International Journal of Sport Management

Superordinate Social Identity in a Professional Sport Organization’s Environmental Program

Timothy Kellison, Beth Cianfrone

Abstract: In the US, the legitimacy of climate science is typically debated along partisan lines. Due in part to concerns over alienating a significant portion of their fanbases, sport organizations have largely resisted promoting their environmentally sustainable initiatives (or avoided climate action altogether). In light of this concern, in this study, we examine the extent to which environmentalist and non-environmentalist fans differ in their attitudes toward a professional sport team’s sustainability program. Using empirical material collected from 167 season ticket holders of a professional American football team, we identified 24 preliminary codes and categorized them into three groups: environmentalist, non-environmentalist, and shared. Additionally, eight categories and three themes emerged from qualitative analysis. Based on the results of the study, we argue teams may cultivate a superordinate social identity to overcome political differences among fans, thereby enhancing fans’ knowledge of the team’s environmental program and growing support for climate action.

Keywords: environment, sustainability, political science, social identity, fan identification, professional sports

Citation: Kellison, T., & Cianfrone, B. (2020). Superordinate social identity in a professional sport organization’s environmental program. International Journal of Sport Management, 21(1), 54-81.

References

  • Asilsoy, B., & Oktay, D. (2018). Exploring environmental behaviour as the major determinant of ecological citizenship. Sustainable Cities and Society, 39, 765–771.
  • Balint, K. (1986, December 12). New lighting to save energy at stadium. San Diego Tribune, p. B3.
  • Batalha, L., & Reynolds, K.J. (2012). ASPIRing to mitigate climate change: Superordinate identity in global climate negotiations. Political Psychology, 33, 743–760.
  • Blaustein, L. (2018). Let’s start a movement to get the sports media to #CoverGreenSports. Retrieved from https://greensportsblog.com/2018/04/25/lets-start-a-movement-to-get-the-sports-media-to-covergreensports/
  • Brady, F. (1991, March 7). Field will stay green, but stadium will conserve water elsewhere. San Diego Tribune, p. C8.
  • Buttel, F.H., & Flinn, W.L. (1976). Environmental politics: The structuring of partisan and ideological cleavages in mass environmental attitudes. The Sociological Quarterly, 17, 477–490.
  • Campelli, M. (2018a, September 28). Can sport help the public understand the effects of climate change? The Sustainability Report. Retrieved from https://sustainabilityreport.com/2018/09/28/can-sport-help-the-public-understand-the-effects-of-climate-change/
  • Campelli, M. (2018b, August 8). WIll other sports clubs follow Forest Green Rovers and become climate neutral? The Sustainability Report.
  • Casper, J.M., & Pfahl, M.E. (2015). Sport management and the natural environment: Theory and practice. London; New York: Routledge.
  • Casper, J.M., Pfahl, M.E., & McCullough, B.P. (2014). Intercollegiate sport and the environment: Examining fan engagement based on athletics department sustainability efforts. Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, 7, 65–91.
  • Casper, J.M., Pfahl, M.E., & McCullough, B.P. (2017). Is going green worth it? Assessing fan engagement and perceptions of athletic department environmental efforts. Journal of Applied Sport Management, 9(1), 106–134.
  • Center for Sport and Urban Policy. (2019). Greentrack. Retrieved from http://www.stadiatrack.org/green
  • Choi, J.-S.A. (2016). Going green in baseball—a case study of the SK Wyverns. International Journal of Sports Marketing & Sponsorship, 17, 368–379.
  • Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2015). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications Inc.
  • Death, C. (2011). ‘Greening’ the 2010 FIFA World Cup: Environmental sustainability and the mega-event in South Africa. Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning, 13, 99–117.
  • DeChano-Cook, L.M., & Shelley, F.M. (2018). Climate change and the future of international events: A case of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. In B.P. McCullough & T.B. Kellison (Eds.), Routledge handbook of sport and the environment (pp. 66–78). London: Routledge.
