20.500.12556/RUL-181985 The social identity buffer how cognitive, affective, and evaluative ties sustain fan commitment and loyalty amidst club controversies This article examines how the cognitive, affective, and evaluative dimensions of social identity buffer negative shifts in fans’ commitment and loyalty following controversial club decisions. Two cross-sectional studies of European football fans (Study 1: N = 172; Study 2: N = 184) assessed reactions to their favorite club's potential participation in the European Super League. Structural equation modeling shows that cognitive identity is the most robust buffer against commitment declines (β = –0.22 to –0.27). Loyalty change is strongly predicted by commitment change (βs = 0.63–0.73), with models explaining 26%–36% of commitment change variance and 44%–53% of loyalty change variance. Commitment change mediates the effects of evaluative identity (both studies) and affective identity (Study 1) on loyalty change, but not the effect of cognitive identity. Crucially, strong opposition to the club's decision significantly weakens the buffering effect of all identity dimensions, highlighting the contingent nature of social identity in sustaining fan relationships during crises. Our research enriches social identity theory by applying its tripartite conceptualization to the sports marketing context. It advances understanding of how psychological constructs and opposition intensity jointly shape fan attitudes and behaviors, providing valuable insights into managing fan relationships during crises. sports sport management loyalty social identity commitment controversial decision sport fans šport športni management lojalnost true false true Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik Članek v reviji 2026-04-21 16:24:40 2026-04-21 16:29:09 2026-04-22 04:28:35 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2026 0 0 [in press] 2026 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova VTisku NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 796.07 1061-6934 10.1177/10616934261433626 273845507 cater-et-al-2026-the-social-identity-buffer-how-cognitive-affective-and-evaluative-ties-sustain-fan-commitment-and.pdf cater-et-al-2026-the-social-identity-buffer-how-cognitive-affective-and-evaluative-ties-sustain-fan-commitment-and.pdf 1 8F4CA65704E7F9282272609CCDA69B62 bfcc463f87deb09e9a0b44d6c67e5012559384a06abc3f6e6de35807ffb9eebe eef8598a-3d8d-11f1-b0ab-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=232838 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10616934261433626 0 e9a80924-3d8d-11f1-b0ab-0050569b8976 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=232837 Ekonomska fakulteta 0 0 0