Club Identity Construction among Supporters of Raja Club Athletic Casablanca: An Exploratory Qualitative Study

Abstract

Club identity is a central concept in sports marketing, as it provides insight into what drives supporters to form attachments to their club. Previous research has primarily focused on the determinants of team identification, but the processes through which this identity is constructed remain largely unexplored, particularly in the context of Moroccan football. This research aims to understand how supporters of Raja Club Athletic construct their club identity. To address this question, an exploratory qualitative study was conducted with eight Raja Club Athletic supporters through semi-structured interviews. The collected data underwent thematic analysis to identify the main mechanisms involved in the construction of club identity. The results show that this identity is constructed gradually through a process of family and social socialization, reinforced by attachment to the club's style of play, history, values, and symbols. They also highlight that supporters actively contribute to the construction of this identity through their practices, their collective engagement, and the meanings they attribute to Raja. Finally, club identity appears to be a lasting component of supporters personal and collective identity, extending beyond mere support for a sports team. This study contributes to enriching the literature on supporter identity by offering an understanding of the mechanisms underlying the construction of club identity in the context of Moroccan football. It also provides avenues for reflection for sports club managers seeking to strengthen the sense of belonging and engagement of their supporter communities.