  • Delia, E.B., & James, J.D. (2018). The meaning of team in team identification. Sport Management Review, 21, 416–429.
  • DesJardins, J. (2016). Is it time to jump off the sustainability bandwagon? Business Ethics Quarterly, 26, 117–135.
  • Dingle, G., & Mallen, C. (2018). Sport-environmental sustainability (sport-ES) education. In B.P. McCullough & T.B. Kellison (Eds.), Routledge handbook of sport and the environment (pp. 79–96). London: Routledge.
  • Dolšak, N., & Prakash, A. (2018). The politics of climate change adaptation. Annual Review of Climate Change Adaptation, 43, 317–341.
  • Drayer, J., Kunkel, T., & Greenhalgh, G. P. (2017, November 1). LEEDing the way to revenue: Examining fans’ willingness to support “green” initiatives. Paper presented at the Sport Marketing Association Conference, Boston, MA.
  • Elkington, J. (1998). Cannibals with forks: The triple bottom line of 21st century business. Gabriola Island, BC ; Stony Creek, CT: New Society Publishers.
  • Fielding, K.S., & Hornsey, M.J. (2016). A social identity analysis of climate change and environmental attitudes and behaviors: Insights and opportunities. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 1–12.
  • Fleischer, M., Fuhrmann, M., Haferburg, C., & Krüger, F. (2013). “Festivalisation” of urban governance in South African cities: Framing the urban social sustainability of mega-event driven development from below. Sustainability, 5, 5225–5248.
  • Fritsche, I., Barth, M., Jugert, P., Masson, T., & Reese, G. (2018). A social identity model of pro-environmental action (SIMPEA). Psychological Review, 125, 245–269.
  • Funk, C., & Kennedy, B. (2016, October 4). The politics of climate. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2016/10/04/the-politics-of-climate/
  • Funk, D.C., & James, J. (2001). The psychological continuum model: A conceptual framework for understanding an individual’s psychological connection to sport. Sport Management Review, 4, 119–150.
  • Greenhalgh, G., LeCrom, C.W., & Dwyer, B. (2015). Going green? The behavioral impact of a sport and the environment course. Journal of Contemporary Athletics, 9(1), 49–59.
  • Greshko, M., Parker, L., Howard, B.C., Stone, D., Borunda, A., & Gibbens, S. (2019, March 12). A running list of how President Trump is changing environmental policy. National Geographic. Retrieved from https://news.nationalgeographic.com/
  • Haslam, S.A., Eggins, R.A., & Reynolds, K.J. (2003). The ASPIRe model: Actualizing Social and Personal Identity Resources to enhance organizational outcomes. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 76, 83–113.
  • Heinze, K.L., & Soderstrom, S. (2018). Sport venue sustainability: The role of local context and stakeholder engagement. In B.P. McCullough & T.B. Kellison (Eds.), Routledge handbook of sport and the environment (pp. 267–277). London: Routledge.
  • Henly, A. (2013). Collegiate game changers: How campus sport is going green (13-08-A). New York: National Resources Defense Council.
  • Henly, A., Hershkowitz, A., & Hoover, D. (2012). Game changer: How the sports industry is saving the environment. New York: Natural Resources Defense Council.
  • Hershkowitz, A. (2015). The sports industry at the Paris climate talks [Press release]. Retrieved from http://greensportsalliance.org/the-sports-industry-at-the-paris-climate-talks/
  • Inoue, Y., & Kent, A. (2012). Investigating the role of corporate credibility in corporate social marketing: A case study of environmental initiatives by professional sport organizations. Sport Management Review, 15, 330–344.
  • Jensen, J.A., Turner, B.A., Delia, E., James, J., Greenwell, T.C., McEvoy, C., . . . Walsh, P. (2016). Forty years of BIRGing: New perspectives on Cialdini’s seminal studies. Journal of Sport Management, 30, 149–161.
  • Johnson, J., & Ali, A.E. (2018). Sustainability, greenwashing, and the light green approach to sport environmentalism. In B.P. McCullough & T.B. Kellison (Eds.), Routledge handbook of sport and the environment (pp. 319–329). London: Routledge.
  • Johnson, M., Brace, P., & Arceneaux, K. (2005). Public opinion and dynamic representation in the American states: The case of environmental attitudes. Social Science Quarterly, 86, 87–108.
