Abstract

In this empirical article, which is based on a multi-year study, interactions of football fans in the fan sections of German professional football stadia are systematically analysed using the principles of Erving Goffman (Winands 2015). To accomplish this, the interaction processes are precisely determined, their processes are described and relationships between participants involved in the interaction (e.g. rival fans, fan groups) are identified. In the article this study is based on, data is used to develop an original theory of interaction order in the football stadium that is derived from concrete observation. It consists of a total of five levels of interaction order. In this paper, one of these five interaction orders – between the ultras group as the core of interaction and the periphery as the lower other organised supporters – is presented as an example.