ENDURING INVOLVEMENT OF TAILGATING COLLEGE FOOTBALL FANS: THE INFLUENCE OF DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS

Matt Lovett
University of Louisiana at Monroe
Saleh Bajaba
King Abdulaziz University
Hani Mesak
Louisiana Tech University

ABSTRACT

Though the enduring involvement construct has been employed in several recreation and leisure studies, it has never been utilized with fans that attend college football games as a leisure pursuit. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the demographic factors that influence fans’ involvement with a mid-major college football team. The researchers employed Kyle et al.’s (2005) involvement scale to measure college football fans’ levels of involvement (n=274) with their team at a pre-game tailgate event with a 12-item involvement scale. A factor analysis produced a three-factor, 9-item scale that included Attraction, Self-expression, and Centrality. Regression analysis results show two of the three models—Attraction and Centrality—were both significant. Age and game attendance were predictors of Attraction, while gender, age, and game attendance were predictors of Centrality. Several managerial implications are offered, as well as future avenues of research.

Keywords: Enduring involvement; Fan demographics; College football