Development and Validation of the Sports Fan Ethnocentrism Scale

Abstract

Our main purpose in this study was to develop a sports fan ethnocentrism (SFE) scale and test whether or not SFE impacts sports viewing motivations and behaviors. First, 3 rounds of the Delphi technique (Gupta & Clarke, 1996) were applied to develop items for the scale. Then, using quota sampling by region, gender, and age we obtained 900 valid surveys from Major League Baseball (MLB) viewers in Taiwan. We then conducted structural equation modeling with viewing time and motivations to confirm construct validity. The characteristics of Taiwanese SFE were found to be as follows: a) SFE is a positive common value in spectator sports that support local athletes; b) Taiwanese MLB viewers generally possess SFE; and c) SFE had an indirect impact on viewing behavior via interest in sports. The results illustrated positive aspects of SFE and suggest that fans may support their own team without feeling hostility toward those from other countries.