Abstract
This chapter discusses the future of research on rivalry ways the phenomenon can be promoted in a way that engages fans without encouraging deviant behavior and violence. In particular, the chapter acts as a call to action for academics to further our collective understanding of rivalry to help explain the human condition. Further, discussion also focuses on potential ideas and practices that can help practitioners promote rivalry in a responsible way. For example, practitioners are presented with ideas to engage with multiple fan identities, promote similarities among rival fans, develop and promote new rivalries responsibly, and engage youth in education about the phenomenon.
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Notes
- 1.
100-point Rivalry Points (Tyler & Cobbs, 2017) and Sport Rivalry Fan Perception Scale (SRFPS: Havard, Gray et al., 2013) identify and measure rival strength and perceptions. Schadenfreude (Dalakas & Levin, 2005) and GORFing (Havard et al., 2018) instruments measure the way fans react to rival indirect failure.
- 2.
Historical information on rivalry is available at www.SportRivalry.com and contemporary data available at www.KnowRivalry.com.
- 3.
The VDT presents individuals with a representation (voodoo doll) of a rival or out-group member, to which they are asked how many times they would stab the doll. This method has displayed strong reliability in measuring aggressive tendencies toward an out-group in a more realistic way without putting actual fans and participants in harm’s way. In the sport setting, it would be interesting to investigate how fan aggression would differ if the doll represented a generic fan or a fan or participant from an identified rival team.
- 4.
- 5.
Sport organizations use Theme Nights to, among other purposes, attract people that may not otherwise attend a game. Common Theme Nights include superheroes, princesses, Star Wars, Harry Potter, etc.
- 6.
Many rival teams offer assistance in the recovery efforts following natural or man-made disasters (Inoue & Havard, 2015).
- 7.
During the first Heroes Game, a woman from Nebraska was highlighted because she saved two children from a house fire, while a police officer from Iowa was chosen for fostering 125 children and rescuing a mother and child during a snowstorm.
- 8.
An important takeaway for practitioners from these findings is that negative interactions between rival groups can ultimately hurt both brands, which may further erode individual’s desire to consume the sport product.
- 9.
Before the 2014 matchup, popular Twitter personalities Faux Pelini (parody account of former Nebraska football coach Bo Pelini) and Goldy Gopher (official account of the Minnesota mascot) engaged in an exchange in which the two tried to determine a trophy to exchange after the game. Goldy Gopher suggested a wager be placed on the game, to which Faux Pelini retorted that he would pay $5 if Nebraska lost, but could break a chair over Goldy Gopher’s head if the Cornhuskers won. Goldy Gopher agreed as long as the bits of broken chair could be used for a trophy the next year (Vint, 2014).
- 10.
Information available at www.fairplayinternational.org.
- 11.
Stories and curriculum available at www.sportrivalry.com. Curriculum focuses on themes such as teamwork, acceptance, and anti-bullying behaviors. A goal of the curriculum is for children to take lessons outside of the sport setting and potentially speak to others about appropriate group member behavior.
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Havard, C.T. (2020). The Future of Rivalry Research and Promotion: A Call to Action. In: Rivalry in Sport. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-47455-3_5
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