Sport Sciences Research Institute Sport Management Studies 2538-3213 11 55 2019 08 23 Developing an Interactive Behavior model for Social Media-Based Brand Community Members (A Case Study of Fans of Professional Football Clubs) Developing an Interactive Behavior model for Social Media-Based Brand Community Members (A Case Study of Fans of Professional Football Clubs) 189 208 1521 10.22089/smrj.2019.6089.2223 FA Tahereh Seifi Salmi Ph.D. of Sport Management, University of Guilan Nooshin Benar Assistant Professor of Sport Management, University of Guilan Habib Honari Associate Professor of Sport Management, Allame Tabatabai University 0000-0002-1279-427X Journal Article 2018 07 11 The significance of fans in the development of professional sports has a special status. This is while brand communities and unique social media features are well placed for brand fans. The present study aimed to develop a comprehensive model of interactive behavior of fans of football clubs, as members of social media-based brand communities. The research was conducted using a correlational-survey method. The samples were selected from fans of professional football clubs active in the social media. To collect the required data, a researcher-made questionnaire containing 45 items was employed. In order to obtain of the questionnaire validity, content and construct validity indicators were used, and to evaluate its reliability, Cronbach's alpha was used. For data analysis, SEM software was put into service. The research findings indicated that a brand community, as an independent variable, has a positive and significant effect on the variables of interactions among the members, communication maturity and value creation strategies. In addition, the factor of value creation strategies has positive and significant effects on loyalty and communication maturity. The results confirmed the social media-based fan behavior model using SEM. The significance of fans in the development of professional sports has a special status. This is while brand communities and unique social media features are well placed for brand fans. The present study aimed to develop a comprehensive model of interactive behavior of fans of football clubs, as members of social media-based brand communities. The research was conducted using a correlational-survey method. The samples were selected from fans of professional football clubs active in the social media. To collect the required data, a researcher-made questionnaire containing 45 items was employed. In order to obtain of the questionnaire validity, content and construct validity indicators were used, and to evaluate its reliability, Cronbach's alpha was used. For data analysis, SEM software was put into service. The research findings indicated that a brand community, as an independent variable, has a positive and significant effect on the variables of interactions among the members, communication maturity and value creation strategies. In addition, the factor of value creation strategies has positive and significant effects on loyalty and communication maturity. The results confirmed the social media-based fan behavior model using SEM. https://smrj.ssrc.ac.ir/article_1521_253f7b5d921338af34da817c00f42753.pdf