Live Sporting Events Research Articles

Market demand for metaverse-based sporting events: a mixed-methods approach

ABSTRACT The burgeoning reach of the metaverse has introduced new opportunities for the sport industry. As live sporting events are increasingly being streamed in the metaverse, both industry practitioners and academics face a pivotal question: Which attributes of these digitally mediated events appeal to consumers? We address this question in two phases, from a market demand perspective. In the initial qualitative phase, we conducted an extensive literature review, semi-structured interviews, and netnographic analysis to propose a hierarchical conceptualization of market demand for metaverse-based live sporting events. The conceptualization comprises three higher-order market demand dimensions: traditional core sport demand, VR engagement demand, and metaverse experience demand — each of which comprises four lower-order, more concrete market demand factors. In the subsequent quantitative phase, we analyzed 616 questionnaire responses from metaverse spectators using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The structural model results indicated that all three higher-order market demand dimensions significantly influenced metaverse spectators’ future attendance intentions, with consumer satisfaction as a partial mediator. An Importance-Performance Map Analysis (IPMA) revealed that virtual interactions were the most important market demand factor in affecting attendance intentions. Our results augment the theoretical understanding of the market demand concept and its functional mechanism in an emerging metaverse context.

Virtual Reality and Higher Education Sporting Events: Social Anxiety Perception as an Outcome of VR Simulation.

This study investigates the relationship between Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) and social anxiety in sport environments. Social anxiety is a mental health condition that manifests people's intense fear of being watched and judged by others and worrying about humiliation It is important to research potential tools like VRET that could help to mitigate the impact of social anxiety as people with social anxiety often avoid attending live events due to the venue's sensory stimuli and the social encounters they anticipate. VR simulation could allow socially anxious individuals to fully experience a sporting event simulation minus the anxiety induced by potential social encounters. VR's therapeutic effects on social anxiety should be explored when considering several findings of VR intervention to mental health. The study aims to assess the impact of exposing socially anxious people to a virtual sporting game by measuring their levels of social anxiety, team identification, and intentions to attend a live sporting event before and after the VR exposure. Due to VR's positive experience, social anxiety is expected to decrease. However, team identification and intentions to attend live sporting events are expected to increase because of VR's ability to develop sport fanship. Fourteen students with symptoms of social anxiety participated in the study. To create the VR simulation stimuli, the researchers used six 360° cameras to record an NCAA Division-I women's volleyball game. Participants experienced the sporting event via VR simulation. Data were analyzed via one-group pre- and post-comparison. Significant results were found for behavioral intentions of participants after experiencing the simulation. Social anxiety's difference was negative 0.22, t(13) = 3.47, p < 0.01. After watching the game in VR, the respondents' social anxiety decreased significantly. Team identification's difference was 0.53, t(13) = -3.56, p < 0.01. Lastly, event visit intentions' difference was 0.24, t(13) = -2.35, p < 0.05. Team identification and intentions to visit a sporting event rose significantly after viewing the game in VR.

Conceptualizing a Framework to Study Consumer Experience of Artistic Entertainment During Live Sport Events

This study aimed to develop a conceptual framework based on the Stimulus – Organism – Response (S-O-R) paradigm to facilitate the understanding of sports consumers’ artistic entertainment experiences during live sporting events. Based on a comprehensive literature review, artistic activities and programs in sporting events were recognized in three categories, including game-induced, atmosphere-induced, and event-induced artistic entertainments. Further analyses revealed how sport artistic entertainments (SAE), as an external stimulus at a sporting event, could interact with people’s intrinsic emotional, entertainment, and aesthetic needs and function together to affect spectators' cognitive, affective, and behavioral responses. Discussions are centered on the theoretical and practical implications, providing directions for future studies when adopting the framework to conduct empirical investigations.

