Sport Consumer Behavior Research Articles

Factors affecting individual sports consumption motivation towards sports consumption behavior: A bibliometric analysis

The purpose of this research is to present a bibliometric analysis of the literature on the ways in which the motivations of individual sports consumers impact the creation of sports infrastructure and the creation of sports-related policy. Design/methodology/approach: Based on the PRISMA approach and information gleaned from the Scopus database, 2605 publications were found to be pertinent to the subject. We conducted a literature analysis of trends and patterns using VOSviewer-based knowledge mapping. Findings: Recent years have seen a proliferation of scholarly publications on the topic of individual sports consumption motivation and its influence on policy formulation and infrastructure development. This suggests that interest in this field is expanding. The list of eminent journals, decision-makers, and organizations involved in this issue demonstrates its global influence. The interdisciplinary nature of the subject is reflected in the study’s emphasis on the most widely published authors and key research terminology. Originality/value: This study closes significant knowledge gaps regarding the complex interactions between societal, environmental, and individual factors that affect the motivation to consume sports and how these motivations influence decisions about sports infrastructure and policies. It does this by using bibliometric techniques and the most recent data. The project aims to create a more thorough picture of how public health policy, sports governance, and urban planning are impacted by the motivations behind sports consumption. Policy implications: Policymakers, planners, and sports organizations can use the results to generate more targeted and effective strategies for the development of sports infrastructure and policy formulation. The study highlights how important it is to make well-informed policy decisions and participate in customized involvement in order to improve public welfare and the overall sports consumer experience.

Identifying online sports betting motivations associated with betting intention

PurposeTo extend research into sport consumer behaviors related to online sports betting, this study is designed to identify and examine the relationship between online sports betting motivations and online sports betting intentions. By applying a push-pull framework from online sport consumption and gambling studies, nine motivations to engage in online sports betting were identified. These motivations were hypothesized to motivate online sports betting intentions.Design/methodology/approachA quota sampling technique based on the sports bettor demographics available in the American Gaming Association (AGA, 2019) and the Pew Research Center (2022) obtained a total of 550 completed surveys that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. For data analyses, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to examine the measurement model and the hypothesized model, respectively.FindingsThe results revealed that four motivations (i.e. monetary gain, excitement, convenience and negative technology-readiness) were related to online sports betting intention, while five motivations (i.e. sport fandom, positive technology-readiness, impulsivity, socialization and promotion) were not.Originality/valueThe results provide foundational theoretical knowledge of what motivates sports fans to participate in online sports betting. Furthermore, the findings assist practitioners in their allocation of resources by enhancing their understanding of online sports betting motivations.

The shift in sports viewing: scale development and validation for mediated sports consumption motivation

ABSTRACT Research question Mediated sports, the alternative consumption formats that substitute live stadium or arena experiences, are on the rise and have become a prevalent means of consuming sport. This study developed a comprehensive scale to capture fans’ motivation behind mediated sport consumption from the theoretical lens of self-determination theory. Research methods We achieved this objective through a series of studies: a free thought-listing survey, expert panels, an exploratory study based on a sample of 549 sport consumers, and a confirmatory study based on a new sample of 335 sport consumers. Results and findings The final scale consists of 21 items that measure seven motives: Convenience, Sociability, Emotional Hedge, Programming, Ownership, Team Identification, and Security. Findings revealed that mediated sport consumption demonstrated distinct motives integral to satisfying the basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Implications This study expands our understanding of mediated sport consumption behavior through the perspectives of Self-determination Theory. Sport fans tend to take advantage of various platforms and time zones and access many sporting events with fewer constraints. We suggest that mediated sport consumption that enhances a sense of choice or personal value provides a higher satisfaction of sport fans’ psychological needs.

Social Media and Sport Research: Empirical Examinations Showcasing Diversity in Methods and Topics

This commentary introduces the second of two special issues in the International Journal of Sport Communication centered on social media and sport. The empirical studies presented in this issue illustrate both the diversity of topics and methodological approaches utilized by researchers working at the intersection of social media and sport. Research articles in this issue analyze topics ranging from sport consumer behavior to online fan communities to coaches’ perceptions of activism-related content posted on team social media accounts. The research presented here also employs a variety of methodological approaches including experimental design, critical discourse analysis, rhetorical analysis, and applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Collectively, these studies offer a foundation on which future research in social media and sport can build to continue to enhance our understanding of social media’s impact on the sport world.

