Indian Journal of Science and Technology

Abstract

Coaches of professional sports teams should maintain a positive relationship with their athletes, teams, and their fans. Specifically, the relationship between a coach and athletes has an impact on the trust in athletes. Likewise, the relationship between a coach and fans has an impact on the trust in the fans. Also, the relationship between a coach and the team has an impact on the trust in the team. The purpose of this study is to identify the correlation between the team relationship and professional soccer team coaches' trust in their team loyalty. Specifically, the team relationship was classified into the following multiple aspects: relationship between a coach and players; relationship between a coach and fans; and relationship between a coach and the team. Afterwards, the correlation between the relationship, trust towards each player, fans, or the team, and team loyalty was identified. To accomplish the objective, 100 directors and coaches of domestic professional soccer teams were surveyed during the 2013 season. First, in terms of team relationship and trust with professional soccer team coaches, fan-coach relationships had a positive impact on the trust towards fans. The playercoach relationship had a positive impact on the trust towards players. The team-coach relationship had a positive impact on the trust towards the team. Second, in terms of trust towards fans, players, and the team, the trust towards fans had no impact on the trust towards the team. However, the trust towards players had a positive impact on the trust towards the team. Third, the findings on the correlation between mutual trust and loyalty towards the team are as follows. The trust towards fans and players had no impact on the loyalty towards the team. However, the trust towards the team had a positive impact on the loyalty towards the team.
Keywords: Mutual Trust, Team Loyalty, Team Relationship