Search results

Although many attempts to discover key segments of sport spectators have been extant, little segmentation effort has been made to reflect pandemic situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this research is twofold: (1) to classify sport spectators into key segments based on perceived risks associated with a mass-gathered sporting event during the COVID-19 pandemic and (2) to identify each segment’s profiles.

Questionnaire surveys of spectators attending a Japanese rugby game during the COVID-19 pandemic (January–June 2021) were conducted (n = 1,410). A combination of hierarchical and non-hierarchical clustering methods was executed.

The results revealed the five-cluster solution as the optimal number of clusters representing the samples (i.e. spectators with extremely low-risk perception, those with low-risk perception, those with moderate-risk perception, those with high-risk perception and those with higher social risk perception). This five-cluster solution showed sufficient stability and validity. Moreover, each segment had different profiles regarding three background aspects – demographics, psychographics and behavioral variables.

This study is the first effort to segment sport spectators based on perceived risks associated with a mass-gathered sporting event in the pandemic situation. Despite extensive segmentation studies to explore sport fans, contribution reflecting the post-crisis situations is scant. Therefore, the findings provide insight into this realm by providing a new viewpoint for understanding sport spectators during a possible future pandemic era.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships among the experiential quality (EQ) dimensions, experiential satisfaction (ES), experiential involvement (EI), host city image (HCI), experiential equity (EE), spectator affection (SA) and experiential loyalty (EL) in the sport context.

The data used in this study were based on a sample of 674 spectators from the finals of the men’s and women’s football tournaments held at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio, indicating that the proposed model fitted the data.

Findings show that the six EQ dimensions physical environment quality, outcome quality, access quality (AQ), game quality, trip quality (TQ) and security quality (SQ), EI, EE, HCI and SA positively influence ES. Also, EI moderates the relationship between HCI and EL. Moreover, EL is influenced by EI, HCI, SA and ES.

Results will assist sport management in developing and implementing market-orientated service strategies to increase the EQ dimensions, ES, EI, EE, HCI and SA in order to increase EL.

This study provides data that result in a better understanding of the relationships among the EQ dimensions, ES, EI, HCI, EE, SA and EL in the sporting context.

No psychometrically sound measurement scale exists to effectively measure sports team reputation. The current study proposed and developed the Spectator-based Sports Team Reputation (SSTR) by considering the most important stakeholder groups - spectators. The results indicated that SSTR had a positive and direct impact on team identification and trust towards a team. The most significant theoretical contribution of this study is the conceptualisation and development of the SSTR scale, with a multi-dimensional approach from the spectator perspective.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate female National Football League (NFL) spectators’ preferences and feedback in regard to various customer service components of the NFL game day experience. The primary components with respect to female spectators’ choices, preferences, and feedback are as follows: apparel and other merchandise; food and beverage; restrooms and facility cleanliness; tailgating and parking; participants’ decision to attend an NFL game; and participants’ perceptions of the NFL. A core objective was to learn more about the female decision-making process and overall experience at NFL games.

All data were collected during the 2012-2013 NFL regular season. Four different data collections were conducted at two NFL stadiums to investigate the game day experiences of women at NFL games. Previous research was used as a basis for creating survey questions about the female game day experience. In this study, an open-ended questionnaire contained both quantitative and qualitative questions, both forms of data were collected and analyzed, and researchers made both quantitative and qualitative interpretations based on the data.

Findings and results indicated women are diverse customers. Sport organizations need to focus on the minor details that reflect how individuals experience a brand and product, as these sport organizations have the opportunity to enhance the female customer experience and retain existing female customers if the organizations systemically listen to and communicate with the female customer at NFL games. The NFL and individual NFL teams should include female spectators in the brand strategy process. Female customers of the NFL can be powerful brand loyalists and outstanding brand ambassadors.

This research study provides an investigation of the preferences and perceptions of women spectators at NFL games. One contribution of the current study is that researchers have accepted the challenge by some researchers calling for more complexity with researching gender and attempting to shift some of the ways in which women are viewed as fans and spectators. However, what is key with the approach in the current study is that researchers allowed the women to be heard with respect to their game day experiences, perceptions, and thoughts about their identity as a spectator.

The purpose of this study is to enhance understanding of service quality at major spectator sports events by developing a conceptual framework and measurement scale specifically designed for assessment of spectators' perceptions of event quality.

Utilising a comprehensive literature review and detailed qualitative preliminary procedures, a comprehensive model of event quality for spectator sports (MEQSS) and a measurement scale of event quality in spectator sports (SEQSS) are developed. The models are then tested using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling using data from a quantitative survey of a convenience sample of spectators at a major league baseball game in the United States.