Providing a framework and guidelines for sport organizations to understand and predict sport consumer behavior

PurposeThe purpose of this commentary is to discuss a framework (the Revised Model of Sport Consumer Behavior – R-MSCB; Trail, 2019) to accomplish the following objectives. (1) Provide a framework for sport marketers and sport organizations to use in their own market research. (2) Designate the processes needed to generate results and knowledge that sport organizations, sport marketers and associated corporate partners can use to improve marketing campaigns. (3) Provide suggestions for analytic techniques and measurement constructs/instruments that will facilitate market research within the sport industry.Design/methodology/approachThe author created a 140-item questionnaire for the pre-survey and a 50-item questionnaire for the post-survey. The pre-survey was given at the beginning of the season, and the post-survey was given at the end of the season. The research group has generated a sequence of 13 studies and has collected pre-survey responses from over 7,800 people across 4 continents, 8 sports and 13 teams (data collections), with more teams still planned and over 2,000 post-season survey responses with data collection continuing.FindingsThis project, with its 13 studies, will provide sport organizations with the theories/frameworks, knowledge and processes to do their own market research in a more effective and efficient manner and will show sport organizations how to understand the complexities of sport consumer behavior, the motivations behind it and how it varies extensively across individuals. The author will show sports organizations how to collect data from their consumers using valid and reliable measures and constructs that will allow them to segment their consumers, how to effectively market to those segments and how to establish long-lasting relationships that make a satisfied and loyal customer.Originality/valueThis paper provides the framework and guidelines so that sport marketers and researchers can identify specific variables, constructs and relationships that will further their own objectives when attempting to explain sport consumer behavior. Using their own market research, they can implement the results/output in association with the Communications Strategy Model to create more effective and efficient marketing and communications campaigns and consequently drive key performance indicators (KPIs) and improve revenue streams.

Fan Socializing and BIRGing: The Impact of Trait Competitiveness on Fan Behaviors

This research investigates the intricate dynamics between trait competitiveness and sport fan behavior, examining its relationships with situational and surface traits associated with sport consumption. By advancing our understanding of competitiveness as a key influencer in sport participation and entertainment seeking, the study contributes to our understanding of what drives sport fans. Utilizing Mowen’s 3M model and the Big Five personality traits, we explore the influence of traits on competitiveness, predicting its impact on participation and entertainment seeking and fan socializing and basking in reflected glory. The findings unveil the role of competitiveness in shaping behaviors, indicating that competitive individuals actively seek and enjoy competitive and entertaining situations. The research illuminates the paths by which personality traits affect sport consumption behaviors, providing theoretical insights into the complex dynamics of competitiveness in the realm of sport.

Game Attendance in Luxury: Purchase Motivations of Suites and Club Level Seating in Division I College Football

At the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level, athletic departments generate revenues from ticket sales, and premium seating areas provide spectators with upgrades in exclusive parts of stadiums for a substantial fee. The focus of this study was to determine purchase motivations for college football premium seating, where emergent themes were discerned from data provided by actual premium seating users and expert athletic administrators. Results indicated the following prevalent themes (and sub-themes) on motivations to purchase luxury suites: experience (comfort and amenities, watching the game), entertainment (family and friends, corporate), prestige, and support. In club level seating, the results indicated purchase motivations included: watching the game (view, seat setting), upgraded amenities (climate comfort, food and beverages/alcohol), prestige, and support. Chiefly, the findings indicated college football premium seating spectators are distinct from general seating attendees, and expanded premium seating research beyond just administrator perceptions with corporate clientele in professional sport. Keywords: college football, FBS, luxury suites, club level seating, premium seating, attendance, motivators, sport consumer behavior, Division I, ticket sales

Meaningful Sports Consumption Behavior Influences the Production of Individual Eudaimonic Well-Being: The Chain-Mediated Role of Perceived Social Support and Perceived Self-Esteem

