Participation In Sporting Events Research Articles

Fostering charity sport event runners' identification to drive social media interaction and willingness to donate

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the impact of self-identification with the event role on runners' social media interaction and willingness to donate.Design/methodology/approachOnline survey data from 319 charity sport event participants are used in this study. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to the hypothesis.FindingsThe results suggest that runners' self-identification drives their happiness when participating in CSEs via co-creation and satisfaction. Importantly, runners' happiness positively influences their social media sharing of their positive experiences related to participating in CSEs as well as their willingness to donate the money to non-profit organisations.Originality/valueThis study advances the knowledge about how runners perceive their self-identification when participating in CSEs, which influences their happiness and behavioural responses.

Experiential effects on mass sport participants’ event satisfaction and behavioral intentions: examining sensory, affective, behavioral, intellectual and relational dimensions

PurposeThe purpose of the present study was to investigate the interrelationships among the dimensions of sport event experience, event satisfaction and event behavioral intentions.Design/methodology/approachThe sample was comprised of 186 individuals who actively participated in a mass participation sport event. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to test the relationships among the latent constructs.FindingsThe results indicated that the dimensions of sport event experience predicted 55% of the variance of event satisfaction and 63% of the variance of event behavioral intentions was predicted by sport event experience dimensions and event satisfaction. Specifically, the sensory, affective and relational dimensions of experience sought to have a statistically significant and positive association with event satisfaction, while event satisfaction and the relational dimension of experience were found to have a statistically significant and positive correlation with event behavioral intentions. In addition, event satisfaction was found to mediate the relationships between sensory, affective and relational experiences and event behavioral intentions.Originality/valueThe present study is one of the first that explores the relationships among sport event experience’s dimensions, event satisfaction and positive behavioral intentions in the context of sport event participation.

СПОРТ КАК ИНСТРУМЕНТ СОЦИАЛЬНОЙ ИНТЕГРАЦИИ: АНАЛИЗ ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКИХ ПОСЛЕДСТВИЙ СОЦИАЛЬНОЙ КООПЕРАЦИИ ЧЕРЕЗ СПОРТИВНЫЕ ИНИЦИАТИВЫ

Sport as a tool of social integration is attracting increasing attention from researchers who believe that sports initiatives can promote social cooperation and strengthen ties in society. This article presents an analysis of the economic consequences of social cooperation through sports initiatives. The paper examines the mechanisms through which sport can stimulate social integration, such as the formation of team spirit, the development of leadership qualities, increasing self-esteem and social skills of participants. Additionally, the economic benefits associated with participation in sports events are analyzed, including reducing healthcare costs by improving public health, reducing criminal justice costs, and increasing labor productivity through a healthy lifestyle. The work also draws attention to the role of public policy and the private sector in supporting sports initiatives as a tool for social integration and achieving economic benefits for society.

Knowledge and Participation of Physical Education Teachers in the Official Sports Events

21st century teachers are expected to develop 21st century competencies in students in more diverse classrooms, while increasing the study of teaching and learning. Teachers must update their teaching techniques, adopt creative teaching methods, and mobilize multiple sources of information to achieve this goal. In this paper, 150 teachers from Guangdong University of Science and Technology (GUT), Guangdong Foreign Studies University (GUFS) and Guangdong Institute of Science and Technology (GDPST) were evaluated by using literature, expert interviews, questionnaire and mathematical statistics to evaluate their knowledge in physical education teaching, including their physical education teaching experience, contact with students and their knowledge The ability to integrate teaching technology. This will further determine the level of teachers' participation in official sporting events, including their willingness, athletic skills and the impact of participation. The main conclusions of the study are as follows:1. The sample used in the study was primarily composed of teachers that were aged 25-29 years old and were mostly female. Their teaching experience ranged from 10 years and above, making the sample have a large population of well-experienced educators. Lastly, during sports events, these teachers would mostly have the role of being officials when participating. 2.For teaching knowledge, the respondents showed to have agreeable positive responses in all fields of experience, engagement, and technology. Although, the knowledge on technology scored the highest, indicating that the respondents had more knowledge in using this when participating in sports events. 3.The assessments showed no significant relationship in the teachers’ knowledge in teaching sports when compared to the different demographic factors assessed. 4.For teachers’ participation in sports events, there was a fairly agreeable positive assessment for the overall analysis. Although when looking at the indicators individually, only the impacts from participation scored positively, making this a strong indicator in the teachers’ participation. On the other hand, willingness and skills scored poorly, indicating the need to improve these two areas.5. The assessments showed no significant relationship in the teachers’ participation in sports when compared to the different demographic factors assessed. 6.Lastly, a positive correlation was found only between the teachers’ engagement and the teachers’ impacts from participation, confirming that these two indicators are linked and affect one another in the study.

