From Participation to Consumption: The Role of Self-Concept in Creating Shared Values Among Sport Consumers

The contribution of sport organizations to solving social issues has been acknowledged. However, little is known about how sport organizations can turn social issues into business opportunities as a means of creating shared value (CSV). Building on self-concept theory, a framework was established to examine how sport organizations can promote sport participation and simultaneously drive sport consumption-as a means of CSV-by enhancing consumers' sport self-concept.

A total of 311 participants recruited from a CSV program delivered by a sport organization completed a time-lagged survey. Structural equation modeling was performed with Mplus 8.3 to test the framework.

The results revealed that consumers' sport self-concept was enhanced by their perceptions of sincere interest from employees of the sport organization, while effect of their perceptions of praising was insignificant. Sport self-concept has a positive association with their levels of sport participation and simultaneously influences their intention to purchase the sport organization's products due to self-congruity.

This study contributes to CSV literature by demonstrating the role of sport self-concept in CSV in a sport setting. Our findings suggest that sport organizations might focus on strengthening consumers' sport self-concept to create both social and economic value through their CSV.