activity via word of mouth. While the studies could not directly speak to causality, they do provide marketers and researchers alike with numerous fruitful avenues for future research and application.