Organizational identification in sports contexts : a review of the literature on social media, psychological states, and consumption

The concept of social identification has enabled researchers to investigate various sports constituents. Although some studies have focused on such constituents as organizations or athletes, a majority of sports-related studies solely focus on fans. Therefore, a comprehensive examination of research on different types of social identification in sports contexts can provide an integrated look at all of these different sports constituents (i.e. organizations, athletes, and fans). This study intends to understand how three different types of identification related to sports situations -- organizational, team, and fan identification -- affect and are affected by various stakeholders in their respective sports contexts. Three topics emerge based on trends in the sports field and the research focus of this review. These topics include the influence of: social media on individual behaviors and identification with sports organizations; social identification on individuals' psychological states in sports contexts; and social identification on consumer behavior in different sports situations. Understanding how different types of identification affect individuals in sports provides communication scholars with new research opportunities. This report offers a review of how identification with sports organizations influences how individuals behave, think, and connect with a team. In addition, the report documents findings about how sports-related identification can be developed and sustained through social media, psychology, and consumer behavior.