On the green field of soccer, the emotional intertwining between fans and players goes far beyond the boundaries of personal memories. They revel in the passion of the game together and experience success and failure together, which not only strengthens self and public identity, but is also a priceless emotional experience (Yildiz, 2022). Liverpool fans, for example, even after a 30-year title drought, still believe in the slogan "You'll Never Walk Alone", and their deep emotional attachment to the team makes them as determined as ever in the face of setbacks.
Turning their attention to Chinese fans, especially Shaanxi fans, the backbone of Northwest soccer, they did the same. Even after losing to Uzbekistan's Tirmizi Sulhang FC in a friendly match, the score is not the key, "The important thing is to give the team a chance to work out" (Fan A). Fan D also said, "Winning and losing is a matter of course, the team needs time to gel and we are confident." And Fan E shared a touching story about her tears over the team's disbandment.
1.2 Regional Identity: Deep Identity and Belonging to Home Culture
Soccer clubs do not only bring a sense of identity and pride, they may represent a region, a village, a city or even a country, as well as the skin color, class, etc., with which they are closely associated (Mason, 1988). Unlike many traditional English clubs, Chinese fans tend to see the team as a symbol of the city or even an entire province.
Shaanxi fans regard local teams as representatives of the old Qin spirit. Place carries the significance of social identity and fan culture. Closely related to place identity is the "place-loving complex" put forward by Duan Yifu (1974), i.e. a person's attachment to a certain place. Shaanxi fans have a deep love and high degree of identification with the land of Sanqin, and they label their team as the "Qin Army", imitate the ancient Qin war songs in the stands, and play the eight drums evolved from the "victory drums", and the drummers even put on the Terracotta Warriors' costumes to support the game on certain occasions. Drummers even wear terracotta warrior costumes on certain occasions.
Shaanxi fans call themselves "Qin people" and have the highest recognition and belonging to their hometown culture, and their love for soccer and Shaanxi is the driving force behind their perseverance. Even though Shaanxi has never had a Chinese Super League level team, Shaanxi fans' devotion and loyalty to the team has never wavered. "We don't care about the level, and we've never been fans of the championship, as long as it's a Shaanxi team, we'll go (cheer)." (Fan B).
3. Emotional integration of Shaanxi United Football Club with Shaanxi fans
As the only professional league soccer club in Shaanxi, Shaanxi United Football Club is exploring how to emotionally integrate with fans and realize shared governance, which deserves the club's serious thinking and planning.
3.1 Respect the fans, resonate with them, and create an empathetic "Qin Xin".
Soccer clubs and fans are not simply buying and selling relationship, but "supporters" with emotional interaction. Clubs should maintain close communication and interaction with fans, understand fans' needs and expectations, respect fans' opinions and suggestions, and build up a relationship of trust and cooperation.
(1) Interaction methods. Clubs can enhance fans' identification and emotional connection with the club and team by regularly opening training centers and setting up face-to-face exchanges with players and coaches.
(2) Fan peripheral industry. The club should build a soccer museum and a fan store exclusively for Shaanxi fans to inherit the memory of Shaanxi soccer.
(3) Fans' participation in governance. Clubs should guide the fans' sense of ownership in soccer governance, improve and optimize the new membership model, and give fans the right to speak and make decisions in major events.
3.2 Publicize the highlights, spread the good voice of Shaanxi, and play the resonant "Qin sound".
Soccer is not only an expression of sportsmanship, but also a form of culture and values. The voice of soccer in Shaanxi is not only a link between the "Qin people" around the world, but also an effective way to build a local cultural brand and enhance the influence of Chinese culture.
Clubs can rely on Internet technology to show their highlights through media publicity platforms, strengthen cooperation with overseas new media, invite individuals and groups interested in Shaanxi soccer to come to Shaanxi to feel the soccer atmosphere and share their true feelings through blog posts, videos and other forms.
4 Conclusion
Shaanxi fans' fervor for soccer stems from their love and inheritance of the team and their hometown culture, as well as their love for the regional social culture and their sizzling affection for their hometown. Shaanxi United Football Club to realize the sharing of common governance with the fans, it is necessary to be symbiotic, sympathetic and resonant with the fans, take the initiative to integrate and strive to become the sublimation of the Shaanxi fans' emotions, and Shaanxi fans hand in hand with the road of struggle to reshape the glory of Shaanxi soccer.
