Determining the Factors Affecting Football Fans' Satisfaction with Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Technology

Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology has been introduced in the sports industry as a decision support system designed to assist referees in making the correct decisions when overseeing a sporting event. In Turkey, VAR technology has been deployed to lessen controversies in football matches, but it has not completely eliminated them. As a result, it is crucial to establish whether fans, a key stakeholder in the sports sector, are satisfied with VAR technology. In this context, the study aims to investigate the effects of football fans' perceived value and identification with VAR technology on their satisfaction with it. Furthermore, the mediating role of attitudes towards the technology and the moderating role of knowledge about VAR technology will also be examined. The study used the snowball sampling method, and data were obtained via an online survey, with 411 fans participating over the data collection period. Using the fan data, Structural Equation Modeling was performed using the AMOS tool, and the study hypotheses were tested. The research revealed that identification and perceived value of VAR technology have a positive effect on satisfaction with this technology, with attitude toward technology acting as a mediator. The level of knowledge about VAR technology has a moderating effect in the relationship between satisfaction and perceived value. These findings have practical and theoretical implications for both the sports sector and the academic discipline.