Relationship between leadership reactions to athletes 'off-field behavior and fans' team identity based on social identity theory and balance

The present study aim was to investigate the relationship between the leader reactions to the Off-Field Behavior of Athletes with team identity of Sepahan and Zob Ahan fans in 1393.

This study is a quasi-experimental survey was conducted in two stages. The sample for all fans of football teams Sepahan and Zob Ahan formed in 1399. Samples are available for sampling and sample size due to the limitations of quasi-experimental study was 82. In the pretest participants and measure their team identity and the identity of the two teams were divided up and down team identity. Then each of these groups were divided into two groups randomly. Two weeks later, participants with either a newspaper story that involves the reaction of strong leadership and weak leadership faced reactions manipulation.

The result showed that the team identity among different categories (F= 0.58, P<0.05). Tukey test results showed that the reaction of the fans, who led the team up strong and weak leadership there, but the reaction of the fans, who led the team down the strong and weak make no difference.

From the findings of this study, it can be concluded that the decisive attitude of managers to inappropriate behaviors off the field of athletes helps maintain the team identity of fans.