Management of physical culture and sports in the territorial communities of Ukraine

The article examines the essence and necessity of managing physical culture and sports in the territorial communities of Ukraine. It is emphasized that in the conditions of territorial communities, the role of ma naging physical culture and sports takes on a new dimension. Scientific opinions on the understanding of physical culture and sports are considered. It was determined that the modern market socio-economic system of Ukraine contributes to the formation and development of key aspects of the market of physical culture and sports services. It is highlighted that the field of physical culture and sports serves as an indicator of the quality of life of an individual, social groups and society in general. The state of its activity helps to identify types of social inequality and to some extent can overcome certain types of inequality, thereby improving the quality of life of a significant number of people. It has been established that the management of physical culture and sports in the territorial communities of Ukraine is a key factor for the social, economic and cultural development of the country, covers various spheres of public life and has a great impact on the general state of society. It is noted that the important aspects of physical culture and sports management at the local level are: physical activity and sports are the basis of a healthy lifestyle; sport unites citizens of different age groups, social classes and cultures; sport is an effective tool for developing youth potential; developed sports infrastructure attracts tourists and contributes to the development of the service sector; sport develops discipline, dedication and team spirit; active participation in physical exercises and sports events contributes to the formation of civic culture, increases the level of patriotism and readiness for active participation in public life. It has been proven that the management of physical culture and sports in territorial communities is a strategically important task for ensuring the sustainable development of society, improving the quality of life of citizens, and preserving national health. The creation of a favorable environment for physical activity, the development of sports infrastructure and the support of sports initiatives contribute to the preservation and strengthening of the health of citizens, social integration and the formation of a unified national identity.

Consumption decisions in green tourism: The case of tourists participating in sports events in Vietnam

This study applies the Motivation - Opportunity – Ability model on social networking platforms to study tourists’ selection of green hotels for their participation in sports events. The study analyzed the intention to choose green hotels of 324 Vietnamese tourists staying at 4- and 5-star hotels with green labels in Vietnam. The research results show that the Motivations, Opportunity, and Ability factors in using social networks have a positive impact on the belief in green hotels, thereby promoting the intention to choose green hotels when tourists participate in sports events in Vietnam. This study also provides some practical implications for green hotels in using social networks to enhance the trust and intention to choose a hotel of tourists participating in sports events. At the same time, the study also proposes some suggestions for directing human resources training towards the organization of tourism-integrated sports events to create responsible tourism products.

The outcomes of social capital among event runners: quality of life considerations

PurposeMass participation sport events, such as running events, have the potential to foster social capital among event participants. The purpose of this study is to investigate the interrelationships among sport event participation, social capital and various (behavioral, psychological, informational and negative) outcomes.Design/methodology/approachFollowing Putnam's social capital approach, a research model was developed and tested using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling, based on survey data from 301 runners with varied running histories and event experiences.FindingsResults showed a limited impact of sport event participation on participants' social capital, indicating that the temporary interactions within the event timeframe were insufficient to generate sustainable social capital among event participants. Nevertheless, significant relationships were found between social capital and behavioral, psychological and informational outcomes of social capital, suggesting that social capital can be converted to a range of benefits for participants and the event community.Practical implicationsEvent marketers and sponsors should take strategic actions to enhance participants' social experience and cultivate social capital, which may help them gain support from the event community irrespective of past experiences with participation.Originality/valueThis study extends Putnam's social capital framework into mass participation sport event context. As an initial effort to quantitatively test the linkage among event participation, social capital and various outcomes, this study offers empirical insights into the role of sport event participation in generating long-term social benefits for event participants.

The influence of serious leisure, training, and consumption on subjective well-being for sport event participants

ABSTRACT People pursue leisure activities like running because it makes them feel good and Stebbins (1992) suggests that serious leisure predicts subjective well-being (SWB). However, it is unclear whether serious leisure and/or its behavioural consequences such as increased consumption, event participation or training, explain varying levels of SWB. Some of these behavioural consequences have adverse environmental impacts, and a trade-off exists between negative environmental impacts and increased levels of SWB. This study surveyed 933 runners about their level of serious leisure, consumption patterns, training, event participation, and SWB. CFA and SEM are used to test the direct effects of serious leisure and the role of selected mediators to understand their effects on SWB. The study concludes that serious leisure itself has no significant direct effect on SWB. However, athletes’ engagement in training has direct positive effects on SWB. Furthermore, serious leisure, training and event participation increase other types of consumption, such as shoes, electronic equipment, cloths, etc. which have, however, no significant effect on SWB. These results advise organisers of leisure activities, such as event organisers, how to develop sustainable, yet valuable event experiences.

