Call for participants in research looking at relationship between physical activity and fandom within families

Date: 7th November 2017

In recent years the UK Government have financially invested in and provided support for grassroots sporting activities. They have also targeted specific groups who they believe would benefit from taking part in some form of exercise as there is recognition that such activity can improve health and enrich lives. However, the way in which motivation for physically participating in sporting activity has been measured has focused on the attitudes and performances of the individual rather than a collective or family group.

Club Development Scotland, Supporters Direct Scotland’s consultancy service, is researching with the University of Stirling to explore what motivates families, individually and collectively, to take part in physical sporting activities. We are particularly interested in whether the individual or team sports of which you are a fan influence your decision to physically participate in sport. 

This research will explore issues that may include, but are not limited to:

• Contemporary family lifestyles and the role of sport
• Sport fandom attitudes and behaviours within the family
• The commercialisation of sport – and the potential positive and negative outcomes of this
• Local sporting facilities
• Barriers to physically participating in sporting activity
• Role of those within families influencing participation
• Role of those external to families influencing participation
• Well-being

Those participating will be asked as a family to discuss how being a fan/s of sport impacts on actively taking part in sport. Participants will then be encouraged to think about how peers, friends and family engage and interact while being a sport fan.

If you are chosen to participate in the research, you will be asked to complete a consent form (a copy of which will be given to you for your reference). You can also withdraw at any time. The research will consist of 3 family discussion groups across the year (lasting approximately 1 hour each group) and an individual interview with a couple of the family members lasting approximately an hour. The family discussions and interviews will take place at a suitable and mutually agreeable location. Those who are asked to participate will be given a small monetary voucher in gratitude for their time and participating in the research. 

If you’d like to volunteer your family as part of this research, please contact andrew.jenkin@supporters-direct.org with some basic information about those who would be involved. ‘Families’ are considered as single parent, blended/step parent as well as traditional.

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