Sport and Happiness: Understanding the Relations Among Sport Consumption Activities, Long- and Short-Term Subjective Well-Being, and Psychological Need Fulfillment

Abstract

Understanding and promoting sport consumer well-being are essential for legitimizing sport in the policy sector and for building long-term relationships with sport consumers. To better understand the relations between sport consumption (i.e., sport participation, sport spectating, and sport media viewing) and long- and short-term subjective well-being, a study was conducted using ecological momentary assessment and multilevel structural equation modeling. Need fulfillment (detachment-recovery, autonomy, achievement, and belonging) was also tested as a key construct explaining the short-term subjective well-being effects associated with sport consumption. Sport participation and sport spectating were found to have positive relationships with long- and short-term subjective well-being; both positive and negative relations were reported for sport media viewing. The four types of needs fulfillment were significant predictors of short-term subjective well-being. The four needs were fulfilled in the three activities, with the exception of achievement need fulfillment in sport media viewing.