Socio-Professional Implications of Sports Events: A Perspective from Dual-Career Students

Background: The organization of a sports event can be analyzed from the perspective of its impact on the participants, organizers and community. University championships have a sustainable character, with several tournaments being planned over time, receiving increased interest from all stakeholders. Methods: This research aimed to describe aspects regarding the organization and planning of sports events, the academic and professional profiles of student-athletes and the implications of their participation in championships. We used two research methods: one based on geography, and another based on a sociological survey of 139 dual-career students participating in the national university championship of men’s football and women’s volleyball organized by the University of Oradea (Romania). Results: The research results show that academic studies provide professional competencies, while participation in sports events contributes to students’ personal and professional development. The results highlight that dual-career students are more prone to develop their sports careers; therefore, participation in these types of events represents a milestone in their careers. Conclusions: Our study can be considered when organizing these types of sports events and can provide directions for the development of sustainable strategies and programs to support students with dual careers.

Predicting Active Sport Participant's Approach Behaviors from Emotions and Meaning Attributed to Sport Event Experience

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of emotions on sport consumers' meanings, or stored cognitive evaluations, attributed to a participatory sport event experience, and measure how these constructs directly influence event satisfaction and indirectly influence future approach behaviors. Data were collected from a sample of 231 5K and half marathon runners in the Southeastern US using a postevent online survey. Results indicated that meaning attributed to the event experience partially mediated the relationship between emotions and event satisfaction. Additionally, event satisfaction significantly influenced future approach behaviors. Finally, positive emotions (i.e., elation) had a stronger relationship with meaning attributed to the event experience than negative ones (i.e., anger, unhappiness, and worry). The findings illustrated how positive affective experiences drive consumers' cognitive processes related to the formation of meaning and satisfaction in a sport event context and contribute to positive behaviors that are vital to sport organizations.

Why do self-identity and efficacy matter for enjoying participation in charity sports events? The role of the warm glow feeling

PurposeCharity sports events have emerged as a major, beneficial social phenomenon to be encouraged. In this study, the authors aim to examine the relationships among personal norms, social norms, self-identity, response efficacy and the “warm glow” feeling, which, in turn, influences willingness to return and enjoyment of participation in charity sports events in Thailand.Design/methodology/approachAn online self-administered survey was conducted to collect data from 600 participants, and structural equation modelling (SEM) was done under the two-step modelling approach to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe findings indicate that self-identity and response efficacy positively influence participants' warm glow. By contrast, the relationships of personal and social norms with warm glow are not significant. Moreover, warm glow positively influences participants' willingness to return to attend the event and their enjoyment.Practical implicationsThis study's findings have academic implications and can benefit marketers and event organizers by giving them insights into participants' behaviour and allowing them to better create services to improve participant experiences and boost repeat attendance better.Originality/valueBy applying the concept of warm glow in the context of charity sports events, this study deepens the understanding of the causal pathways from the antecedents to participants' willingness to return and enjoyment through the warm glow.

Age Estimation in Sportspersons From the Epiphyseal Fusion Around Wrist, Elbow, and Pelvic Joints.

Background Age estimation of an individual is an integral part of medicolegal work. Out of many scenarios for which age estimation is performed, competitive sports is the one emerging field where experts are consulted for providing accurate age of the athlete. Owing to the chances of deliberately increasing (padding) or decreasing (shaving) the age of the athlete for his own advantage, accurate age estimation is crucial. The Sports Authority of India (SAI) mandates age verification from experts prior to participation in sports events in various age group categories. One of the widely used methods of age estimation in athletes is the radiological examination of the ossification centers of bones. Methodology The study was performed on 134athletes (72 males and 62 females) with an age range of 12-18 years old with due permission from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) for this study. These participants compete at state, national, and international levels in squash, handball, swimming, cricket, and judo in under-14, under-16, and under-19 age categories. X-rays of the wrists, elbows, and pelvis were analyzed using the Schmeling five-stage method for the fusion of ossification centers. Results A greater degree of correlation between the fusion stages of all regions of interest and chronological age was observed in males than in females. The highest correlation in both sexes is observed between the fusion score of the head of the radius and the age (R = 0.814 for malesand R = 0.647 for females). The lowest correlation for both males and females is seen between the fusion score of the lateral epicondyle of the humerus and age (R = 0.754 for males and R = 0.441 for females). Multiple linear regression models showed a standard error of estimate (SEE) of 1.093 years for the elbow joint, 1.147 years for the wrist joint, 1.039 years for the pelvis joint, and 1.030 years for all three joints. Conclusion Regression models generated for estimating the age of sportspersons from the ossification centers of the elbow, wrist, and pelvis in the present study can be applied for the age estimation of individuals aged between 12 and 18 years. Future population-specific studies on the age estimation of sportspersons with greater sample sizes are necessary to validate the findings of the present study.

