Supportrar, en tillgång eller risk? : En kvalitativ studie om ishockeysupportrars medverkan i värdeskapande och värdeförstörande aktiviteter

Sammanfattning: Within sports, supporters are an essential actor for how the experience at the stadiums will turn out during games. They are the primary customers while also being a part of the experience for everyone else consuming the sport. It is the supporters in the stands who creates the atmosphere through commitment and chants which complement the experience of watching the game. The aim of the study was to understand how supporters can create and destroy value for themselves and other actors, but also which factors influence their actions. The study was conducted from a Service Dominant Logic perspective since it is well suited to apply theories within co-creation and co-destruction to explain how different actors can affect each other during the value creating process. The study is conducted with supporters of the Swedish ice hockey club Färjestad BK. Twelve qualitative interviews were conducted with active supporters. The result confirms earlier research where it is stated that supporters are essential for sport clubs since they are crucial for creating the atmosphere. The study explains how supporters act as working consumers when they apply their resources to co-create or co-destroy value. The study indicates that supporters’ negative effect on value creation is a large risk for clubs and they can easily co-destroy value since active supporter groups are very influential and emotionally invested actors. It is also shown that the expectations and desires which supporters have before the games plays a major role in whether they are going to contribute to the value creation process or not. The study suggests that clubs should focus on the relationship with their active supporters since they are a major asset while also being a risk for the club. They can deliver unique value which is not possible for the club to create by themselves.