  • Kellison, T.B., & Hong, S. (2015). The adoption and diffusion of pro-environmental stadium design. European Sport Management Quarterly, 15, 249–269.
  • Kellison, T.B., & Kim, Y.K. (2014). Marketing pro-environmental venues in professional sport: Planting seeds of change among existing and prospective consumers. Journal of Sport Management, 28, 34–48.
  • Kellison, T., & McCullough, B.P. (in press). Angelenos’ environmental attitudes and behaviors in advance of LA 2028. Journal of Olympic Studies.
  • Kellison, T.B., & McCullough, B.P. (2016). A forecast for the mainstreaming of environmental sustainability. Sport & Entertainment Review, 2(1), 11–18.
  • Kellison, T.B., & McCullough, B.P. (2018). A pragmatic perspective on the future of sustainability in sport. In B.P. McCullough & T.B. Kellison (Eds.), Routledge handbook of sport and the environment (pp. 445–455). New York: Routledge.
  • Kellison, T.B., & Mondello, M.J. (2012). Organisational perception management in sport: The use of corporate pro-environmental behaviour for desired facility referenda outcomes. Sport Management Review, 15, 500–512.
  • Kellison, T.B., Trendafilova, S., & McCullough, B.P. (2015). Considering the social impact of sustainable stadium design. International Journal of Event Management Research, 10(1), 63–83.
  • Khmara, Y., & Kronenberg, J. (2018). Degrowth in business: An oxymoron or a viable business model for sustainability? Journal of Cleaner Production, 177, 721–731.
  • Lacasse, K. (2016). Don’t be satisfied, identify! Strengthening positive spillover by connecting pro-environmental behaviors to an “environmentalist” label. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 48, 149–158.
  • Lazell, J., Magrizos, S., & Carrigan, M. (2018). Over-claiming the circular economy: The missing dimensions. Social Business, 8(1), 103–114.
  • Locke, S.L. (2019). Estimating the impact of Major League Baseball games on local air pollution. Contemporary Economic Policy, 37, 236–244.
  • Lyon, T.P., Delmas, M.A., Maxwell, J.W., Bansal, P., Chiroleu-Assouline, M., Crifo, P., . . . Wijen, F. (2018). CSR needs CPR: Corporate sustainability and politics. California Management Review, 60(4), 4–24.
  • Maese, R. (2019, October 16). As waters rise, so do concerns for sports teams along coast. Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/10/16/waters-rise-so-do-concerns-sports-teams-along-coast/?arc404=true
  • McCright, A.M., & Dunlap, R.E. (2011). The politicization of climate change and polarization in the American public’s views of global warming, 2001–2010. The Sociological Quarterly, 52, 155–194.
  • McCullough, B.P. (2013). Identifying the influences on sport spectator recycling behaviours using the theory of planned behaviour. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 14, 146–168.
  • McCullough, B.P., & Kellison, T.B. (2016). Go green for the home team: Sense of place and environmental sustainability in sport. Journal of Sustainability Education, 11(2), 1–14.
  • McCullough, B.P., & Kellison, T.B. (Eds.). (2018). Routledge handbook of sport and the environment. New York: Routedge.
  • McCullough, B.P., & Pelcher, J. (2018, November). Gaps in practice: Sustainability reporting in the sport industry. Poster presented at Sport & Entertainment Venues Tomorrow, Columbia, SC.
  • McCullough, B.P., Pfahl, M.E., & Nguyen, S.N. (2016). The green waves of environmental sustainability in sport. Sport in Society, 19, 1040–1065.
  • Mosier, J. (2016, May 20). Rangers new stadium plans unveiled. Dallas Morning News. Retrieved from https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/rangers/2016/05/20/rangers-new-stadium-plans-unveiled-find-out-what-it-will-cost-and-timeline-for-its-construction/
  • Orr, M., & Inoue, Y. (2019). Sport versus climate: Introducing the climate vulnerability of sport organizations framework. Sport Management Review, 22, 452–463.
  • Reese, G. (2016). Common human identity and the path to global climate justice. Climatic Change, 134, 521–531.
  • Ross, W.J., & Leopkey, B. (2017). The adoption and evolution of environmental practices in the Olympic Games. Managing Sport and Leisure, 22, 1–18.
