CSR initiatives positively influence consumers’ purchase intentions by aligning with their values and enhancing reputational, marketing, and public relations outcomes (Deng and Zhang, 2016; Ellen et al., 2006; Ma, 2011). These effects extend to professional sports, where empirical studies demonstrate that clubs’ CSR activities strengthen fans’ engagement and consumption intentions. For instance, Walker and Kent (2009) surveyed 297 National Football League (NFL) fans and revealed that perceptions of clubs’ CSR efforts significantly improved both club reputation and FCIs. Similarly, Lacey et al. (2015) examined North American professional basketball fans, revealing that CSR perceptions drive positive word-of-mouth advocacy. Building on this evidence, we propose the following hypothesis:

H1: The stronger fans perceive a professional football club’s CSR, the greater their FCIs.

FI with professional sports clubs is reflected in distinct behavioral and psychological patterns. Highly identified fans actively seek club-related information, advocate for their teams within social networks (Ashforth and Mael, 1989), and use inclusive language (e.g., “How is our club performing?”) to signal psychological ownership. This identification further manifests through symbolic gestures such as wearing team-branded apparel and publicly signaling affiliation (Lock et al., 2012). During matches, strongly identified fans exhibit intense loyalty, engaging in coordinated cheering, disruptive tactics toward opposing players, and vocal criticism of referees’ contentious decisions (Cialdini et al., 1976). Extensive research demonstrates that fan identification generates strategic value for professional sports clubs, enhancing fan loyalty, strengthening brand equity, and increasing willingness to attend matches, purchase merchandise, and travel for away games (Wann et al., 2001; Sutton et al., 1997; Gladden and Funk, 2001). Within sports consumption research, scholars have empirically validated that clubs’ CSR initiatives positively influence FI (Gladden and Funk, 2001). Building on this evidence, we propose the following hypotheses:

H2: The stronger fans perceive a professional football club’s CSR, the stronger their identification with the club.

H3: The stronger fans’ identification with a professional football club, the greater their willingness to express FCIs.

H4: FI mediates the relationship between perceptions of a club’s CSR and FCIs.

Attribution theory posits that individuals’ perceptions and attitudes toward behaviors or events depend on their causal inferences (Kelley, 1973). Consumers’ attributions of CSR motives are categorized as either altruistic (driven by social welfare goals) or self-interested (aimed at organizational gain) (Vlachos et al., 2013; Deng and Long, 2017). Consumers exhibit more favorable attitudes toward companies when they attribute CSR initiatives to altruistic motives rather than self-interest (Mason, 2001; Jiang and Shi, 2017). Empirical evidence confirms that CSR motive attributions directly influence consumer engagement, including purchase intentions, word-of-mouth advocacy, brand loyalty, and reputation evaluations (Walker et al., 2010). Furthermore, public perceptions of CSR intensity shape these attributions: higher perceived CSR levels correlate with more positive corporate evaluations (Gao, 2009). Klein and Dawar’s (2004) experimental study further substantiates this relationship, demonstrating that CSR intensity significantly predicts consumer attributions. Based on this framework, we propose the following hypotheses:

H5: The stronger fans perceive a professional football club’s CSR, the more likely they are to attribute its CSR efforts to altruistic motives.

H6: Fans who attribute CSR initiatives to altruistic motives demonstrate greater willingness to engage in FCIs.

H7: Altruistic attributions mediate the relationship between perceived CSR and FCIs.

Prior research indicates that fans exhibit positive identification with professional sports clubs’ CSR initiatives, which enhances their willingness to purchase, engage in word-of-mouth advocacy, and consume team merchandise (Walker and Kent, 2009). However, attribution theory suggests that such responses depend critically on fans’ causal inferences about clubs’ motives (Kelley, 1973; Weiner, 1989). Specifically, fans affirm CSR behaviors only when they attribute them to altruistic goals aimed at societal welfare. Conversely, if fans perceive CSR efforts as self-interested responses to external pressures or profit motives, their approval and engagement diminish significantly. This mechanism aligns with findings in marketing research: Kou (2008) demonstrated that consumers’ attributions of CSR motives directly shape their CSR identification. Building on this theoretical and empirical foundation, we propose:

H8: The stronger fans perceive altruistic motives underlying a professional football club’s CSR, the stronger their identification with the club.

Involvement denotes an individual’s perceived relevance of a target object based on personal needs, interests, or values (Sherif and Cantril, 1947). In sports, fans represent a distinct consumer segment characterized by heightened involvement with specific sports or clubs (Shank et al., 1998; Underwood et al., 2001; Taylor and Rice, 2012). Scholarly work establishes that high fan involvement correlates strongly with attitudinal and behavioral loyalty, including game attendance, repurchase intent (i.e., repeated ticket purchases), and positive word-of-mouth advocacy (Bee and Havitz, 2010; Bennett et al., 2009; Funk et al., 2004). Empirical research further demonstrates that fan involvement positively predicts identification levels (Tsiotsou and Alexandris, 2009; Shawn and Philip, 2012), with deeper engagement in a sport or club fostering stronger psychological affiliation (Fisher and Wakefield, 1998). Consequently, highly involved fans are more prone to a halo effect, wherein greater club involvement amplifies their identification with the club’s CSR initiatives. In contrast, low-involvement fans, akin to general consumers, may remain skeptical of the motives behind CSR initiatives despite recognizing the CSR initiatives’ positive valence, necessitating attributional explanations to engage. This leads to the following hypotheses:

H9: For highly involved fans, identification mediates the relationship between perceived CSR and FCIs.