Well-being is an ordinary life goal that many people strive to achieve. Recently, there has been a growing interest in academic research on how consumption can enhance well-being. Hedonic sports consumption, which is associated with positive emotions, can positively impact an individual’s subjective well-being by providing both physical and mental enjoyment and relieving the stresses of everyday life. However, there is a need for more comprehensive research on the mechanisms that connect meaningful sports consumption behaviors, which may also be accompanied by negative emotions, to the mental health of individuals. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to explore the potential mechanisms of meaningful sports consumption behaviors and eudaimonic well-being in individual mental health. Based on the SOR theory, this study develops a comprehensive conceptual model to examine the impact of sports consumption behavior on individuals’ eudaimonic well-being. The study’s results indicate that engaging in meaningful sports consumption behaviors can positively influence individuals’ eudaimonic well-being. Additionally, the study finds that perceived social support and perceived self-esteem among sports consumers significantly and positively impact their eudaimonic well-being. Finally, the study reveals that perceived social support and perceived self-esteem mediate the pathway through which meaningful sports consumption behaviors affect eudaimonic well-being. These findings contribute to our understanding of how to enhance sports consumers’ eudaimonic well-being and promote meaningful sports consumption behaviors. Therefore, it is recommended that sports marketers focus on providing meaningful sports service offerings, fostering consumer–society connections, and increasing respect and appreciation for consumers. These marketing insights can be valuable in promoting positive sports consumption experiences.

Sports consumption behaviors of football fans: the relationship between social identity, team loyalty and behavioral intention toward consumption

PurposeThe study aimed to establish football fans' levels of social identity, team loyalty, and behavioral intentions toward sports consumption and to determine the relationship between these variables using a structural equation model.Design/methodology/approachResearch methods: The research model was tested by data analysis using AMOS 23.0. The study sample included 518 football fans with mean age 30.87 (±10.15) years. Data were collected using an online questionnaire delivered to football fans via social media.FindingsThe results supported the study hypotheses and showed that social identity and team loyalty had a significant effect on behavioral intention toward sport consumption for football teams. Social identity was found to have a direct effect on sport consumption behaviors. It was further established that team loyalty was a mediator in the relationship between the fans' social identity and behavioral intention toward sports consumption.Research limitations/implicationsThe study planned to collect the data at the stadium entrance before the game; however, it was not possible to reach the fans face-to-face due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and therefore, the data were collected online.Practical implicationsBy understanding how the extent of social identity affects sports consumption intention, sports club managers can achieve a higher level of fan loyalty to their teams.Social implicationsThe present study provides additional insight into the available literature on team identification. It demonstrated that team identification was associated with social identity and that social identity had an impact on sports consumption behaviors.Originality/valueThis study is an original study in that it is a study in which the social identity scale is used together with the variables of team loyalty and sports consumption behavior intention. The findings of this study help understand the processes that shape the behavioral intentions of football fans toward sports consumption. Furthermore, the mediating role of the developed model was tested using team loyalty.

Association Between Team Identification and Sport Consumption Behaviors: A Meta-Analysis

The relationship between team identification and sport consumption behaviors is crucial for sports management researchers and practitioners. Given that collective information about the relationship is still inconclusive, this study conducted a comprehensive review of team identification and sport consumption behaviors and explored the relationships and the impact of sport setting, culture, and sample type as moderators. The meta-analysis analyzed data from 75 effect sizes based on 43,608 participants from 52 studies. The results showed that team identification was significantly correlated with sport attendance (r = .47), media consumption (r = .46), sport merchandise consumption (r = .49), and word-of-mouth (r = .60). Sport setting and culture were found to affect the relationship significantly. The current study presents a comprehensive model that synthesizes a broad spectrum of previous studies and offers important implications for investigating sport consumption behaviors and planning sport organizations’ strategies.

