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 Edeltraud Hanappi-Egger has been a university professor of Gender and Diversity in Organizations since 2002. From 2015 to 2023, she served as the first woman President of the Vienna University of Economics and Business (Austria). Since 2022, she has been Vice President of SK Rapid, Austria's largest soccer club, and has since conducted specialized research on diversity and sustainability in soccer. She enjoys significant recognition as the first woman in this position.
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.