Shaurya Sati

Professor Gonzalez

ENC 1102

10 March 2023

Research Proposal

I. Project Title: FC Barcelona: A Catalonian Club Whose Relationship with its Supporters

Transcend the Boundaries of Sports

II. Research Questions:

● What is the Relationship between Barca and their fans?

● What is the Identity of Catalonians?

● How have Barca reflected Catalonian Ideology’s and/or philosophies?

● Why do fans of the club care more about the playstyle of the club than results?

● Why do Barca youth academies teach their young athletes ideas that reflect the identity of

the Catalonian people?

● What is the history between Spain and Catalonia?

III. Statement of Significance:

The relationship between FC Barcelona and their fans is one of the most unique

relationships in all of sports as the love the fans have for the club exceeds the boundaries

of sports. As a lifelong fan of the club, but as someone who hasn’t ever lived in

Barcelona I have never noticed the relationship until recently an article called “FC

Barcelona: More than a Club, a Legacy of Emotion and Excellence” in which a fan who

resides in Barcelona, describes how he fell in the love with the club’s football team due to

style and aura the football team played with. The article caught my eye and drew my
 attention as I never realized that the fans who live in Barcelona care about the style in

which the team plays as much as the result of the match as well. In another article titled,

“In Barcelona, a Football Club's Vision Persists” they state how the “football club’s brand

has become analogous to Catalonia’s flag — and subsequently, the Catalan identity. FC

Barcelona, colloquially known as Barça, has owed much of its history and culture to

Catalonia's fight for sovereignty.” This article showed that the Club represents a whole

community and why these fans have such a special bond with the club because it

transcends sports, into bigger issues like politics. This club attracts supporters not only

for football, or basketball, or any sport but because it represents them in life and in

problems outside of sports. I argue that no other team in sports or any club whether sports

or not represent their followers and/or fans that Barca.

The research is important because the research on this topic can enlighten people

who don’t know about the connection between Barca’s club and the fans and how it runs

much deeper than the surface level and how it impacts people. Also it can bring light to

the conflict between Catalonia and Spain and how many people in Catalonia don’t

identify as Spanish but Catalyn. Other researchers should care on this topic because this

relationship shows how you should stand strong on your identity and be proud of your

culture as there many people throughout the world who struggle with this due to

government issues or other circumstances.

IV. Research Design/Description:

For this research, I will present an overview and background information about

Barcelona and a short history of the club then transition into talking about the history
 between Catalonia and Spain. As a fan of the club for my whole life and by reading these

different articles I will show how in every aspect the relationship between fan and club

runs much deeper than sports and how the connection between the two is the strongest

out of any. First, I will talk about on the pitch and how the fans care as much about the

style of play, the identity of the club coming first even over match results. After this

much will be focused on how the Club represents Catalonian identity and Catalonia in

political and societal issues. I will use multiple examples on this.

I will include secondary sources that cover the club, style of play, relationship

with the Catalans, and the history with Spain and Catalonia all which support my

argument about my topic.

Citations:

Zhou, Charlotte. “In Barcelona, a Football Club’s Vision Persists.” The Science Survey,

thesciencesurvey.com/sports/2024/03/08/in-barcelona-a-football-clubs-vision-persis

ts/#:~:text=In%20shades%20of%20red%2C%20blue,to%20Catalonia’s%20fight%2

0for%20sovereignty. Accessed 10 Mar. 2024.

Scapa, Nico. “‘FC Barcelona: More than a Club, a Legacy of Emotion and Excellence.’”

Medium, Medium, 23 Sept. 2023,

medium.com/@nicoscapa/fc-barcelona-more-than-a-club-a-legacy-of-emotion-and-

excellence-e6991aa15fde.

“Identity.” FC Barcelona Official Channel, www.fcbarcelona.com/en/club/identity.

Accessed 10 Mar. 2024.