From digital interaction to fan spending through platform-based participation in the Saudi Pro League's fan ecosystem

Abstract

Purpose This study investigates how digital interaction (e.g. social media engagement behavior) is associated with fan spending in contemporary sport ecosystems. The theoretical problem addressed is that while digital interaction metrics (e.g. likes) are often treated as proxies for commercial value, less is known about the behavioral mechanisms through which observable digital interactions translate into economically consequential fan spending behavior. Drawing on Consumer Engagement Theory, we examine fan spending as an outcome that occurs through structured participation-based mechanisms. The contribution lies in specifying platform-based participation as the mediating behavioral pathway between digital interaction and fan spending at the club level. Design/methodology/approach The study employs a longitudinal panel design using high-frequency data from four leading Saudi Pro League clubs between 2023 and 2025. Digital interaction is measured through a standardized Digital Interaction Index. Platform-based participation captures observable fan behaviors including paid interactions, voting participation, and membership-tier activities on club platforms. Fixed-effects regressions, club-level path analysis, and event-contingent interaction models assess temporal ordering, indirect effects, and contextual amplification. Findings The results show that higher levels of digital interaction significantly predict subsequent increases in platform-based participation. At the club level, platform-based participation mediates a substantial portion (55%) of the relationship between digital interaction and fan spending, indicating that digital interaction primarily affects fan spending through structured participatory mechanisms. Additionally, digital interaction is positively associated with higher average spending per transaction, suggesting greater transaction intensity among digitally active fan communities. These effects are significantly amplified during high-salience event periods. Research limitations/implications The analysis focuses on platform-native and observable participation mechanisms using club-level aggregated data and does not include individual-level transaction data. Future research may extend this framework to contexts with fully implemented blockchain infrastructures or incorporate fan-level panel data linking individual digital behaviors to participation and spending. Practical implications Sports organizations should prioritize the design of participatory digital architectures that translate digital interaction into platform-based participation, particularly during high-attention moments. With 55% of the engagement-spending relationship operating through participation mechanisms, monetization strategies should invest in participatory infrastructure as a core component of digital strategy and emphasize the depth and quality of participation. Originality/value This study contributes to sport marketing research by distinguishing observable digital interaction from platform-based participation and by showing how participation mechanisms convert digital fan activity into spending-related outcomes. The study also provides longitudinal evidence from a rapidly commercializing, non-Western football league.