Direct association between fan tokens and fan loyalty

Determine whether blockchain-based fungible fan token ownership and participation (e.g., voting in Socios fan token polls) is directly associated with fan loyalty, defined as deep-seated attachment and long-term commitment to a professional sports team, by empirically establishing the presence and strength of a direct relationship between fan token engagement and loyalty behaviors.

Background

The study analyzes 3,576 fan token polls to understand participation and engagement determinants across sports, themes, and levels of voter (dis-)agreement. While it documents substantial engagement, the authors explicitly note they cannot directly associate fan tokens with fan loyalty.

Establishing a direct link between fan token engagement and loyalty is central to assessing the long-term value of fan tokens for sports organizations and to situating fan tokens within established frameworks such as Social Identity Theory and the Investment Model.