Sports spectatorship in Spain: attendance and consumption

Abstract

Using ordered probit and Heckit models, this paper analyses the determinants of sports attendance, differentiating between professional and amateur sporting events and consumption in Spain. The results suggest that there are two main reasons for developing different strategies to attract more spectators and increase revenues. Firstly, the determinants for attendance at both sporting events are clearly different. Results show that attendance at professional sporting events is positively associated with regional income, individual socio-economic characteristics, fan motivation and sports supply. On the other hand, attendance at amateur sporting events is associated less strongly with income variables but more with social interactions motivation, children at home, sports participation and Internet usage at regional level. Secondly, consumer expenditure on attendance should be analysed in terms of two separate decisions: consumption and amount of money spent at sporting events. Both decisions are explained by different individual and regional variables.