The Impact of Spectator's Perceived Experience on Satisfaction and Event Consumption Intention in Online Esports Events

Author : Huseyin Cevik, Mine Can, Yusuf Aras

Abstract :The developments in esports since the end of the 90s have increased the number of esports events and spectators. As a result of these, esports has evolved from a player-oriented approach to a leisure entertainment for the spectators. Online events and spectators are essential for the esports industry because they generate revenue streams. Yet, to sustain the revenue stream, events must be attractive enough to be followed by the spectators. According to previous studies, spectator experience can impact demand for the events. However, the literature suffers from a lack of studies examining the impact of a spectator's perceived experience on post-consumption behaviors. Therefore, this study examines the effect of perceived event experience on satisfaction and consumption intention among online esports spectators. The data were collected from online event spectators selected by a convenience sampling method. A total of 270 valid responses were analyzed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to validate the proposed model. The results found a positive relationship between event experience and satisfaction, while the direct impact of event experience on consumption intention was insignificant. Additionally, event satisfaction significantly influences consumption intention. Consequently, the findings highlight the importance of creating experiences for esports spectators to enhance their satisfaction, which in turn influences their future consumption intentions. This insight suggests that event managers should prioritize improving spectators' experiences to sustain the industry's revenue stream.

Keywords :Esports, esports event, event experience, consumption intention.

Conference Name :International Conference on Sport Management and Marketing (ICOSMM -24)

Conference Place Helsinki, Finland

Conference Date 21st Nov 2024