Sport Consumer Behavior Research: Improving Our Game.

Abstract

Sport consumer behavior (SCB) research continues to grow in both popularity and sophistication. A guiding principle in much of this research is that sport consumers seek out sport related experiences, and the benefits they yield, in order to satisfy needs and wants. This approach has provided new knowledge and insight into sport consumers. One outcome of this focus is that the vast majority of research on sport consumers has centered on psychological characteristics of these sport experiences related to evaluative and affective components. In addition, this research has predominately relied on cross-sectional studies and attitudinal surveys to collect information with less emphasis on how various situational or environmental factors can influence attitudinal data patterns at the individual and group level. This special issue seeks to deepen our understanding of SCB by providing seven papers that demonstrate or validate findings using multiple studies or data collections.