GSports Fans Prefer Teams That Develop Over Time Instead of Signing Superstars

When sports teams sign up superstars - think NBA's LeBron James or NFL's Tom Brady - team owners actually pay for them to boost their ranks. However, a new study suggests that fans might actually prefer teams that build themselves up instead of those strengthened by "purchased" athletes.

A new study led by researchers from the University of Kansas (KU) surveyed about 1,500 American correspondents about their outlook on teams that strove toward excellence from the start compared to those that "purchased excellence." They then published their report in a paper titled "Buying and building success: Perceptions of organizational strategies for improvement," appearing in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology.

(Photo: Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 19: Wanderers players thank fans after winning the A-League match between the Western Sydney Wanderers and the Perth Glory on March 19, 2021, in Sydney, Australia.

ALSO READ: Team Sports May Reduce Depression On Kids

Taking The Long Road Towards Excellence

"People reliably preferred the 'built' teams and slighted the 'bought' teams," said Omri Gillath, lead author of the study and a professor of psychology at the University of Kansas, in the KU press release. He adds that this holds true for sports teams, even if people are unaware and work teams like a group of lawyers.

In their paper, researchers asked, "What makes people like a team?" Their study then included the design for five studies of 1,672 respondents on whether people chose teams that achieved excellence through (a) long-term development of team members or (b) acquiring expensive personnel developed elsewhere."

Researchers conducted five studies, each showing the correspondents' preference for teams who have built themselves over time instead of those teams which are made from free agency and "deep-pocketed owners." Similarly, people chose groups of lawyers whose careers are built with time and patience instead of those that invite celebrities to increase exposure and mileage.

The Edge of Self-Made Teams

On the perceived consistent preference of built excellence over bought excellence, researchers explain the difference.

"Fans appreciate the effort and commitment required to build a team from the ground up," said Christian Crandall, co-author of the study and a professor of psychology at KU. He notes how hard work is a "central American value" and stresses how it applies to both sports teams and work groups.

"Everyone loves a winner, but even more so when the backstory is based on perspiration and determination," Crandall added.

Researchers also explain that fans believe that a built team would develop better teamwork and work more smoothly together. While the cohesion between members in sports teams was definitely an advantage, it was not as significant as seeing the hard work that comes with building excellence together.

Simply put, fans prefer teams that put in the time and the effort to develop its members, plus seeing the team investing in these members and cultivating their skills individually and as a part of the team.

"This explains part of the appeal of winning teams and part of the appeal of faithful fans of teams that work, struggle and manage to eke out just a few wins each season," Gillath adds. He adds that this perception could also help the people's preferences for "Cinderella teams," underdogs who beat better-ranked teams through grit and determination.