Elizabeth B. Delia
Associate Professor | Paul and Gail McDonald Endowed Faculty Fellow
Dr. Delia studies group identity and meaning. Her research to date has centered on the psychological connections fans form with sport and the meaning derived from their fandom. Her research emphasizes that fandom is not just about watching games or races; it is about identity and the ways sport becomes woven into how people see themselves, including their sense of purpose and significance. She uses qualitative methods, including ethnographic approaches such as digital ethnography and autoethnography, as well as traditional interviews.
Education
Professional Experience
Academic Appointments
Honors and Awards
Research Interests
Teaching Interests
- Sport Marketing
- Applied Sport Marketing Research
- Sport Consumer Behavior
Professional Links
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=G9_mr38AAAAJ&hl=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebdelia/
Selected Publications
Dalal, K., & Delia, E.B. (2025). Fans’ experiences attempting to boycott the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Sport Management Review, 28, 959-985. https://doi.org/10.1080/14413523.2025.2528323
Sveinson, K., Delia, E.B., Melton, E.N., Dalal, K., & Cunningham, G.B. (2025). Rethinking rigor: Using positionality and reflexivity to enhance sport management scholarship. Journal of Sport Management, 39, 79-89. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.2024-0155
Delia, E.B., Sveinson, K., & Ryder, S. (2025). A feminist critical discourse analysis of reactions to the inaugural Tour de France Femmes route. Journal of Sport Management, 39, 90-101. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.2023-0054
Delia, E.B., McCullough, B.P., & Dalal, K. (2024). Team identity and environmentalism: The case of Forest Green Rovers. Journal of Sport Management, 38, 353-364. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.2023-0269