Event satisfaction and behavioural intentions: examining the impact of the London 2012 Olympic Games on participation in sport

Smith, A., Brown, G. and Assaker, G. 2017. Event satisfaction and behavioural intentions: examining the impact of the London 2012 Olympic Games on participation in sport. European Sport Management Quarterly. 17 (3), pp. 331-348. https://doi.org/10.1080/16184742.2017.1294193

TitleEvent satisfaction and behavioural intentions: examining the impact of the London 2012 Olympic Games on participation in sport
AuthorsSmith, A., Brown, G. and Assaker, G.
Abstract

Research question: Does event satisfaction influence future intentions to attend events and participate in sport? The research addressed this question by focusing on participation in swimming and the influence of watching the London 2012 Olympic Games; an event which sought to create a legacy of mass sport participation.

Research methods: Surveys were conducted at the Olympic Aquatics Centre (n = 185) and at a Leisure Centre in Plymouth in south-west England (n = 135) making it possible to test for differences between people who experienced the London Olympic Games as a live event and those who watched the event on television. Exploratory factor analysis and partial least squares structural equation modelling were used to analyse the data.

Results and Findings: Although there was a positive relationship between event satisfaction and intention to watch swimming events in the future (as a spectator and on television), this was not true for event satisfaction and intention to participate in swimming.

Implications: The findings are consistent with previous studies which suggest that mega-events are unlikely to create sport participation legacies. However, longitudinal studies are needed to test for behavioural changes and to identify the significance of factors associated with access to sport facilities.

KeywordsOlympic Games, Event satisfaction, Sport participation
JournalEuropean Sport Management Quarterly
Journal citation17 (3), pp. 331-348
ISSN1618-4742
Year2017
PublisherTaylor & Francis
Accepted author manuscript
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/16184742.2017.1294193
Publication dates
Published online23 Mar 2017
Published23 Mar 2017

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