This study examined a collegiate community's identification with the university's athletics program and evaluated fan consumer behavior indices and underlying motives for following the program. The study focused on the entire athletics program and surveyed a broad cross-section of the community within the context of initiatives from the newly elected President to raise the university's profile and the emergence of two teams as top 25 nationally. Participants included 258 individuals (120 females, 134 males, and 4 unspecified) and represented undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty/staff, and members of the local community. Multivariate analyses of variance revealed differences in identification, motives, and consumer behavior as a function of gender and university connection. A multiple regression analysis examined motives as predictors of fan identification with gender and personal connection entered first to control for these variables. A significant model was derived with fan identification significantly predicted by social, physical, drama, achievement, and knowledge motives.
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