The effects of fan engagement behaviour and stadium attendance frequency on flourishing: a three-wave data analysis
研究通过三年三波面板数据，发现球迷参与行为通过增加球场出席频率间接提升心理繁荣，对体育管理者和球迷有参考价值。
Research question: In spectator sport, a series of psychological mechanisms (e.g. basic need fulfilment, team identification, and meaning in life) for enhancing well-being have been identified as bottom-up effects. However, research on the potential behavioural bottom-up effects underlying the relationship between sport spectatorship and well-being is lacking. This study focused on human flourishing, defined as positive psychosocial functioning in life, and examined the relationships between fan engagement behaviour, stadium attendance frequency, and flourishing using time-lagged data.Research methods: Three-wave (t1, t2, t3) panel data over two years were collected from spectators in the context of Japanese professional baseball (n = 501). A confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were performed to assess the measurement model of our latent constructs and to test the hypothesised relationships.Results and findings: The results indicate the indirect effect of fan engagement behaviour on flourishing (t2) through attendance frequency (t2) was positive and significant. Also, fan engagement behaviour (t1) is sequentially associated with flourishing (t3) first through attendance frequency (t2) and then through attendance frequency (t3).Implications: This study extends fan well-being research by providing evidence for the bottom-up effects of fan engagement behaviour and attendance frequency on flourishing over time. In conclusion, sport teams should recognise that stadium attendance is not only a marketing objective to increase ticket sales, but also a significant determinant of human flourishing.