Analyzing Spectator Emotions and Behaviors at Live Sporting Events using Computer Vision and Sentiment Analysis Techniques

It makes the reflection of humans’ emotions and intentions from watching live sports events. Watching the event keeps people entertained and changes their mindset from being stressed to joyful. Watching sports events encourages the athletes and the sports persons to participate. Reflection of the live sports event consists of many crowds as the event’s audience. This crowd’s emotions and intentions directly impact the changes in the event’s performance. It provides positive energy to the demotivated sports participants, making them perform better in the event. This study reflects the understanding of the facial emotions of the spectators from the live event. Then, they are decoded in the computer programming language, and an outcome is provided. It understands the emotions and sentiments of the people that affect the event’s environment. The representation by the computer analysis makes the understanding of the changes provided by the spectators of the live event. The effect of the audience’s emotions and behaviors in the crowd are computed by the utilization of computer software analysis and the effect of those reactions in the event. The collection of data is taken from the secondary sources of data collection, including the collection of information from the article and the journal based on the topic. The gathered data is analyzed by comparing them with their reaction and expressions in the live sports event.

OTT Platform

OTT platform stands for "over-the-top," which refers to the delivery of video, audio, and other media content over the internet directly to users without the need for traditional cable or satellite TV service providers. OTT platform services allow users to access and consume content anytime and anywhere, on multiple devices such as smart phones, tablets, smart TVs, and streaming devices. Examples of popular OTT platform services include Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, and YouTube TV. These services offer a wide range of content, including TV shows, movies, original programming, and live sports events. Many OTT platform services offer a subscription-based model, where users pay a monthly or annual fee to access the content. Some services also offer ad-supported content or pay-per- view options. The rise of OTT platform services has disrupted the traditional media landscape, with many consumers cutting the cord on cable and satellite TV and opting for OTT platform services instead. The convenience, affordability, and accessibility of OTT platform services have made them increasingly popular, and the industry is expected to continue to grow in the coming years. New OTT platform can integrate interactive features such as live chats, comments, or social media integration, enabling users to engage with contents and other viewers. Like all OTT platforms, new ones can provide users with the flexibility to watch content on demand, anytime and anywhere.

The Meanings Behind Camera Movements of Live Sport Events

The development of technology has had a very extraordinary impact on human civilization, such as the example of the development of the digital era in the world of videography. The focus of this study is analyzing the structure constructed by the camera movement of sport live events. The authors used semiotic analysis in this study to describe the live sports video of the event. The author then relates to the meaning of the visual signs of several scenes in each video, in order to understand the phenomena being studied, such as behavior, perception, and action in the form of words. Using Roland Barthes’ analysis method, there are three meanings of visual messages in the camera movement sport live event, namely denotative, connotative, and mythical meanings.&#x0D; Keywords: structure, camera movement, sport live action

Psychophysiological Responses to Gendered Sports Announcing: Effects of Announcer Gender on Audience Arousal and Emotion

ABSTRACT During live sporting events, female announcer teams for men’s sports are becoming increasingly common, however, there is a lack of research examining viewers response to this.. Using psychophysiological measures, this study examines sports fan arousal and depicted emotion while watching sports highlights with female announcers, comparing it to the same highlights using male announcers. Results show that male participants were more aroused than female participants when watching sporting events announced by male and female announcers. However, female participants had a more significant emotional response. Sports fandom was also found to be a predictor of arousal. Results are interpreted using social identity theory.

Organization of Sports Marketing in Modern Conditions

Abstract. prone to the vicissitudes of today, special attention is paid to sports marketing, the tools of which can turn various sports events into means of creating the image of their city. An effective marketing technology, together with the promotion of investment, and with it tourist and business attractiveness, is the organization and holding of sports events, the popularity of which is rapidly gaining momentum and attracting the attention of many people around the world.&#x0D; The effectiveness of management actions invested in the expansion of the demand for sports services is ensured by the use of scientifically based theoretical and methodological approaches to the development of a strategy for the development of sports marketing. Conceptual approaches to the development strategy of sports marketing are distinguished, without taking into account the numerous relationships between subjects in the sports market and the peculiarities of their market behavior. The issue of increasing the effectiveness of the marketing activities of sports industry organizations has not been fully studied, which requires improvement of the mechanisms for implementing the sports marketing development strategy.&#x0D; The purpose of the study is to substantiate the theoretical and methodological provisions and characterize the scientific and practical recommendations for improving the strategy of the development of sports marketing in the modern conditions of Ukraine.&#x0D; Research methodology and methods. Theoretical analysis and generalization of scientific and methodological literature on the development of sports marketing, economics and management of the sports industry.&#x0D; Research results. Sports marketing allows marketers to use the popularity and attention of sports to promote a brand or product. Sports marketing also encompasses the marketing and promotion of live sporting events while helping to promote a healthy lifestyle.&#x0D; Taking this into account, we can observe that the development of sports has also influenced the strategic orientation of many companies producing sports accessories: clothes, shoes, equipment, etc. Organizations and companies produce products depending on the needs of modern sports and the trends of the sports market. At the same time, it is about satisfying the needs of everyone who is related to sports: athletes; clients of fitness clubs; fans, sponsors, etc.&#x0D; Conclusions. In conclusion, it should be noted that sports marketing is a part of classic marketing that has its own specific characteristics and features. Marketers have been aware of the popularity of sports for decades to make it a central element of marketing objectives. As the scale and popularity of national sports grew, the field of sports marketing grew with it.

