DOI: 10.26466/opusjsr.1953121 ISSN: 2791-9781

Engagement performance of rage bait content: An analysis of fan accounts’ derby-week posts on X

Erdi Çelebi
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Examining the use of rage bait in derby week posts by football fan accounts on X platform, this study analyzes the relationship between these contents and interaction performance. To contribute to the limited literature on how rage bait operates in fan communication, quantitative content analysis was used in the research. A total of 204 posts shared between April 20-30, 2026, from ultrAslan (Galatasaray) and 12 Numara (Fenerbahçe) accounts were coded based on posting period, media type, content topic, content function, usage, rage bait type, and interaction indicators. The findings reveal that rage bait is more frequently observed in ultrAslan posts and are more often associated with mockery, asserting superiority, and belittling the opponent after a victory. In 12 Numara posts, where rage bait is predominantly constructed through narratives of injustice, scandal, and accusation, rage bait content is observed before and during the match, while after the match, this content gives way to discussions about internal club crises. In the general sample, posts containing rage bait generated higher retweet, like, and total engagement rates. Account-based analyses revealed that rage bait were associated with a higher retweet rate on ultrAslan and a higher comment rate on 12 Numara. Revealing that rage bait is not merely a single engagement-boosting tactic, this study concludes that it operates as a situational platform practice shaped by account identity and match context.

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