This book analyzes the intricate relationship between football fans and clubs, presenting new approaches for those in charge to actively involve fans in club management—a complex task often fraught with emotional tension. Fan communities are spaces for integration and identity formation, but also for exclusion and demarcation. Moreover, the author highlights the resistance of active soccer fan scene towards increasing commercialization of their sport and their skeptical view of powerful institutions. This book therefore emphasizes that the goal of club management should be to develop fans from stakeholders to stakeowners, so that they can take on responsibility as equal participants in club affairs. The author, Edeltraud Hanappi-Egger, introduces the fundamentals of the "fan" phenomenon and outlines paths towards greater transparency and integrity, as well as productive dialogue between clubs and fan communities.
This book is targeted at academics, sports managers, and soccer enthusiasts interested in the intersection of fan culture, club management, and the socio-political dimensions of sports.