Capacity of mass participant sport events for the development of activity commitment and future exercise intention

Authors

Funk, D; Jordan, J; Ridinger, L and Kaplanidou, K

Date

2011

Keywords

Sport; physical activity; exercise, sports events; motivation.

Country of research

United States of America

Summary of findings

This research used on-line surveys of participants in the Philadelphia Marathon and Half Marathon and 8k event to explore the developmental potential of these events to increase positive attitudes towards physically active leisure.  It explored their motivational capacity and investigated how participation might contribute to activity commitment and future exercise intentions.

The article provides a brief literature review in which the authors admit that there is little current evidence that mass participation sports events (MPSEs) increase and sustain levels of physical activity that produce health-related benefits, but research is needed to explore their potential developmental role in forming positive attitudes (especially among inactive individuals).  The authors provide a brief discussion of the potential of MPSEs to influence a developmental process including the initiation and continuation of physical activity via impact on attitude formation during the three event phases – preparation, participation and post-event behaviour.  The brief discussion of issues of motivation and levels of event satisfaction lead to the formulation of a series of research questions: Which sport event participation motives will be attributed to equally directing participation in a MPSE?;  which sport event participation motives will predict increased activity commitment and future exercise intentions?; will satisfaction with the MPSE experience predict increased activity commitment and future exercise intention?; will race distance category predict increased activity commitment and future exercise intentions?; will prior number of running events completed predict increased commitment and future exercise intentions?; will physical activity level before the event predict increased commitment and future exercise intentions?

Data were collected from an achieved sample of 2791 respondents (a 19% response rate) via an on-line survey three months after the event (supported by an email message from the race organisers) – 53% had taken part in the marathon, 38% in the half marathon and 9% in the 8K; 45% were male and 55% female and 70% were aged between 25 and 49.  In terms of event participation motives two broad clusters were found: 95% fell within a cluster of challenge/enjoyment/strength and endurance; 75% fell with a cluster of competition/weight management/ill-health avoidance/social affiliation/physical appearance/stress management. In terms of increasing activity and future exercise intentions there were three configurations: (i) those who took part to increase strength and endurance/cope with stress/avoid health problems/gain recognition for their accomplishment and were satisfied with the event were more likely to be committed to running and express future exercise intentions; (ii)  those who took part for enjoyment/competition/positive health/ran the marathon/were experienced runners/physically fit before the event were more likely to be committed to running after the event; (iii) those who participated to receive challenge benefits/social affiliation/weight management and health pressures were more likely to have future exercise intentions.

The authors conclude that the results lend support for the theoretical potential of a MPSE to serve as a community-based intervention to promote population-based physical activity.  However, the event’s potential to promote health outcomes as a stand alone intervention is limited.  A more realistic perspective is that a MPSE can produce incremental changes in physical activity over time by promoting positive attitudes to exercise among the least active and by strengthening activity interest for all individuals.  A unique configuration of intrinsic motives, event characteristics and physical activity involvement can direct participation over time.  The authors concluded that additional research is required to clarify the link between exercise-based motives and post event outcomes to develop better communication strategies for various audiences.  Research is also required to establish a more in-depth demographic profile of participants in MPSEs, especially first time participants and this could be compared with data from several events to assess maintained changes.  Finally future research should use more objective measures of actual physical activity behaviours.

Methodology

Cross-sectional; survey.

Source of reference

Leisure Sciences, 33(3), 250-268

Web reference

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01490400.2011.564926?journalCode=ulsc20