Title: Post-event behavioural intentions of participants in a women-only mass participation sporting event

Authors: Catherine Crofts; Geoff Dickson; Grant Schofield; Daniel Funk

Addresses: AUT University, Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1020, New Zealand ' AUT University, Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1020, New Zealand ' AUT University, Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1020, New Zealand ' Temple University, 1810 N. 13th Street, Speakman Hall 111, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA

Abstract: Little is known about the long-term physical activity (PA) behaviours of women after participating in a non-elite mass participation sporting event (MPSE). Three months post-event, 95 women reported their intentions to participate in: 1) the same event the following year; 2) other triathlons and/or other MPSE. The results suggest a strong association between the psychological connection model (PCM) and behavioural intentions. Most women with low intentions to repeat the event were in attraction while most women with high intentions to return were in attachment. These results show that, in addition, to providing short-term inducement for increased PA, short-distance MPSEs have the potential to act as 'gateway' events for other MPSE.

Keywords: mass participation sports; sporting events; triathlons; behavioural intentions; psychological connection model; female sport; women-only sports; female physical activity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2012.052679

International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 2012 Vol.12 No.3/4, pp.260 - 274

Received: 09 Jan 2012
Accepted: 09 Nov 2012
Published online: 31 Jul 2014 *

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