Investigation of Fan Attitudes Toward the Video Assistant Referee System in Football

Abstract

This study aims to examine fan attitudes toward the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, which is applied in football matches involving Super League teams where professional football clubs compete. A total of 403 volunteer fans, 181 female and 222 male, between the ages of 19 and 65 from Bitlis Province, Turkey, participated in the study. Data were collected using a personal information form and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) System Fan Attitude Scale developed by Tabuk (2022) The study data were analyzed using the SPSS 26 software package. A one-way MANOVA test was applied to the data. As a result of the analysis, no significant difference was found in any of the factors according to the gender variable (p>0.05). However, according to marital status, a significant difference was found in the factors of contribution to football and competition pressure. The mean contribution to the football score of single individuals was higher than that of married individuals, while the mean competition pressure score of married individuals was significantly higher than that of single individuals (p<0.05). Regarding the age variable, a significant difference was found in the factors of contribution to football and competition pressure. The mean contribution to the football score of participants between the ages of 19 and 25 was higher than that of those between the ages of 46 and 55 (p<0.05). A significant difference was also found in all factors according to educational level. It was determined that the mean scores for contribution to football and game management were higher among secondary education-level participants than among graduate-level participants (p<0.05). In the competition pressure factor, the mean score of undergraduate graduates was higher than that of secondary education graduates. Additionally, for general VAR attitude, the mean score of undergraduate graduates was significantly higher than that of graduate-degree holders (p<0.05). In conclusion, the research findings indicate that while there was no significant difference in attitudes toward the VAR system based on gender, significant differences were observed in certain factors according to marital status, age, and education level. In particular, it was observed that single and younger participants had higher perceptions of contribution to football, married individuals felt competition pressure more intensely, and attitudes toward the VAR system varied as the level of education increased. Future studies should analyze psychological and sociocultural factors to gain a deeper understanding of how attitudes toward the VAR system are shaped across different demographic groups.