Episodic Volunteering in Sport Events: A Seven-Country Analysis

Area of Science:

• * Sport Management
• * Volunteer Studies
• * Event Management

Background:

• * Sport events are significant global venues for episodic volunteering.
• * Understanding volunteer experiences across diverse cultural contexts is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To explore differences and similarities in sport event volunteering across seven countries.
• * To analyze volunteer demographics, reactions to host management, satisfaction, and re-volunteer intentions.

Main Methods:

• * Analysis of a rare dataset on sport event volunteering.
• * Comparative study across Finland, Ghana, India, Japan, Switzerland, Tanzania, and the United States.

Main Results:

• * Significant differences in volunteer satisfaction levels were observed, with American volunteers reporting the highest satisfaction.
• * Effective management strategies (training, communication, appreciation) increased satisfaction but not the intention to volunteer again.
• * Impersonal management styles with limited volunteer autonomy may decrease future participation likelihood.

Conclusions:

• * Volunteer satisfaction and re-volunteer intention are distinct outcomes influenced by different factors.
• * Sport event organizers should consider volunteer autonomy and engagement beyond mere satisfaction to foster repeat participation.