Motivational factors and experiences of swimmers in the Lake Balaton crossing

This research paper examines the motivational factors and experiences of swimmers participating in the Lake Balaton Crossing, a 5.2 km open water event held annually in Hungary. The study aims to understand why swimmers persistently engage in this recreational sporting activity over time. A cross-sectional online questionnaire survey was conducted, targeting swimmers who had completed the Lake Balaton Crossing at least five times. The questionnaire collected information on participants’ demographics and explored their motivations for returning to the event. Content analysis was used to analyze the data collected from 398 participants. The results revealed several common motivating factors, including the desire for challenge and competition, the pursuit of personal goals, the experience of flow, the pleasure and relaxation derived from swimming, the sense of belonging to a community, and the positive impact of swimming on health and well-being. These findings align with previous research and highlight the importance of adventure, personal growth, and community in motivating swimmers to participate in the Lake Balaton Crossing. Understanding these motivations can inform event organizers and contribute to strategies that enhance participation and engagement in recreational sporting events.

The elite breakaway sustains its lead on the peloton: social leverage, major sport events, and cultural decolonisation

ABSTRACT Major sport events are considered to be a catalyst of social benefits in society and are a fully-fledged actor within social sport policy. However, sports and sport event participation are socially stratified and many studies indicate non-uniform effects. This article draws on data from an online questionnaire collected in the context of the 2021 Road World Cycling Championship and aims at examining, through Elite theory, early participation and social effect differences between communities in the host city. The self-reported differences in event participation, direct social impact, and long-term social outcomes are compared between the dominant and non-dominant groups within this context. The findings indicate that participation, social impacts, and outcomes are not that straightforward, nor universal throughout different social communities. Despite the rhetoric of events’ beneficiary character, especially towards non-dominant groups, the event turns out to be mainly attuned towards the dominant groups. This is due to the inability of major sports events to be separated from inequality because of their political, cultural and economic embeddedness. In addition, the events serve as a cultural coloniser through the transmission of Western-dominated neoliberal thought patterns.

Women's experiences of participation in mass participation sport events.

Mass participation sport events (MPSEs) have become a popular form of recreational sport participation. Understanding experiences of participants is pivotal to designing and implementing socially just and sustainable events. Applying constructivist grounded theory methodology, this inquiry explored experiences of participation in MPSEs, with particular attention to the impact of gender on participation experiences. In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 women who participated in MPSEs. Fear and power were two core themes in interviewees' experiences. Fear of sexual assault, injury, and "something bad" was a significant element in women's experiences which related to perceptions of place and time. The second theme, power, was generated from strong sport identities, camaraderie among female runners, all-women races, and finishing mixed-gender races. The findings provide some guidelines for practitioners to enhance experiences of female participants and encourage repeated participation that is key to sustainability of the events.

A study of event brand image, destination image, event, and destination loyalty among international sport tourists

ABSTRACT Research questions Sport management researchers have utilized the concept of brand image to understand sport consumers’ experiences. However, this concept has rarely been applied in a participatory sport event context. In this study, we proposed a conceptual framework of event brand image for distance running events, and explored how international sport tourists’ perceived event brand image generates event and destination loyalty. Research methods The data of the study were collected from international participants (N = 441) of 36th Reykjavik Marathon in 2019. Of the respondents, 52.6% were male, 73.3% aged between 30 and 59 years old, and 84.6% held a bachelor’s degree or higher. Most of the respondents (91.2%) came from Europe and North America. A behavioral profile revealed that 48.4% of respondents ran the full marathon, 36.3% the half marathon, 13.9% the 10 km, and 1.5% the 3 km. Results and findings The results indicate that three attributes (i.e. course, organization, and atmosphere) and two benefits (i.e. achievement and escape) were positively associated with participants’ event attitude. Event attitude was directly positively associated with event loyalty, destination image, and destination loyalty. Finally, destination image mediated the relationships between event attitude and event loyalty, and between event attitude and destination loyalty. Implications This study contributes to the literature by applying a conceptual framework of brand image in a participatory sport event context, and identifying the mediating role of the destination image.