H10: For low-involvement fans, motivational attribution mediates the relationship between perceived CSR and FCIs.

The proposed theoretical model is illustrated in Figure 1.

The measurement of the variables in this study is primarily based on the adaptation of existing international research. Specifically, the perception of CSR among professional football clubs is mainly derived from the works of Walker et al. (2009) and Kim et al. (2016). FI is informed by the research conducted by Wang et al. (2012), while MA is grounded in the theoretical framework proposed by Rifon et al. (2004). Lastly, FCIs is based on the studies by Tzetzis et al. (2014) and Kim and James (2016). The revision procedure comprised three key steps: (1) employing a “two-way translation” method, which involved translating the initial scale of variables into Chinese and subsequently inviting English specialists to translate it back into English for comparative analysis and refinement, resulting in the finalized scale entries; (2) Fan-perceived social responsibility is the core variable in this study. The revision procedure is as follows: first, a content analysis was conducted to collate the social-responsibility information publicly disclosed on the official websites and Sina Weibo accounts of all 21 Chinese Super League clubs. Second, the social-responsibility content was coded and combined with items from existing scales to develop a semi-structured interview protocol; interviews were then carried out with fans to ascertain the content of fan-perceived social responsibility. Third, specific measurement items were generated on the basis of the social-responsibility content perceived by fans.; and (3) administering 188 valid questionnaires to perform a pretest. Item analysis was used to select items with high discriminability, and exploratory factor analysis was employed to identify indicators with high factor loadings. After selecting all items, experts were invited to review and refine them.

The final CSR perception scale for professional football clubs comprises 16 items across 5 dimensions: employee responsibility, fan responsibility, youth responsibility, special population responsibility, and community responsibility. Employee responsibility encompasses care for employees’ personal lives (congratulations on weddings, births, birthdays and other important milestones), concern for players during training and matches (such as when injuries occur), organizing recreational activities for staff, and looking after retired employees (hospital visits, financial assistance, and memorials when they pass away). Fan responsibility includes fan-appreciation initiatives (discounted tickets, football merchandise, dedicated match-day transportation), safeguarding supporters’ rights and interests (ticket handling and financial compensation), and caring for fans (get-well visits for the sick, assistance for the injured or disabled, and general fan welfare). Youth responsibility involves donating welfare items, organizing youth football tournaments, and providing free football coaching in schools. Special population responsibility covers financial aid for people with disabilities, the poor, or the ill; inviting members of special groups to attend matches; and holding tributes during games for victims of major incidents. Community responsibility includes participating in environmental-protection activities, promoting anti-drug campaigns, and fostering the development of amateur football in local communities. Additionally, the scale includes six single-dimension indicators for fan identification, seven single-dimension indicators for motivational attribution, and 11 indicators for consumption intention, encompassing three dimensions: repurchase, word-of-mouth, and licensed merchandise purchase.

For the measurement of involvement, this study adopted the approach used by fitness consumer involvement research (Xu, 2016), fan involvement was assessed through three objective indicators: time spent watching matches, frequency of match attendance, ticket type purchased (e.g., season tickets vs. single-game passes).

Our study received approval from the lead author’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) prior to data collection. The formal distribution of questionnaires was conducted through two methods: (1) on-site distribution at Chinese Super League matches, which took place before and during the games, and (2) online distribution to fans’ associations affiliated with the clubs.

In total, 1,115 questionnaires were collected on-site. After excluding incomplete responses and those marked by random answering, 962 valid questionnaires remained. The research team carried out field surveys on 10 September 2017 (Shanghai Shenhua vs. Henan Jianye), 19 September 2017 (Shanghai Shenhua vs. Shandong Luneng) and 23 September 2017 (Shanghai Shenhua vs. Guangzhou R&F) around Shanghai Shenhua FC’s home ground, Hongkou Football Stadium in Shanghai; on 9 September 2017 (Shanghai SIPG vs. Tianjin Yili) and 16 September 2017 (Shanghai SIPG vs. Shanghai Shenhua) around Shanghai SIPG FC’s home ground, the 80,000-seat Shanghai Stadium; and on 28 September 2017 (Jiangsu Suning vs. Tianjin Quanjian) at Jiangsu Suning FC’s home ground, Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre, distributing questionnaires to spectators before and after each match. For the exact number of questionnaires distributed at each club, please refer to Supplementary Material Table S1. For the online distribution, 365 questionnaires were distributed (172 from Shandong Luneng Taishan FC and 193 from Beijing C.H. Guoan FC), and all 365 were deemed valid. Combining both on-site and online distributions, the total number of valid questionnaires was 1,327 (Table 1).

