Motivational Differences of Attending a Sporting Event: Comparison of Local Residents and Non-Residents

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the motivational differences of attending a sporting event between local residents and non-residents. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted among the spectators of the triathlon events held in Odaiba and Yokohama. Seven factors namely aesthetic, interaction, achievement, skills, knowledge, performance, and drama, were revealed as key motivators for attending the sporting event. The results also revealed several differences in spectators' motivations for attending the event based on spectator types. In addition, the estimated variance was relatively high, suggesting that motivational factors are potentially only one aspect that explains spectators' repeated attendance of a specific sporting event. While several limitations were acknowledged, this research contributed by highlighting the possibility of using geographical residential status to segment spectators for future research.