Sport events as experiencescapes: the spectator's perspective
International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship
ISSN: 1464-6668
Article publication date: 1 January 2021
Issue publication date: 12 October 2021
Abstract
Purpose
Combining sport event tourism and experience economy has led to an experience-based explanation of sport tourists' behavior and the creation of experiencescapes. This study aims to analyze the interdependence of perceived experiences and revisit intention across three events.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a survey, data (n = 986) were collected from spectators at the ice hockey world championships, the table tennis world championships and motorsport events (e.g. German-touring car championship). Entertainment, esthetics, escapism and education served as dimensions defining the experience at sport events and their association with revisit intention. The models were tested using confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation modeling.
Findings
The four dimensions of experience were confirmed. Yet, they differ across the three sport events. For instance, whereas entertainment loaded highest on experience for all events, education had the second-highest factor loading for the table tennis event and esthetics for the ice hockey and motorsports events.
Practical implications
Sport event marketers must understand spectators' experiences and the influence on post-consumption behavior. For motorsports, the promotional material should emphasize the esthetics of an experience, for ice hockey the entertainment, and for table tennis education is at the core of the experience.
Originality/value
This study employed the four realms of experience to a sport event setting, which is new. The results suggested that the three sport events provide distinct experiencescapes for the spectators.
Keywords
Citation
Hallmann, K., Zehrer, A. and Rietz, J. (2021), "Sport events as experiencescapes: the spectator's perspective", International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, Vol. 22 No. 4, pp. 764-779. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-04-2020-0056
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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