Development of a model connecting self-directive value and satisfaction of sociability needs in sport spectators

I developed a model for spectators of team sporting events in a collectivistic society to explain the relationships among self-directive value, team identification, social capital, and a sense of belonging in the context of being a member of a fan group. I distributed a survey in central Taiwan to 890 people who watched a sporting event for at least 30 minutes per week. The results showed that the model I had developed was supported except that my hypothesis that there would be a relationship between self-directive value and the fans’ social capital was only partly supported. Team identification played a fully mediating role and spectator attitudes played a moderating role, in the relationship between self-directive value and fans’ social capital. The model accounted for 59% of the variance in sense of belonging, and indicated the possibility, in the collectivist society of Taiwan, of balancing being self-directive and having social needs satisfied as a member of a fan group for a sports team.