In this study, the questionnaire data were analyzed using SPSS 24.0 and Amos 23.0 statistical software. Discussions were conducted based on the analysis results.

This study evaluates the theoretical framework proposed in the preceding section by assessing the overall model fit (OMF). OMF is analyzed using absolute fit indices (e.g., RMSEA, SRMR) and incremental fit indices (e.g., CFI, TLI), with detailed criteria and results provided in Table 4. Structural relationships for the direct effect model, Mediation Model 1 (incorporating FI), and Mediation Model 2 (incorporating FI and MA) are illustrated in Figures 2A–C, respectively.

As indicated in Table 4, the slightly elevated RMR is due to the large sample size, the root mean square residual (RMR) did not meet established thresholds, necessitating reliance on additional fit indices for comprehensive evaluation (Wu, 2009). Key model fit criteria demonstrated acceptable levels: GFI >0.9, AGFI >0.9, NFI >0.9, CFI >0.9, RMSEA <0.08, and standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) within recommended standards. These results collectively suggest adequate fit for both the direct effect model and the mediation models.

1. The direct effect model analysis reveals a significant positive relationship between fans’ perceived CSR and FCIs, with a standardized path coefficient of 0.224 (t = 6.205 > 1.96). This indicates that heightened perceptions of clubs’ CSR initiatives correlate with stronger FCIs, thereby supporting research hypothesis H1.

Building on extant CSR literature, this study investigates the mediating mechanisms through which fans’ perceptions of CSR influence FCIs, integrating organizational identity theory and MA theory. The research contributes to the field in two key ways:

1. While prior studies on fan consumption responses to CSR in professional sports have focused on European and North American contexts, research in the Chinese context remains limited. Grounded in the Chinese Super League framework, this paper examines how CSR perceptions among fans of Chinese clubs shape consumption intentions, thereby expanding theoretical understanding of CSR in professional sports within the evolving Chinese sports industry.

The findings of this study offer practical implications for Chinese professional football clubs’ in implementing CSR. Specifically, they address two critical questions: the necessity of CSR initiatives and strategies for their effective implementation. These insights are summarized in two key recommendations:

First, clubs must strategically integrate CSR as drivers of value creation. Empirical evidence demonstrates that CSR initiatives significantly enhance FCIs. Consequently, club managers should reconceptualize CSR beyond cost-centric or philanthropic frameworks, aligning it with organizational strategies to foster long-term sustainability. This requires embedding CSR into core decision-making processes, transcending traditional financial metrics, and cultivating strategic CSR practices that establish a competitive advantage in the sustainable development of clubs. For example, since 2015 Shanghai Port Football Club has establishing youth-training bases in primary and secondary schools nationwide. Through its “Football Enters the Campus” initiative, the club provides free coaching resources and competition platforms to every partner school, simultaneously fulfilling its social responsibility—addressing the shortage of football resources in remote western rural schools—while tapping into the large pool of campus players to identify and develop promising talents.

Second, clubs must prioritize strategic CSR implementation to prevent perceptions of self-serving motives. While undertaking CSR initiatives to foster fan identification, clubs should avoid overt commercialization that could lead fans to perceive these efforts as performative or profit-driven. Instead, clubs should authentically engage with stakeholders and the community by selecting CSR initiatives aligned with altruistic purposes, thereby strengthening FI and FCIs. Notably, low-involvement fans are particularly sensitive to CSR motive attribution; thus, clubs must exercise caution in both the selection and execution of CSR projects to maintain credibility.

The fulfillment of CSR by clubs generates multifaceted value for organizational stakeholders. While this study focuses on CSR’s impact on FCIs, future research could extend this inquiry by examining value creation through other stakeholder lenses. For instance, Employees (e.g., players, coaches, staff): Investigating how CSR initiatives influence employee performance, job satisfaction, and organizational loyalty. Local communities: Analyzing the relationship between CSR efforts and residents’ purchasing behavior or community engagement. Clubs themselves: Exploring CSR’s role in building social capital, enhancing brand equity, or fostering long-term competitive advantages. Such interdisciplinary investigations would provide a holistic understanding of CSR’s strategic potential in professional sports. Moreover, this study operationalized fan involvement solely through behavioral indicators (ticket type, frequency, and duration). While these metrics are objective and readily accessible, they fail to capture attitudinal dimensions such as emotional attachment and cognitive interest—core components of fan involvement. Future research should employ multi-item scales (e.g., the revised Personal Involvement Inventory or the Sport Involvement Scale) to assess affective and cognitive involvement and to cross-validate our findings. Furthermore, the present study does not address how specific types of CSR—namely strategic CSR and instrumental CSR—shape fans’ consumption responses. Future research could disaggregate these CSR categories to examine their distinct impacts on fans’ willingness to spend.