Self-Transcendence Values Influence Meaningful Sports Consumption Behavior: The Chain Mediator of Team Identification and Eudaimonic Motivation

With the improvement of people’s material conditions and the change of their values, sports consumption has shifted from hedonistic consumption, which simply pursues pleasurable experiences, to meaningful consumption, which seeks self-growth and life values. Meaningful sports consumption behavior has also received attention from scholars. The primary purpose of this study is to explore the mechanisms of meaningful sports consumption behavior from the perspective of individual values. Using self-transcendence values as the independent variable, team identification, and eudaimonic motivation as mediators, and introducing subjective on-field performance and hypo-egoic mindset as moderating variables, this study explores how self-transcendence values influence meaningful sports consumption behavior. The empirical analysis based on 910 questionnaire data in China revealed that self-transcendence values have a significant positive impact on meaningful sports consumption behavior through the chain mediating role of team identification and eudaimonic motivation. Subjective on-field performance and hypo-egoic mindset play a moderating role in this influence. This study enriches the study of sports consumption behavior, deepens the research on meaningful sports consumption behavior, and introduces a new research perspective to sports consumption behavior. The results of this study provide new management ideas for sports marketers to attract and increase consumer stickiness.

Títul Sports consumption behavior and consumption demand of urban residents in the context of “Internet+”

Abstract As people gradually pay attention to sports, it has driven the economic growth of sports consumption. In order to be able to better understand the consumption situation of residents, an Internet-based study of urban residents’ sports consumption demand is proposed. The “Internet+” delivers filtered information to consumers, who can browse information on sports goods that interest them anytime, anywhere. Book sports venues and trainers in advance, and keep track of your basic information such as your sports preferences, time, frequency, and physical changes. Sports consumption behavior occurs through various social relationships, so that the content of each stage of sports consumption behavior proceeds smoothly and gradually rises, and gradually develops good sports consumption behavior habits and a healthy lifestyle. The grayscale system is used to determine the reference series and comparison series, calculate the correlation of total urban residents’ sports consumption, accumulate the original data once, generate a new data series, and subject the obtained values to error test to complete the sports consumption demand analysis. The analysis results show that the Internet background will make the residents’ consumption behavior of physical sports increase, with 52.9% of urban residents and 68.1% of township residents, but the stickiness of the demand after purchase is low, 86.2% of people do not use it, and need to gradually improve the ideology.

Perceived uniqueness of esports: players’ hyperconnected digital playground for self-improvement

Esports has emerged as an important topic in sport management literature. However, the majority of scholarly publications have examined esports in a confirmatory manner by replicating the concepts and constructs from traditional sport consumer behaviour. The purpose of this study was to explore the unique attributes of esports experiences through an exploratory investigation of esports gamers’ lived experiences in comparison to traditional sport. Based on an inductive thematic analysis using qualitative interviews (N = 14), the findings revealed five overarching themes that emerged as distinct aspects of esports experiences: accessibility, hyperconnectivity, objective fairness, imitation and self-improvement. Whereas there were similarities with traditional sport, esports is distinctive in its technological-based nature that enables high accessibility, hyperconnectivity and exclusive self-improvement experiences and processes through omnichannel platforms. Our study responds to calls for a contextual understanding of the distinguished characteristics of esports experiences, providing implications for future research and strategic esports management.

Exploring Major League Baseball Fans’ Climate Change Risk Perceptions and Adaptation Willingness

Major League Baseball (MLB) is particularly vulnerable to climate change due to its season duration, geographic footprint, and largely outdoor nature. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to investigate whether U.S.-based MLB fans’ climate change skepticism and experiential processing influenced their climate change risk perceptions and adaptation willingness, and to determine if those relationships were further influenced by fans’ sport identification with MLB. A cross-sectional survey design tested the study’s purposes using a sample (n = 540) of self-identified MLB fans. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling on the Mplus 8 statistical package to test the hypothesized model. The results indicated consistencies across low and highly identified MLB fans on their climate change risk perceptions and willingness to adapt, but revealed group differences between the factors influencing fans’ risk perceptions of climate change. The findings provide early empirical evidence to support the United Nations’ (UN) Sport for Climate Action Framework, and managerial implications regarding the nexus of climate change and sport consumer behavior research.