‘We can’t participate like this at football, can we’? Exploring in-person performative prosumer fandom at live PDC darts events

The nature of prosumption is one of the most important areas of debate within the study of contemporary consumer culture. David L. Andrews and George Ritzer highlighted how the majority of literature in the 21st century has focused on the sociology of sport as a form of consumer culture, and that there is a distinct lack of research into the exploration of fan atmospheres in regard to physical prosumption at live sports events as opposed to virtual spaces. We seek to address this through utilising findings from a 3-year ethnographic study at a range of live Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events across the globe. Our findings extend existing knowledge on prosumer fandom, providing valuable insights for researchers on how sports organisations, when promoting their sporting event, utilise the fans as both producers and consumers to help create fervent atmospheres and market their sport to associated media outlets.

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES AND THE RELATING STATUTES

The Internet is a massive computer complex that has caused millions of deaths and served both as a force of protection and destruction. As all coins have two faces, another hand of Internet is that it had overwhelmed the population by making them authentic to such a base, and multitudinous fake malefactors were in control of the situation on a single face where everything from shopping to cooking to watching live sports events was made easier. In addition, a social networking community is a community which connects or adjoins one people or community with another people or community around the globe whose health and backgrounds are insolvable to distinguish. A healthy app like Facebook or LinkedIn allows a person to produce a particular runner that adjoins them to their given family or musketeers or like- inclined individualities and allows them to feel happy and proud. Advanced sweats to limit the internet usage for order and connecting on a following, ethical, educational, safety, and fresh base have redounded from the shocking shift in gregarious authority. These events have redounded in legal and limited sweats to reduce the pitfalls associated with this new normal, which include fraud, pornography, hacking, and hacking while druggies are alone, thinker property, public security, and stoner time alone. In this setting, the current exploration trouble is free to probe the use of social community networking websites and cyber security regulations in an applicable manner. In the present exploration bid, 100 repliers (scholars at universities in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India) who constantly use collaborative media gear for winning performance of their day- to- day lives were the subject of exploratory and regular cave into slant for data compendium and psychoanalysis. The views of the repliers were statistically anatomized using SPSS's One- Way ANOVA, and the issues redounded in a negative response to the null thesis and a positive response to the alternate thesis, which states that- H1- There's a significant association between the use of social networking spots and legal violations. The current study can be attributed to some of the well- known cases that made captions. The purpose of this study was to establish a link between the position of the collaborative medium and the specifics or reason for the prevalence in exaggerated statutory businesses.

Keeping it free: Sport television and public policy in Australia

This article addresses issues surrounding changes in television in the digital age, focusing specifically on questions of cultural citizenship as they relate to sport on television. It considers the curious neglect of sport in the Australian Government’s 2020 ‘Media Reform Green Paper: Modernising television regulation in Australia’, especially given its focus on the current problems of free-to-air (FTA) television and the importance of sport to it. In Australia, as in many other countries, there is some legislative protection to enable sport ‘events of national importance and cultural significance’ to be broadcast without charge to whole national communities, thereby preventing their ‘siphoning’ by subscription television providers. These regulatory arrangements have come under increasing pressure, including from screen-based content providers offering over-the-top (OTT) internet-enabled, on-demand streaming services. The article considers the public policy and social equity ramifications of regulating screen-based sport in this dynamic media environment. It is argued that there is a strong case for an anti-siphoning list covering selected live sport events to be maintained, revised as necessary and protected from circumvention in an era where FTA television remains a popular, reliable and widely accessible media technology that has minimal barriers to viewing citizens. We conclude that television regulation in Australia cannot be ‘modernised’ by allowing the anti-siphoning regime to wither on the vine in gesturing to technological innovation, market de-regulation and unequal choice. Such interventions in national media and sport markets can, it is proposed, enable the necessary innovation to enhance rather than erode cultural citizenship rights for the benefit of large segments of society.

