CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Background of the study

Professional soccer clubs must generate revenue from a variety of sources in order to meet

their costs and remain competitive. According to Rosner and Shropshire (2004), the

following elements are the primary sources of revenue for clubs: match day; broadcasting

rights; and commercial. Any club that wishes to maintain a high level of performance and

revenue must focus heavily on the three revenue streams mentioned above, as they are all

critical to attracting and/or developing stronger players and coaches who are more likely to

generate better outcomes and win more titles (Rosner and Shropshire, 2004).

Several authors studied a variety of factors, including the effect of game outcome uncertainty

(Schreyer et al., 2016), brand community (Katz et al., 2018), emotional excitement, soccer

atmospherics (Karakaya et al., 2016), perceived game quality (Oh et al., 2017), fan loyalty to

their team (Bee and Havitz, 2010), and identification with the team (Oh et al., 2017).

(Madrigal, 1995).

Each consumer, according to Morgan and Summers (2008), has a unique perspective on the

world and how they interpret the information provided to them. For consumer

comprehension, internal characteristics such as personality, perception, learning, and attitudes

must be considered. In addition to internal factors, social or external influences such as

culture, reference groups, and family influence consumer purchase decisions.

Along with the need for research that looks at several variables, such as the internal and

external aspects outlined by Morgan and Summers (2008), another trend concerning stadium

attendance in Brazil has evolved. According to the research "Market Analysis—20 Brazilian

(BDO Sports Management, 2017), match day accounts for only 6% of total Brazilian club
while broadcasting rights account for 50% of total revenue. Following that are player sales

(14%), and commercial sales (11%).

Ghana's top-flight football competition is the Ghanaian Premier League (GPL). Because of

sponsorship issues, the league has a lengthy history of generating revenue through game day

attendance (Darby & Solberg, 2010). Matchday revenue from attendance began to fall in the

1980s and early 1990s, when most clubs began to export players.

This was worsened by the introduction of satellite television, which brought the majority of

Europe's top-flight leagues to the country's coastlines (Edward, 2013). The disrespect for the

local league resulted in a lack of corporate interest, with the league going for many years

without a title sponsor (Akyereko, 2018). This has posed numerous problems for the league's

seamless operation in recent years.

1.1 Statement of the problem

Brazilian culture is defined in part by its people's love of soccer. National soccer clubs, on the

other hand, have consistently suffered from low attendance. For example, in the 2014

Campeonato Brasileiro-Série A (the first level of the Brazilian professional soccer

tournament), for example, clubs filled stadiums to barely 40% capacity, with an average

attendance of 16,555 spectators per game (Globo Esporte, 2014). Cruzeiro (29,678

spectators), Corinthians (28,960), and Sao Paulo were the three best-attended clubs (28,544).

These teams play in Mineirao (capacity: 61,846), Arena Corinthians (capacity: 45,000), and

Morumbi (capacity: 66,795) (Globo Esporte, 2014). The poor attendance rate in the Brazilian

soccer league in 2014 was not a reported instance; rather, it has been a consistent issue for

many years.For example, the 2012 Campeonato Brasileiro ranked 18th among the world's 20

largest national soccer championships, trailing only the US Major League Soccer (MLS) and

the English Premier League's second level (Mendonca, 2013).

Seattle Sounders leading the way with an average of 43,734 supporters per game (Brister,

2014).

Unlike the American professional leagues, which compete intensely for sports fans, the

Brazilian soccer league is the country's sole professional league. As a result, soccer has the

potential to become a very successful commodity. However, this has not occurred, owing

primarily to the country's weak administration of soccer. Corruption scandals within Brazil's

soccer governing bodies are not uncommon (Reider-Gordon, 2014).

1.2.0 Objectives

1.2.1 Main objectives

To investigate the factors that facilitate stadium attendance of Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting

Club supporters.

1.2.2 Specific Objectives

1. To investigate how Hearts of Oak supporters are motivated by team loyalty to attend

stadium.

2. To investigate how well the retention of top players affects Hearts of Oak stadium

attendance.

3. To investigate the impact of team identification on the Hearts of Oak supporters

stadium.

4. To investigate the effects of sports consumer involvement on stadium attendance.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What impact does team quality and match unpredictability have on Hearts of Oak

supporters stadium attendance?

2. What impact does the retention of top players have on Hearts of Oak supporters

stadium attendance?
 3. What impact does team identification have on Hearts of Oak supporters?

4. What impact does team sports consumer involvement have on Hearts of Oak

supporters stadium attendance?

1.5 Justification

This study aims to help increase the depth of information on sports consumers,instil

confidence in the players, and make them cherish their favourite team. There is a difference

between loyal and bandwagon supporters.

Athletes and sports teams are tested both psychologically and physically. Playing in front of

no supporters can change how players approach their game mentally, which can impair the

quality of the game. Teams and players can be motivated by positive words and continual

applause.

Players and teams can be motivated by frequent applause and positive words directed at

them. When players hear good compliments, it motivates them to perform to the best of their

abilities.

The results suggest that spectators have an effect on an athlete's performance. Apparently, the

presence of spectators had no effect on the performance of professional football players

during game scenarios. Over 66% of the individuals agreed that having spectators around

improved their performance.

1.6 Hypothesis

1. The team loyalty of the sports consumer impacts positively the intention to go to the

stadium.

2. The retention of top players has an impact on Hearts of Oak supporters' stadium

attendance.

3. The team identification has a positive impact on the satisfaction of the sports

consumer.
1.7 Delimitations

1. The study will include supporters from Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club from

Accra.

2. The study does not consider gender or ethnicity.

3. The study may include newly identified fans.

1.8 Limitations

No limitations have been found yet as there hasn’t been any data collection done yet on the

field.

1.9 Definition of terms

Attendance: it is the number of people who watch a match.

Sports consumer: Spending on club merchandise directly correlates to levels of fan

engagement, i.e., engaged fans are likely to purchase club products, such as match tickets,

jerseys, and general merchandise, on a frequent and continued basis.

Team loyalty means a lot to fans, and it comes to speak to the integrity of the player too, in a

sense.

Involvement is the degree of participation in a sport activity that becomes a central

component of a person’s life and provides both hedonic and symbolic value.

Team identification is the level of psychological attachment felt by a sports fan towards his

or her favourite team (Kim & Kim, 2009; Wann, Melnick, Russell, & Pease, 2001).

Top players are people who contribute an exceptional amount to the end goal or result of the

team.