Post by Rice Business

Why do sports fans go silent online after a loss — but flood the comments when a rival loses? New research in the Journal of Management, co-authored by Anastasiya Zavyalova, associate professor of strategic management at Rice Business, tracked online comments across college football’s top 25 rivalries and found people engage when the outcome affirms their identity: 🔹 Fans were ~9% more likely to comment after a win 🔹 Opponents were ~7% more likely to comment after a rival’s loss The surprise finding was that anger isn’t what drives online engagement. “The impulse is to disappear for a bit after a loss, rather than fight,” Zavyalova says. For any organization with a public presence — brands, universities, sports franchises, political parties — this is a roadmap for understanding a polarized audience: your loudest moments online aren’t driven by rage, but by affirmation. Co-authors: Conor Callahan (University of Illinois Chicago) Timothy Hubbard (Dublin City University) Daniel Zyung (Southern Methodist University) #FacultyFriday