Attending live sporting events predicts subjective wellbeing and reduces loneliness.

This study explored whether attending live sporting events (LSEs) improved subjective wellbeing and loneliness, above and beyond demographic predictors. Secondary data from 7,249 adults from the Taking Part 2019-20 survey (UK household survey of participation in culture and sport) were analyzed. Multiple linear regressions captured the effect of attending LSEs (yes/no) on wellbeing variables (happiness, anxiety, a sense that life is worthwhile and life satisfaction) and loneliness, with gender, Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), age group, health and employment as covariates. For life satisfaction, a sense that life is worthwhile, and loneliness, inclusion of LSE attendance in the model improved model fit significantly, although ΔR2 values were small (ΔR2 = 0.001-0.003). For happiness and anxiety, the inclusion of LSE attendance did not alter model fit. LSE attendance was associated with increased life satisfaction (b = 0.171, p < 0.001), a greater sense of life being worthwhile (b = 0.230, p < 0.001), and reduced loneliness (b = -0.083, p < 0.01). LSE attendance has positive associations with some aspects of subjective wellbeing (life satisfaction and a sense of life being worthwhile) and loneliness, above and beyond demographic predictors. Whilst the variance explained is small, it is comparable to demographic predictors (e.g., being in employment). As even small-sized differences in SWB can have meaningful outcomes (e.g., for mortality), we conclude that LSE attendance may still offer a scalable, accessible and effective means of improving the public's wellbeing and reducing loneliness.

The Protection Path of Live Sports Event Screens in Copyright Law

The Protection Path of Live Sports Event Screens in Copyright Law

The value of esports football. Towards new models of consumption and participatory experience in Italy

ABSTRACT The growth of esports due to the suspension of live sporting events highlights a change in the consumption of ‘mediated' sports. While traditional sports have come to a halt, the data highlights how, conversely, the number of following e-sports events on streaming platforms such as Twitch has increased. Starting from the recent digital acceleration of sport world (for techniques and regulations of the game, dissemination sports content, management processes) the paper investigates on how much the relationship between football and efootball can affect the reconfiguration of dynamics of play and use and business models. Through a quantitative analysis, we wanted to understand the behaviour of e-football spectators and e-sportsmen who experience Fifa at an amateur level. The research was conducted in 2021 in Italy, involving 316 young adults (18–35 y.o.) belonging to the community of Fifa eplayers and viewers present on the Twitch platform. The main aspect that emerges from the research field is the ‘sportification' of e-sports as a process of participatory experience within a complementary consumption between football and e-football.

Changes in sports gambling behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.

Sports betting is one of the most popular forms of gambling in Canada; recent prevalence estimates indicate that 7.9% of Canadian adults endorsed gambling on sports in the past year. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic led to the temporary closure of most major sports leagues worldwide beginning in March of 2020. These sudden closures created a dramatic decrease in the availability of sports betting opportunities in the early stages of the pandemic, followed by a subsequent increase in availability as most sport leagues returned during the summer of 2020. Using a retrospective self-report measure of gambling participation, the present study investigated how the gambling behaviors of N = 85 past-year sports gamblers changed over the course of the pandemic. It was hypothesized that sports gamblers would report an initial decrease in gambling behaviors from pre-pandemic baseline levels to the early stages of the pandemic in May of 2020 when the availability of sports gambling was heavily restricted, followed by an increase in gambling behaviors from May to August, in accordance with the re-emergence of live sporting events. The general pattern of results supported the hypotheses, though gambling behaviors did not completely return to baseline levels. Beyond quantifying the changes in gambling behaviors over the early stages of the pandemic in Canada, results may have implications regarding the utility of voluntary gambling exclusion programs as well as legislation concerning gambling access.

