Title:
A Comparative Study on Emotional Attachment and Fan Loyalty Toward Selected IPL Teams
Author: Sagar Chhapru
Introduction: The Indian Premier League (IPL) has transformed cricket into a powerful platform for sports entertainment and brand engagement. Beyond the matches, each IPL team has evolved into a brand that evokes strong emotions, loyalty, and a sense of belonging among its fans. Supporters often identify with teams not only because of performance or star players but also due to emotional resonance, regional pride, and shared values that create long-term loyalty. This research aims to compare the emotional attachment and fan loyalty associated with selected IPL teams — Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Kolkata Knight Riders. By analyzing student responses and fan preferences, the study seeks to uncover what drives emotional connection and sustained loyalty among these teams’ followers. Understanding these factors can provide valuable insights into how sports organizations can build stronger fan relationships and enhance brand identity in the competitive landscape of the IPL.
Objective of the study:
To compare the emotional attachment and loyalty associated with each IPL team.
Literature Reiview:
Raizada, S., Tripathi, A., & Bagchi, A. (2020). Factors Influencing Team Loyalty Amongst Indian Sports Fans. The rise of domestic franchise-based leagues like the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Indian Super League has transformed Indian sports and fan engagement. This study aimed to understand the factors influencing individuals to identify as fans of specific IPL teams. Using a questionnaire with 86 participants, the research found that Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings had the highest fan support, while Kings XI Punjab had the least. Most fans (76.8%) have followed their teams since the league’s inception, highlighting the importance of early fan capture for long-term retention. Key factors influencing loyalty included celebrity involvement, team performance, star players, and in-stadium experience, emphasizing how effective fan engagement can drive sustained revenue for franchises.
Desai, N. P. (2025) Beyond Jersey: A Deep Dive into Merchandising Practices of Selected IPL Teams. Sports merchandising is a key branding strategy that helps sports organizations strengthen fan engagement and create loyal communities while generating additional revenue. Major global sports like football, basketball, baseball, and cricket have successfully built strong merchandising models. In India, the Indian Premier League (IPL)—the country’s most watched and globally recognized cricket league—has effectively used merchandising since its debut in 2008. This study analyzes the merchandising strategies of four IPL franchises—Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Titans, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Mumbai Indians—through content analysis of 120 newspaper articles. The research highlights both common and innovative practices adopted by these teams, as well as the opportunities and challenges they face in expanding their merchandising reach.
Data Collection: To understand the underlying issue of comparing brand perception and emotional attachment associated with each car brand following 4 questions framed on Likert scale (10-point scale). A google form was circulated in the class and data was coded as 10 being most liking and 1 being not liking. 40+ students of OPS were surveyed, and data was downloaded as excel sheet. Annova was calculated for whole data.
Data Analysis:
Anova: Single Factor
SUMMARY
Groups Count Sum Average Variance
1 40 255 6.375 5.983974
7 40 279 6.975 7.512179
2 40 257 6.425 9.071154
9 40 251 6.275 6.871154
ANOVA
Source of Variation SS df MS F P-value F crit
Between Groups 11.875 3 3.958333 0.537845 0.65704 2.662569
Within Groups 1148.1 156 7.359615
Total 1159.975 159
H0: All are same
H1: Any one of this is different
We observe p value as p value is greater than 0.05 accept null hypothesis (H0) meaning all are same
Conclusion:
From data analysis it is concluded that all are same