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Tuesday, March 15, 4:45PM
University Events Room
Glickman Family Library, 7th floor
Portland USM Campus (map)

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Sport fans are the life blood of professional teams. Without fan consumption, spectator sport as we know it would cease to exist. There are many reasons why individuals become and remain fans of a team. Team identification, or the connection one feels with a team, has been found to be vitally important. Additionally, other motives such as atmosphere, excitement, entertainment, and social opportunities have all been shown as important antecedents to continued fandom. Yet, while some well established franchises have the advantage of generations of loyal fans—individuals that were 'born' a fan of 'their' team—what about new teams or teams new to an area? What motives are most salient to consumers who attend the games of these new franchises?

Thus, this research examined motives of fans of new teams and teams new to an area. Research data were collected using survey methods at stadiums and ball parks of minor league baseball and women's professional soccer teams. Results indicate differences and similarities among the fans of the two sports. The detailed results and implications of this research as well as a broad discussion on fan motives and attachments will be provided in this presentation.
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Dr. Parker is a faculty member in the sport management program, housed within the University of Southern Maine School of Business. Dr. Parker received her Ph.D. in Sport and Exercise Management from The Ohio State University and her research centers on sport consumer behavior specifically focusing on factors that influence fan attitudes and perceptions. She has published in a variety of journals and presented her research at a number of academic conferences. Dr. Parker is a member of the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) and is the Vice President of Inclusion and Social Justice for the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS). She has taught a number of courses within her discipline including Sport Law, Sport Finance, Sport Consumer Behavior, Sport Research Methods, and Sport Management. Prior to coming to USM, Dr. Parker was a faculty member at Syracuse University.

The colloquium is sponsored by the
L.L. Bean/Lee Surace Endowed Chair in Accounting.
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USM Professor Jeffrey Gramlich was appointed the first L.L. Bean/Lee Surace Chair in Accounting in the USM School of Business in 2003. His appointment was made possible by a $1 million gift from L.L. Bean, Inc., its board chair, Leon Gorman, his wife Lisa, Jim and Maureen Gorman, and Tom Gorman, who established the chair in memory of L.L. Bean CFO Lee Surace '73, '81, who died in March of 2001. Surace was chair of the USM School of Business' Advisory Council and was a frequent guest lecturer.

The USM School of Business is accredited by the prestigious AACSB International. For students seeking the finest education and companies seeking the highest caliber talent, partnership, and educational opportunities, AACSB International accreditation is one of the most important affirmations of sustained quality in the word. For more information about School of Business programs, call 780-4020.

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