Abstract
Many American universities continue to invest in expensive intercollegiate football programs, and specifically cite the sport’s ability to foster a sense of community (SOC) as justification for the cost. This study sought to assess the importance of SOC and the influence of football on the cultivation thereof. A pre-post test design utilizing an online survey compared SOC levels for students (N = 886) before and after the implementation of Division I football on a large university campus. No significant differences were found in SOC levels before and after the football season (regardless of attendance). Post-test SOC perceptions differed based on game attendance (i.e., moderate and loyal attendees reported the highest levels). Finally, SOC had a moderate to strong positive influence on four outcome variables: Satisfaction, Retention, Current Support of Athletics, and Future Support for Athletics. This study suggests that while SOC is very important to students, at least in the short term the introduction of a football program does not foster a greater SOC for all students.
Recommended Citation
Warner, Stacy; Shapiro, Stephen L.; Dixon, Marlene A.; Ridinger, Lynn L.; and Harrison, Scott B.
(2011)
"The Football Factor: Shaping Community on Campus,"
Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics: Vol. 4:
Iss.
1, Article 13.
Available at:
https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/jiia/vol4/iss1/13