Mohamad Nizam Nazarudin, Zakiah Noordin, Jeki Haryanto, Wan Ahmad Munsif Wan Pa, Mohamad Rahizam Abdul Rahim
Background. Football team love represents fans' strong emotional bond and loyalty towards their football clubs. This affection goes beyond game-day support, reflecting a deep connection with the team’s values, history, and culture. Understanding the factors influencing this emotional attachment, especially in the context of the Malaysia Super League, is crucial for fostering lasting fan engagement. Objectives. To investigate the antecedent variables, such as self-expression, satisfaction with performance, and relationship satisfaction, that influence football team love among supporters of Sabah Football Club. Methods. A survey was conducted with 370 Sabah FC supporters aged 18 and older during a Malaysian Football League match at Stadium Likas, Kota Kinabalu. Respondents completed questionnaires assessing self-expression, satisfaction with performance, relationship satisfaction, and brand love. The reliability and validity of the scales were confirmed with Cronbach’s Alpha values ranging from 0.78 to 0.86. Results. The study found that self-expression, satisfaction with performance, and relationship satisfaction significantly impacted football team love. These factors were critical in enhancing fan loyalty and emotional attachment to Sabah Football Club. Conclusion. Football clubs should focus on factors like self-expression, performance satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction to strengthen fan support. Future research could explore the team’s image and the emotional dynamics between fans and clubs, using quantitative and qualitative methods for a deeper understanding. © 2025, Society of Aging and Physical Activity (SAPA). All rights reserved.
Centre of Education & Community Well-being Research, Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia; Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Pendidikan Islam, Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia; Coaching Department, Faculty of Sport Science, Universitas Negeri Padang, Padang, Indonesia; Faculty of Sports Science & Recreation, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Selangor, Shah Alam, Malaysia