A Proposal for Activating the Saudi Womans Participation in Sports Activities and Events

A Proposal for Activating the Saudi Womans Participation in Sports Activities and Events

Host Communities, Event Leveraging, And Participatory Sport Events

This article examines participatory sport event (PSE) organizers' perceptions of, and interactions with, the communities in which they host events. Internationally, PSEs are burgeoning in popularity and may be strategically leveraged to promote positive economic and social development in host locations. Yet little is known about who organizes such events, or how PSE organizers approach their interactions with event hosting communities. Further, it remains unclear if/how PSE organizers may contribute to broader strategic event leveraging activities. Twenty-two in-depth interviews were conducted with PSE organizers in the UK. The results indicate all interviewees value effective relationships with host community stakeholders, although those organizing events for-profit tended to regard stakeholder interaction in highly instrumental terms. Many organizers viewed the production of beneficial outcomes from their events as integral to ensuring community support. While organizers expressed a sense of responsibility to "do the right thing" when interacting with stakeholders, it was those who organized events in the location where they lived who exhibited greatest concern for production of benefits in the host community. This research has implications for smaller cities/locations seeking to build sustainable event portfolios as a strategy for economic or social development and may help guide decisions around which events are selected and why.

Interscopic fan travelscape: Hybridizing tourism through sport and art

Contrary to the common compartmentalization of popular culture and events to specialized forms of fandom-induced tourism (e.g. film-, music-, sport-tourism), event-tourism spaces may also derive from blending different genres that enable symbiotic effects, for example, between sport and art. This paper provides a theoretical analysis of how event-tourism is interwoven and merged with sporting and cinematic popular culture, thereby creating a compound milieu for sport traveling aficionados that we name an “ Interscopic Fan Travelscape” (IFT). To ground our analysis, we use the example of a participatory sport event that blends organically sporting and cinematic facets of popular culture. This is a free-diving event, hosted in the Greek island of Amorgos, and commemorating the 1988 “Big Blue” film, which was primarily shot in Amorgos. Our conceptual framework provides a comprehensive understanding of composite popular culture settings and devoted fan-travel by integrating perspectives of neo-tribalism, serious leisure, fan pilgrimage and event-tourism.

Does bestial make you a happy human? The impact on happiness from participation in an obstacle running event

PurposeThe main research questions addressed by this study focus on Subjective Well-Being (SWB) and to what extent the individual's SWB relates to the individual's need for personal growth. Specific interest is devoted to the effects of intentions (to have personal goals) and behavior (to achieve personal goals).Design/methodology/approachCan SWB and happiness research help to explain the tremendous growth in demanding amateur sport event participation? Most research on SWB and events has, so far been undertaken on cultural events leaving a gap related to sport events, especially obstacle running events. Bestial is an obstacle race event held in Arucas on Canary Islands, Spain. Apart from competitiveness, the race also contains elements of altruism as many competitors do help each other at various obstacles along the route, in groups (mainly) teams. A sample of 700 participants answered questions about behavior, attitudes and SWB.FindingsThe results show significant relations between SWB and both intentions and behavior but also that intentions and behavior are not correlated.Research limitations/implicationsThe “Bestial” is different from an average running event in some respects. It is a rather local event for Gran Canaria without international participation. For some participants it is more challenging and enduring but for others it is a team sport where one helps other team members to complete the race. In this study, these two types of participation have not been separated. The test of whether the SWB of participants is higher than the SWB of the average citizen is not satisfactory. Data for the average of SWB in Spain had to depend on a study from another year and where standard deviation was not available.Practical implicationsThe results of this work are useful for event managers to improve their design and develop the most appropriate marketing messages.Social implicationsThe study aims for an explanation to why demanding physical activities, such as obstacle races, are so popular. In this study of obstacle race participation, hedonia is regarded as less relevant and focus is on eudaimonia and an assumption that participants in an obstacle race have a high SWB since they can feel that they make progress towards goals. One intended contribution of this study is to distinguish between “to have a goal” and “to progress towards a goal”. Thus, the model proposed is based on hypotheses that SWB is influenced by both. Two types of goals are studied: first a mainly individualistic goal of becoming physically fit and second a more altruistic goal of “becoming a better person”.Originality/valueIn the conclusions, the importance for a happy life of simply having goals for personal growth and the value of anticipation for happiness is discussed.