Staying Authentic in a Commercial Industry: A Case Study of the Danish Superliga

Abstract: With commercial development of the football industry, it has become increasingly difficult to stay authentic as a club in the eyes of the supporters. However, the ac- tions of the clubs under the commercial pressure in an industry which builds upon authentic communities around the clubs leads to an alienation of the clubs as commercial brands in the eyes of the supporters. Previous research have failed to consider that the supporters’ perceived authenticity is a result of what moves and resonates with the supporters emotionally. By utilizing the concepts of actions by Jürgen Habermas and the concept of resonance by Hartmut Rosa, the study inves- tigated how authenticity is understood, negotiated, and established between Dan- ish football clubs and their supporters in an era of increased commercialization of football. The study is a case study which relies on qualitative research interviews with representatives and supporters of Danish football clubs. The results shows that if the clubs create initiatives and take decisions which resonates with what the supporters perceive as club values, then it resonates within the supporters making the initiative or decision perceived as authentic. The negotiation and establish- ment of authenticity happens when communicative action is utilized where club and supporters reach common ground as the supporters then acknowledge and recognize a certain action as aligned with the club values. The study provides new knowledge to the existing research by explaining how authenticity is understood, negotiated, and established among football clubs and their supporters in an era of increased commercialization of football.