Elizabeth B. Delia
PhD Coordinator, Associate Professor, & Paul and Gail McDonald Endowed Faculty Fellow
Research Summary
Dr. Delia studies 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. Dr. Delia is currently studying the intersection of fandom, identity, and social change, specifically how identity and meaning derived from fandom can become politicized, mobilizing advocacy and collective action through social movements. She uses qualitative methods, including ethnographic approaches such as digital ethnography and autoethnography, as well as traditional approaches.
Education
Professional Experience
Academic Appointments
Research Interests
Teaching Interests
- Marketing Research
- Consumer Behavior
- Marketing
Honors and Awards
Selected Publications
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.
Lock, D., Delia, E.B., Inoue, Y., & Gillooly, L. (2023). Success interrupted: Exploring how supporters interpret their team’s success in a postponed competition. European Sport Management Quarterly. Doi: 10.1080/16184742.2023.2251999
Sveinson, K., Delia, E.B., Mansfield, A., & Calow, E. (2023). The impact of a life-disrupting threat on team identity. Sport Management Review, 26, 561-581.
Delia, E.B., Melton, E.N., Sveinson, K., Lock, D., & Cunningham, G.B. (2022). Understanding the lack of diversity in sport consumer behavior research. Journal of Sport Management, 36, 265-276.
Delia, E.B. (2020). The psychological meaning of team among fans of women’s sport. Journal of Sport Management, 34, 579-590.
Mansfield, A.C., Delia, E.B., & Katz, M. (2020). The blurry spectrums of team identity threat. Sport Management Review, 23,414-427.
Wegner, C.E.,Delia, E.B., & Baker, B.J. (2020). Fan response to the identity threat of potential team relocation. Sport Management Review, 23, 215-228