Happiness, Life Satisfaction and Sport Fan

Avichai Shuv-Ami
(Marketing & Advertising Department, The College of Management, Rishon Lezion 75190, Israel)

Abstract: This paper is an exploratory research that examines the relationship between fanship and fans’ life satisfaction and happiness. Using a sample of 1,329 football fans and 1,259 basketball fans, the current research found that, the greater one feels a fan of a football or basketball team, the more likely he or she will have a higher level of life satisfaction and happiness. These differences were especially significant between Enthusiastic Fans and Light Fans of both football and basketball teams. Since the current research is exploratory in nature, future research may be needed to test the relationships found in the current paper in different countries and in different fields.

Key words: happiness; life satisfaction; sport fan

JEL codes: M31