Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2015 What Is the "Team" in Team Identification? Elizabeth Burke Delia Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION WHAT IS THE “TEAM” IN TEAM IDENTIFICATION? By ELIZABETH BURKE DELIA A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Sport Management in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2015 Elizabeth Delia defended this dissertation on May 15, 2015. The members of the supervisory committee were: Jeffrey D. James Professor Directing Dissertation Gerald R. Ferris University Representative Michael D. Giardina Committee Member Joshua I. Newman Committee Member The Graduate School has verified and approved the above-named committee members, and certifies that the dissertation has been approved in accordance with university requirements. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My completion of this dissertation and the doctoral program at Florida State University would not have been possible without the encouragement of my family, friends, and colleagues. No words can truly convey my appreciation for these individuals, as they have supported me in unimaginable ways. However, the paragraphs that follow are my attempt to recognize those who have played a role in this memorable journey. I would not have had the courage to pursue a doctoral degree without my family’s unconditional love and support. I am immensely grateful for my parents, who have always encouraged me in anything I wish to pursue, and who instilled in me a will to accomplish my goals, whatever they may be. I am also appreciative of my siblings, who keep me motivated, grounded, and humble. I have benefitted from observing the academic, athletic, and professional accomplishments of my siblings, always striving to match their successes. I must also thank my best friends, who I consider part of my family, and who always have been and forever will be a source of strength for me. In addition to the support of my family, I am not sure I would have had a desire to enroll in a doctoral program if it were not for my professional experience in market research. I am especially thankful for: Lois Friedman, Kerrilyn Curtin, and the rest of my insights and planning colleagues at Madison Square Garden, who allowed me to realize my passion for conducting research in sport settings; my KJT Group colleagues, particularly Lynn Clement, Wendy Banker, and Trish Bauch, who exposed me to the practical value of qualitative techniques in market research; and Bob Mortenson, who gave me the authority to design and manage research projects at KS&R and wholly supported me in my decision to pursue a doctoral degree. iii Reflecting on my experience as a doctoral student, I struggle to think of a program that may have better fit my research interests; I think it does not exist. I find it even more difficult to think about being advised by anyone but Dr. Jeffrey James. I am deeply appreciative of Dr. James, not only for encouraging me to move to Tallahassee, but also for the guided freedom he has given me as a doctoral student. Dr. James has never discouraged me from exploring my seemingly endless, often strange, stream of thoughts regarding sport consumer behavior; instead, he has enthusiastically supported me. Repeatedly, Dr. James has turned my frustration into calmness, my eagerness into patience, and perhaps most importantly, my doubt into confidence. It is odd to think I have only known Dr. James for three years, perhaps because we have been through a lot during this time; I believe this has propelled our relationship into a truly collegial one, and I look forward to maintaining this relationship for years to come. As a doctoral student at Florida State, I have been encouraged to conduct research I am passionate about, using methods that allow me to embrace creativity. I am thankful for Drs. Michael Giardina and Joshua Newman, whose enthusiasm for qualitative inquiry helped ignite my own interest in this area. I also feel indebted to Dr. Giardina for recognizing my excitement for Syracuse University Men’s Basketball early in my doctoral studies and encouraging me to leverage my fandom in my research, which ultimately led to this dissertation. Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of being a doctoral student at Florida State has been my ability to build relationships with faculty outside of the sport management department, especially Dr. Gerald Ferris. Dr. Ferris’ genuine interest and enthusiasm in supporting sport management doctoral students is admirable. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to study with Dr. Ferris and for him to be a member of my dissertation committee. iv In addition to my dissertation committee members, my work on this dissertation and other accomplishments as a doctoral student may not have been as significant or meaningful if it were not for other academics I have met along this journey. I am particularly appreciative of: Dr. Robert Eklund, for encouraging me to study group identity during my first year at Florida State; Dr. Yukyoum Kim, for mentoring me throughout my doctoral studies; Dr. John Peloza, for pointing me to a vast consumer behavior literature outside of sport to draw upon in my research; and Dr. Stephen Ross, for being a good friend and mentor. As I near the end of my doctoral studies, I have realized that perhaps the most joyful part of being a doctoral student is not the exams passed, manuscripts accepted for publication, jobs offered, or dissertations defended, but instead the relationships formed along the way. This is especially true of the relationships I have formed with the sport management doctoral students at Florida State; I believe our range of backgrounds and interests enhances our experience as doctoral students. I am incredibly thankful for my buddies who have kept me sane and made this journey all the more worthwhile, including: Simon Brandon-Lai, Cole Armstrong, Kyle Bunds, Justin Lovich, Tim Kellison, Jordan Bass, Jeeyoon Kim, Mark DiDonato, Eric George, Chris McLeod, John Holden, and Matt Horner. I will never forget the time we have spent together and I look forward to our reunions for years to come. Finally, I must thank Syracuse fans, especially those I interviewed as part of this dissertation, whose graciousness made this project a success; collectively, they make me proud to be a Syracuse fan and Central New Yorker. Let’s Go Orange! v TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables ............................................................................................................................... viii List of Abbreviations ..................................................................................................................... ix Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... x 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 1 Preface ........................................................................................................................................ 1 What is the “Team” in Team Identification? .............................................................................. 4 What is the “Identity” in Team Identification? ........................................................................... 7 Why Does the “Team” and “Identity” in Team Identification Matter? ...................................... 9 Purpose and Research Questions .............................................................................................. 10 Dissertation Chapters ................................................................................................................ 12 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................................... 16 Psychological Connection to Sport ........................................................................................... 17 Why is “Team” Ambiguous? .................................................................................................... 29 Sport Teams as Brands ............................................................................................................. 33 Identity ...................................................................................................................................... 40 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 65 3. METHODS ............................................................................................................................... 68 Interviews .................................................................................................................................. 69 Concept Mapping ...................................................................................................................... 76 Research Methods in the Current Project ................................................................................. 78 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 86 4. RESEARCH CONTEXT: SYRACUSE AND CENTRAL NEW YORK ............................... 88 An Introduction to Syracuse and Central New York ...............................................................