Dimas Yudhistira. Identity and Interaction, A Glimpse... MediaTor, Vol 14 (1), Juni 2021, 79-89 Identity and Interaction, A Glimpse into Persib WhatsApp Group Dimas Yudhistira Sekolah Tinggi Manajemen Logistik Indonesia, Jl. Sari Asih 54, Bandung, Indonesia. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract: Persib Bandung, an Indonesian professional football club, is the place where several identities are encountered. The specific place discussed in this article is a virtual place namely WhatsApp group. This research illustrates the form of virtual interaction among the players and managers. The interaction form is connected with the identity markers of the players. To illustrate the form of interaction in Persib’s WhatsApp group, I interviewed Persib’s social media manager. The aim of the questions is to uncover the activities inside the group. It makes this is a qualitative research. From the interview session, the data in the form of narration are discussed with the theory of identity, interaction, and social to find a meaning behind player’s responses towards messages from managers. As a result, Persib’s WhatsApp group is designed as a medium where the instructions are given. It shows that players’ understanding is influenced by their identity. The article finds the identity markers like age, race and experience enables the players to be more active in the group. However, identity markers like performance, which is seen as a salient aspect in football, do not guarantee the players to be more engaging in WhatsApp group. Keywords: Identity, Football, WhatsApp, Interaction, Social Media INTRODUCTION occurs due to the language barrier and Persib Bandung is one of the personality traits of the players. To Indonesian professional football clubs give more details about WhatsApp, located in Bandung, West Java. Being Herring (2004) argues that WhatsApp one of the most successful football clubs conversations are text-based interactions in Indonesia, it attracts international that rely on a keyboard to write the and national players to join and play for messages and a screen on which to read Persib. The international and local players them, in addition to the use of online not only meet and communicate in real interaction symbols. Also, WhatsApp life but also in a virtual place. Persib is categorized into synchronous, a same social media manager confirms they use time information exchange (Maryani; WhatsApp group to organize the players. 2006: 96). Myers and Anderson (2008) WhatsApp group is one of the features believed that group members are of WhatsApp where up to 250 people interdependent and coordinate their can gather and interact as a community. efforts to accomplish a common task The persib social manager also stated which is the purpose of the group’s that not every player participates actively existence. In Persib, the common task is in WhatsApp group. In addition to that, to be the champion and it is the manager the board mentioned this issue usually and players’ job to make sure it happens DOI: https://doi.org/10.29313/mediator.v14i1.7563 79 MediaTor, Vol 14 (1), Juni 2021, 79-89 despite all of the obstacles including the 351) outlines every communication communication and interaction issues practice essentially represents culture. In among the players. The interaction itself addition, Khotimah (2000: 49) argues that is seen from the way they communicate everybody has a different image toward with each other in WhatsApp group. The the surrounding reality. Thus, although the form of interaction is usually surrounded main discussion in the WhatsApp group by norms. Feldman (1984) argues that a is about football, the understanding and group norm is seen as a rule that groups response among players may be different. adopt to control member’s activities. It It leads to what Lemos (2008; 96) states is because a task norm allows the group that the connecting place physical and to work toward task accomplishment, electronic place becomes more complex procedural norms draws the procedures because this territory is now related the group will follow, and a social norm with laws, regulations, subjectivities, defines how group members engage in cultures, and politics. in other words, the communication (Myers & Anderson, besides illustrating the interaction pattern 2008). of football players in virtual space, This article illustrates how the this research also tries to seek the most identity of players and manager shape the expressive identity markers in shaping interaction in WhatsApp group of Persib the interaction in a multi-cultured-sport Bandung season 2019/2020. To illustrate community like Persib Bandung. it the identity markers become significant in this research and need to point out. METHOD Markers of identity such as gender, race, This section outlines the ethnicity and age are strongly evident methodology applied in this research. in virtual worlds (Thomas, 2007:6). It involves describing the participants Previously, an article from FourFourTwo which are players and manager, research Magazine entitled How WhatsApp Change design, and