  • Rowand, M., Cahill, A., Newport, D., Casper, J., Gutierrez, D., Hoverstein, S., . . . Regan, J. (2018). Green Sports Alliance fan engagement playbook. Boulder, CO: Regents of the University of Colorado.
  • Saldaña, J. (2016). The coding manual for qualitative researchers (3rd ed.). London: SAGE Publications Ltd.
  • Sparshott, J., & Mann, T. (2017). Trump budget seeks big cuts to environment, arts, foreign aid. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-budget-seeks-big-cuts-to-environment-arts-foreign-aid-1489636861
  • Taking root. (2016, June 6–12). SportsBusiness Journal, pp. 15–21.
  • The Change the World sustainability all stars. (2019, August 19). Fortune. Retrieved from https://fortune.com/2019/08/19/change-the-world-sustainability-all-stars-2019/
  • The Ohio State University. (2018). Zero waste statistics. Retrieved from https://fod.osu.edu/zw-statistics
  • The White House. (2016). Fact sheet: Tackling climate through sports [Press release]. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/10/06/fact-sheet-tackling-climate-through-sports
  • Trail, G.T. (2016). Marketing sustainability through sport. Seattle: Sport Consumer Research Consultants LLC.
  • Trail, G.T., Fink, J.S., & Anderson, D.F. (2003). Sport spectator consumption behavior. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 12(1), 8–17.
  • Trail, G.T., Kim, Y.-K., Kwon, H.H., Harrolle, M. G., Braunstein-Minkove, J.R., & Dick, R. (2012). The effects of vicarious achievement on BIRGing and CORFing: Testing moderating and mediating effects of team identification. Sport Management Review, 15, 345–354.
  • Trail, G.T., & McCullough, B.P. (2018a). Differential effects of internal and external constraints on sustainability intentions: A hierarchical regression analysis of running event participants by market segment. Journal of Management for Global Sustainability, 6(2), 1–30.
  • Trail, G.T., & McCullough, B.P. (2018b). Marketing sustainability through sport: The importance of target market insights. In B.P. McCullough & T.B. Kellison (Eds.), Routledge handbook of sport and the environment (pp. 134–148). London: Routledge.
  • General Assembly resolution 70/1, Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, A/RES/70/1 (October 21, 2015).
  • Triantafyllidis, S. (2018). Carbon dioxide emissions research and sustainable transportation in the sports industry. Journal of Carbon Research, 4(57), 5.
  • United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (2018a). Creating the greenest football club in the world. Retrieved from https://unfccc.int/climate-action/
  • United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (2018b). Sports for climate action framework.
  • Wall-Tweedie, J., & Nguyen, S.N. (2018). Is the grass greener on the other side? A review of the Asia-Pacific sport industry’s environmental sustainability practices. Journal of Business Ethics, 152, 741–761.
  • Watanabe, N.M., Yan, G., Soebbing, B.P., & Fu, W. (2019). Air pollution and attendance in the Chinese Super League: Environmental economics and the demand for sport. Journal of Sport Management, 33, 289–302.
  • Wenzel, M., Mummendey, A., & Waldzus, S. (2007). Superordinate identities and intergroup conflict: The ingroup projection model. European Journal of Social Psychology, 17, 331–372.
  • Wicker, P. (2019). The carbon footprint of active sport participants. Sport Management Review, 22, 513–526.
  • Wiest, S.L., Raymond, L., & Clawson, R.A. (2015). Framing, partisan predispositions, and public opinion on climate change. Global Environmental Change, 31, 187–198.
  • Wolsko, C. (2017). Expanding the range of environmental values: Political orientation, moral foundations, and the common ingroup. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 51, 284–294.
  • Wolsko, C., Ariceaga, H., & Seiden, J. (2016). Red, white, and blue enough to be green: Effects of moral framing on climate change attitudes and conservation behaviors. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 65, 7–19.
  • Wright, C., & Nyberg, D. (2017). An inconvenient truth: How organizations translate climate change into business as usual. Academy of Management Journal, 60, 1633–1661.

Discover more from International Journal of Sport Management

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading