PurposeThe central objective is to determine the main components of a brand that become a “beloved” brand in the minds of consumers applied to football teams.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a quantitative causal study using partial least squares (PLS) with a sample of 824 participants using an online questionnaire.FindingsBrand love is a construct composed of five dimensions: passion, connection with the brand, intrinsic rewards, emotional attachment and thinking and frequent use. It also demonstrates that the consequences of brand love for football teams are loyalty, willingness to invest and word-of-mouth communication.Research limitations/implicationsManagers of large football clubs must emphasize achieving an emotional connection with their fans and develop their marketing strategies on building long-term emotional relationships which will result in greater investments.Practical implicationsGiven the competitive and international environment of the sports sector, the conclusions will be of use for managers of sports clubs and companies that develop sponsorship strategies. Another important contribution is the theoretical contribution of the brand in football teams and the psychological understanding of fans as consumers.Originality/valueThis is the first attempt to establish a model of the background and causes of brand love with respect to football teams and a context also not analysed as is the Spanish one. The analysis does not only focus on the emotional relationship but also include how the possible investment of the fans is modelled.

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