From spectacle to movement? Associations between major sport event perception and sport participation behavior among...

Major sport events are increasingly discussed in relation to public health because they may create a social context in which sport and physical activity become more visible to host-city residents. However, the psychological pathways through which residents' perceptions of such events are associated with sport participation intention and behavior remain insufficiently understood.

A post-event cross-sectional survey was conducted among Guangzhou residents following the 15th National Games. A structured questionnaire was used to measure event perception, attitude toward sport participation, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, participation intention, and sport participation behavior. A total of 652 valid responses were analyzed using reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling, and bootstrap analysis of indirect associations.

Event perception was positively associated with attitude toward sport participation, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. Attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control were positively associated with participation intention. Participation intention and perceived behavioral control were positively associated with sport participation behavior. Bootstrap results indicated significant indirect associations between event perception and sport participation behavior through TPB constructs and participation intention.

The findings suggest that residents' perceptions of a major sport event may be linked to sport participation behavior through sport-related cognition, intention, and perceived behavioral control. Because the study used a cross-sectional design, the results should be interpreted as associations rather than evidence of event-generated behavioral change. These findings provide a basis for future longitudinal research examining the public-health relevance of major sport events in host-city contexts.