Social Media and Motivational Complexities Associated in Promoting Professional Soccer Engagement

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to examine and determine factors that lead to increased television ratings for soccer in the U.S. Undoubtedly, the topic of fantasy sports and the various roles it plays with types of fan involvement and their need for enhanced engagement with a complex social media landscape has intrigued scholars from a number of disciplines. How the various motivational factors, both intrinsically and extrinsically, impact the degree of fan involvement and loyalty have been investigated several times. The overall results have been mixed to say the least. The current chapter primarily focuses on fantasy soccer participation, involvement in soccer, presence of a local professional team, and social media interaction. After providing a brief history of soccer television ratings in the U.S., a conceptual model based on these factors is developed and explained. The factors of this conceptual model are tested through statistical analysis.