Local specifics grounded in universal commonalities: A Cross-national look at sport fans

摘要

@@ Introduction Viewing sport is a hedonic experience (Holbrook & Hirschman, 1982; Madrigal, 2006), laden with symbolic meanings (Chalip, 1992; Derbaix, Decrop & Cabossart, 2002), many of which implicate the fan's perception of the self (Ciadini et al., 1976; Hunt, Bristol, & Bashaw, 1999). The symbolisms, their hedonic value, and consequent implications for the self are each culturally constructed (Geertz, 1973; Thomas & Dyall, 1999). Yet we know very little about the differences or similarities in the ways that fans from different national cultures construct and interpret their sport fanship. This study compares the structure and interpretation of fanship reported by basketball fans in the United States and China.