Video Analysis of Belt and Road Sports Events Based on Wireless Network and Artificial Intelligence Technology

Nonprofessionals pay more and more attention to sports events, but in the process of live sports events, the semantics of professional terms are rich. And it is difficult for nonprofessionals to understand the meaning of the game. In order to improve the viewing experience of nonprofessionals, by intelligent target tracking technology, a system to capture athletes’ movement process is proposed. It is possible to analyze the types of athletes’ movements. In competitions or ball games, the system can predict the location of the ball or the player’s drop point. The four different tennis courts, the player’s motion capture, and the accuracy of the tennis landing prediction are further analyzed. The results show that when the athlete is facing the capture camera, the accuracy of motion recognition is high. In the absence of data on the playing field, the accuracy of the system for determining the position of the tennis ball fluctuates greatly. Therefore, this kind of system needs to have enough data to support it before it can be applied to fall point prediction. The proposed system provides a certain reference basis for the design of intelligent sports control facilities.

U.S. Women's Sport Consumption and Self-Identified Fandom: An Exploration of Social Structural and Sociocultural Antecedents

In this study, using data from the National Sports and Society Survey (N = 2853), we examine U.S. women’s reports of their sport consumption and self-identified sport fandom. Multiple regression analyses are used to assess associations between social structural and sociocultural antecedents of consumption and women’s frequencies of watching and following sport, frequencies of attending live sport events, and the amount of money that they spend to watch and follow sport. We then investigate the relationships between women’s sport consumption behaviors and their fandom. We find that women are common consumers of sport and their consumption is positively associated with their socioeconomic statuses, number of children, social relationships, sport participation experiences, and sport-related identities. We also find evidence that women’s sport consumption behaviors are only modestly associated with their levels of fandom. We conclude with reflections on what these results mean for better understanding and supporting women’s sport consumption and fandom.

Recommendations for the return of spectators to sport stadiums: A South African Sports Medicine Association (SASMA) position statement - Part 4.

All sports were discontinued in 2020 with the arrival of COVID-19. Since then most have been reinstated, albeit without spectators. However, several countries have put together a number of different risk-mitigating strategies to allow spectators back into stadiums. This position statement gives an outline of the minimum requirements that should be considered upon the return of spectators at live sporting events.

Towards a theory of well-being in digital sports viewing behavior

PurposeSocial television (Social TV) viewing of live sports events is an emerging trend. The realm of transformative service research (TSR) envisions that every service consumption experience must lead to consumer well-being. Currently, a full appreciation of the well-being factors obtained through Social TV viewing is lacking. This study aims to gain a holistic understanding of the concept of digital sports well-being obtained through live Social TV viewing of sports events.Design/methodology/approachFocus group interviews were used to collect data from the 40 regular sports viewers, and the qualitative data obtained is analyzed thematically using NVivo 12. A post hoc verification of the identified themes is done to narrow down the most critical themes.FindingsThe exploration helped understand the concept of digital sports well-being (DSW) obtained through live Social TV sports spectating and identified five critical themes that constitute its formation. The themes that emerged were virtual connectedness, vividness, uncertainty reduction, online disinhibition and perceived autonomy. This study defines the concept and develops a conceptual model for DSW.Research limitations/implicationsThis study adds to the body of knowledge in TSR, transformative sport service research, digital customer engagement, value co-creation in digital platforms, self-determination theory and flow theory. The qualitative study is exploratory, with participants’ views based on a single match in one particular sport, and as such, its findings are restrained by the small sample size and the specific sport. To extend this study’s implications, empirical research involving a larger and more diversified sample involving multiple sports Social TV viewing experiences would help better understand the DSW concept.Practical implicationsThe research provides insights to Social TV live streamers of sporting events and digital media marketers about the DSW construct and identifies the valued DSW dimensions that could provide a competitive advantage.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, the exploration is the first attempt to describe the concept of DSW and identify associated themes.

Sport Consumption Intentions during a Crisis: The COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic brought a disruption to daily life and to the sport industry not seen before by generations of consumers. The purpose of the present study was to examine the impact of three external factors (i.e., perceived State/County opening phase status, work status and sheltering status) along with consumers’ past spectating behavior on their intentions to attend live sport events in the near future. In this examination, we controlled for COVID-19-related beliefs, as well as for consumers’ emotional states (i.e., scared, optimistic). Data were collected from 382 Amazon Mechanical Turk respondents. The findings revealed how external factors happening due to a crisis (i.e., pandemic) and past spectating behavior influence consumers’ intentions to attend live sport events. Furthermore, beliefs and emotions related to the threat of COVID-19 sport spectators’ intentions to go to live sport events in the COVID-19 era.