the way the data is analyzed. Football described the new trends among The research started with the perception football players in Europe. The article towards the football players’ lifestyle points out that WhatsApp becomes a noisy especially the way they communicate place for football players and often causes in a sport community. It has been misunderstanding between teammates highlighted by the media and to verify the because their perception is cultural bias. phenomenon, I met Persib officials to do Assuming that situation happens vastly some interview. The data gathered from in football, Persib with its diverse culture the interview was matched with the second inside experiences a similar situation. short interviews with former Indonesian Quoting Gruhl, Gritsenko (2016: 17) football manager Simon McMennemy believe online community members tend on a zoom meeting. He confirmed that to form shared identities and coverage most players rely on their mobile phones in discussing topics of common interest. to interact. He added that mobile app When the member of the group interact, such as WhatsApp helps to enhance the the identity and cultural background communication process but real-life affect the understandings when the communication is more important in massage is received. As Ungureanu building interaction between players. The and Corina (1: 2013) state people make statements connote that virtual interaction sense of representations in different may cause misunderstandings between ways according to their understanding of players. Therefore, from the data, I traced values and assumptions. Mulyana (2004: the way Persib’s player communicate 80 Dimas Yudhistira. Identity and Interaction, A Glimpse... and marked some potential conflict that successfully bagged 9 goals that season, related to by identity issue. considered as the most impressive player by football pundits. His teammate, Data and Participant Ezechiel (31), also bagged 9 goals that The data obtained for this article season, but it was less than average since included 27 players from the official he is a striker. Meanwhile, Febri Hariadi Whatsapp group Persib, involving (23) also provided excellent support from international and local players and his position with 4 assists followed by international managers. They are senior Ardi Idrus (26) with the same number and junior players of the Persib’s first of assists. Overall, Persib successfully squad 2018/2019. The senior is meant by netted 49 goals and conceded 39 goals that the older players and the most experienced season. Thus, several local media, namely players in Persib. On the other hand, Tribun, goal.com, Tempo, and Viva argued the junior players are younger player that Persib was lucky to have Robert Rene with maximum 22 years old. Supardi Alberts as manager, otherwise the season (36) is the captain and local player. might even get worse. In short, Persib in Management, staff and assistant manager 2018/2019 didn’t perform really well and also exist and contribute in WhatsApp failed to achieve the target. group e.g. Yudiana (47) and Budi Bram. Table 1 provides the detail of player’s Research Design identity, it comes from the official web of In this study, I examined how Persib Bandung and is confirmed by the members of WhatsApp group of Persib interview session with the management. Bandung, a professional football club Other aspects that contribute in from Indonesia, interact with each other. constructing the player’s identity are their The interest comes from a how multi- performance and the atmosphere of Persib cultural group of players, with the same itself. As Hall & Gay (2003: 4) stated status as professional football players, “identities are constructed within, not communicate and understand messages outside, discourse, we need to understand in a virtual place. However, due to strict them as produced in specific historical policy from Persib management, the and institutional sites within specific access to WhatsApp group is off-limits. discursive formations and practices, by Therefore, I interviewed the social media specific enunciative strategies. Moreover, manager of Persib Bandung, Yudiana (47) they emerge within the play of specific and Budi Bram, The Head of Organizing modalities of power, and thus are more Committee of Persib Bandung. In the the product of the marking of difference interview session, both of them were and exclusion.” In 2018/2019 season of asked about the activity in the official Liga 1, Persib finished at 6 at the table. WhatsApp group of Persib Bandung. The Considering their target is inside the aim of this interview is to describe how big five, the 2018/2019 season was not identity influences the way they interact impressive for Persib. Despite there in the virtual world. Thus, the question is are plenty of components in football designed to give an illustration of what statistics, goals for (GF), goals against happened inside WhatsApp group Persib. (GA) and assist can tell a lot on how This study relies on Bailey’s the players and managers performed in methods of social research (1982).