The proposed model is shown to fit the data well. Reliability and validity of the SEQSS are established through a pilot test and the substantive survey.

The findings of the study are limited by the sample being restricted to a single sports event in the United States. Further studies in other settings using larger samples are desirable.

The study provides a valid and reliable conceptual framework and measurement tool that can be used to ascertain the quality perceptions of consumers of major spectator sports events. Managers can use this framework and measurement scale as a diagnostic tool to identify strengths and weaknesses in their services, this providing guidance for potential areas of improvement.

This study extends the literature on service quality by providing a unique conceptual framework and measurement scale for major spectator sports events.

This conceptual article presents a theoretical approach to understanding the atmosphere at sports stadiums. Using the environmental psychology behavioural model proposed by Mehrabian & Russell (1974), and taking into account recent findings in consumer research, we develop a comprehensive framework for investigating this atmosphere. The framework highlights the role of emotions elicited by different stimuli in sports stadiums. We also suggest a number of direct and indirect influences on behavioural outcomes, caused by the emotional reactions and personal predispositions of spectators - influences that are of economic relevance. The proposed framework also forms a starting point for future empirical studies.

The purpose of this study is to examine the theoretical relationship between experience quality (EXQ), satisfaction and the behavioral intentions (BI) of Motocross World Championship spectators.

The research data were collected from spectators who participated in the World Motocross Championship race held in Afyon, Turkey in 2018. The structural equation model (SEM) was used to test the relationship among the research variables.

The results showed EXQ had significant and direct effects on satisfaction and BI. In addition to this, satisfaction had a partial mediating effect between EXQ and BI.

To date there has been no empirical study examining the consumer behaviors of motocross event spectators. Consequently, this research provides important contributions to the literature and informs event organizers about the role of EXQ in terms of understanding the behavior of motocross event spectators.

This paper aims to assess service quality in professional football and to examine the effects of service quality and ticket pricing on satisfaction and behavioural intention. Data were collected among football fans and the results of a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported the psychometric properties of the service quality model. A structural equation model (SEM) revealed that the service quality construct impacts both satisfaction and behavioural intention. Also, behavioural intention is influenced by ticket pricing and satisfaction. Managerial implications of these results are discussed and guidelines for future research are suggested.

The subject of CSR is nowadays widely discussed, as is its relevance to the sport entertainment industry. The objective of this research was to investigate corporate social responsibility (CSR) actions in the professional European football league and its impact on clubs’ brand image.

The first part of this research discusses some particular points of the world's biggest sport entertainment, which is soccer. Then a definition of the meaning of CSR for this particular sector will be outlined. The CSR values adopted by sport clubs are observed in first division football in France. This approach has been combined with brand theories.

The specific research protocol evaluates consumers’ perceptions. The method which is developed measures and analyses the impact of CSR commitment on spectators’ brand perception. In linking CSR to brand image, two managerial viewpoints are discussed. CSR is synonymous with a company's social and ethical commitment. Brand theories outline the nature of brand equity. The authors apply these two complementary considerations to professional football clubs and argue that Keller's model of customer‐based brand equity has to be reconsidered for football clubs.

This research highlights that CSR has to become part of management strategies.

The authors draw attention to the argument that the professional sport entertainment industry requires a specific CSR management strategy which goes beyond the local level or the operational level of one single club. These clubs have to perform well in competition. But, as in no other industry, they have also to be “good” brands.

The purpose of this paper is twofold. The first aim is to obtain a valid and reliable instrument for the holistic analysis of sporting events, and the second is to test a causal model in which future intentions depend on spectators’ perceptions of quality, satisfaction, and value of these events.

A total of 493 spectators of a professional basketball team in the Spanish ACB league responded to a survey to measure the overall performance of the sporting event service. Exploratory factor analysis and further confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation models provides the methodology for testing the reliability and validity of the instrument.

The scales have adequate reliability and validity indices. The path model explains 35.8 percent of the variance in future intentions, 54.0 percent in perceived value, and 49.5 percent in spectators’ satisfaction. Quality proves a better predictor of perceived value than satisfaction. Both perceived value and satisfaction have a similar weight in predicting spectators’ future intentions. The data indicate that quality has an effect on spectators’ future intentions, by altering their perceptions of value and satisfaction.

The research findings are somewhat limited, due to the sample consisting entirely of spectators of a single team in the Spanish ACB league.

Managers can use these findings to develop loyalty strategies by creating service value and increasing spectators’ satisfaction through quality improvements.

This study contributes to the literature on service quality by providing an overall measure to assess service in professional sporting events in a Latin-American context.