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The current study sought to extend our knowledge of sport fans by examining whether the motives for being a fan of a specific team were similar or different for females and males. The study further sought to identify whether the reasons for being a fan of a women's sport (women s college basketball) were different than the reasons for being a fan of the same sport played by men (men's college basketball). Contrary to previous research, results indicated that females and males were not equally likely to be sport fans, in general or for a specific team. The male participants' ratings as fans of sport in general and fans of specific teams were significantly higher than the ratings of female participants. The overall ratings on the sport consumption motives were higher for males, and there were significant differences on five of the motives measured. There was no significant difference between the two motives rated highest by females and males (the Action of sports and the opportunity to Escape from ones daily routine). Across sports the only significant difference was the Aesthetic appeal of basketball. Males appreciated the beauty and gracefulness in basketball for men's and women's games, while females found women's basketball more aesthetically appealing.
Sport spectating represents a predominant form of leisure behavior in today's society. Large numbers of people attend sporting events and think of themselves as sport fans. Attendance figures reported in nationally syndicated newspapers indicated that the combined attendance at National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA), and National Hockey League (NHL) regular season games in 1999, exceeded 116 million. A national survey asking people how interested they were in sports found an increase in the fan base of all twelve major sports measured (Frank, 2000). For example, 67% of the U.S. population were estimated to be fans of the NFL; 54% reported being fans of the NBA, and 35% were fans of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) (Frank, 2000). Continued interest in following and watching sports is evidenced by the growth of the major professional sport leagues in the North America, and by the emergence of new teams and leagues, particularly for women's sports. Recent years have seen the development of new women's...