Abstract
This study aimed to clarify the characteristics of supporters club members and gain basic insights into how a supporters’ club should be managed in the future. Specifically, the study analyzed the Sakai Blazers Supporters’ Club and compared the annual fees, reasons for joining the club, attractions of the club, membership benefits, and team support activities by membership type and age group. The data were collected from 350 members of the Sakai Blazer Supporters’ Club. The comparison by membership type clearly showed that while “Socio” members wanted a higher-priced member category, “Friends” members wanted a lower-priced one. In addition, it seemed that one of the reasons that Socio members preferred that membership type was the range of member benefits it provided. In terms of what they liked about the fan club, Socio members wanted to support the team more than Friends members did. The same tendency was observed in regard to their intention to support the team. The results of the age group comparison showed that “players” was the keyword among members in their 20s and 30s, indicating that they valued opportunities to obtain players’ information and see them in person. On the other hand, the keyword among the members in their 60s and 70s was “connection,” suggesting that they became members through their connections to, for example, the local community, corporate sponsors, and individuals involved in the team.