Using Experiments in Sport Consumer Behavior Research: A Review and Directions for Future Research

Abstract: A growing number of sport consumer behavior scholars have been employing experimental methods, especially because experiments allow researchers to gain a better understanding of causal inferences by examining controlled conditions. The purpose of this paper is twofold: (1) to offer the current state of the adoption of experimental methods in sport consumer behavior research and (2) to discuss and highlight best practices that scholars can use when considering experimental designs. More specifically, we discuss methodological gaps existing in sport consumer behavior research by reviewing published sport consumer behavior articles in a content analysis. We also provide considerations to improve validity of empirical findings and outline the characteristics of well-designed experiments and how they can help advance theory development in the field. Ultimately, we offer practical recommendations and guidance to researchers wishing to use experiments in a wide array of research topics within sport consumer behavior.

The influence of expectancies on sport consumer behaviour: from BIRGing to COFFing

The influence of expectancies on sport consumer behaviour: from BIRGing to COFFing

The influence of expectancies on sport consumer behaviour: from BIRGing to COFFing

The influence of expectancies on sport consumer behaviour: from BIRGing to COFFing

A Study on the Consumption Behavior of Shanghai Sharks Fans Based on Identity Theory

The sports industry has grown rapidly in recent years, but the problem of its irrational industrial structure has also come to the fore. In order to improve the industrial status of competition performance, many sports researchers have chosen to look at professional sports clubs and professional sports leagues to find effective measures to improve the industry’s poor structure. As the main driving force behind the development of clubs and leagues, fans are a popular research subject. This research examines the differences between fans’ identity-based sports consumption behavior and other consumer behavior when they are the main consumers. Therefore, the core issue of this study is the study of fan consumption behavior based on identity theory. The study selects Shanghai Sharks basketball fans as the respondents and explores the relationship between fan identity and fan consumption behavior from the perspective of the influence mechanism. Literature, content analysis, questionnaires, and rooted theory were used in the research process to study fan consumption behavior in conjunction with identity theory. Based on the research, the following conclusions were drawn: Firstly, it was proved that the fan identity model has some scientific validity and that self-identity, social identity, and cultural identity constitute the identity of Shanghai basketball fans. Secondly, it is further verified that the Shanghai basketball fan identity has a more significant influence on the consumption behavior of fans. Specific suggestions are also suggested to enhance Shanghai basketball fans’ consumption tendencies and behavior.

How to Increase Sport Facility Users' Intention to Use AI Fitness Services: Based on the Technology Adoption Model.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has recently been introduced as a new way of analyzing and predicting sport consumer behavior. The goal of this study was to investigate the relationships among the perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, the importance of exercise, attitudes towards use, and the behavioral intention to use AI services based on the technology adoption model. The authors recruited 408 participants who participated in an experiment designed to provide a deeper understanding of AI fitness services. After screening, the collected data were screened through assumption tests, and we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling to analyze research hypotheses. The results indicated that three types of consumer evaluations (i.e., perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and importance of exercise) positively influence their attitudes toward AI fitness services. In addition, the positive attitudes regarding AI services positively influenced the intention to use AI services. The results of this research contribute to our knowledge of the consumers' attitudes and behaviors toward AI services in the sport industry based on the technology acceptance model. Furthermore, this study provided the empirical evidence critically needed to increase our understanding of AI in the sport industry and offered new insights into how sport facility managers can predict their consumers' intention to use AI services.

How can social needs impact on meaningful sports consumption?

The main goal of this study is to explore the drivers of meaningful sport consumption and its influence mechanism. In sports consumption, consumers not only seek hedonic value but also pursue to experience greater purpose and meaning in life, which is regarded as meaningful sports consumption. This study extends existing sports management literature by examining how social needs impact meaningful sports behavior with team affiliation, self-improvement, and self-esteem as mediators. Based on the questionnaire data collected from China, the empirical analysis results show that social needs have a significant positive impact on meaningful sports consumption behavior through the mediating effect of team affiliation and self-esteem motivation. However, self-improvement motivation does not have a mediating effect on the relationship between social needs and meaningful sports consumption. This study enriches the research content of sports consumption, adds research object of social needs, and expands the research scope of meaningful consumption by introducing meaningful sports consumption into the above domain.