Att konstruera föreningen : En kritisk diskursanalys av varumärkesidentitet inom svensk elitfotboll

Sammanfattning

This study examines how brand identity is discursively constructed in the official communication of three major Swedish elite football clubs: AIK Fotboll, IFK Göteborg, and Malmö FF. Using a critical discourse analytical framework, the study investigates how language, symbols, and narratives are used to articulate notions of tradition, community, and professionalism, and how various stakeholder groups, particularly supporters, members, partners, and the broader society, are positioned within these discourses. The theoretical foundation combines perspectives on storytelling and organizational identity, emphasizing identity as a communicative, relational, and socially constructed phenomenon. The empirical material consists of publicly available texts from the clubs’ official websites, including sections on history, values, sustainability, and strategic documents for 2024–2026. Through a systematic text analysis informed by Fairclough’s three-dimensional model, the study identifies recurring linguistic patterns, intertextual references, and discursive strategies. The findings show that all three clubs construct their brand identities through a balance between historical continuity, collective belonging, and modern professionalization. Supporters are portrayed as emotionally central and identity-bearing actors, yet simultaneously positioned within a structure where strategic and operational authority remains with the club’s leadership. Partners and societal actors are framed as mutually legitimizing collaborators, while the clubs themselves are consistently constructed as the primary agents responsible for initiating and managing these relationships. Although the clubs differ in their emphasis the overarching logic is consistent: brand identity is produced through discourses that integrate collective authenticity with organizational professionalism. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of how elite football clubs use communication to construct legitimacy, belonging, and identity in a contemporary, commercialized sports landscape.