- Nicholas Theodorakis is an Associate Professor of Sport Management at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He is als... moreNicholas Theodorakis is an Associate Professor of Sport Management at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He is also an adjunct faculty member at Qatar University. He has published more than 40 research articles in such journals as the European Sport Management Quarterly, Sport Management Review, and Journal of Service Theory and Practice. He is the Associate Editor for the International Journal of Sport Management, as well as a member of the Editorial Board of several sport management journals. He serves as a regular or guest reviewer in more than 30 academic journals. Nicholas was the Football Competition Manager in the Olympic Games in Athens and has worked as a consultant in several sport-related projects and organizations such as the Super League and the “Alexander the Great” International Marathon. He has also working as a consultant in several educational and research projects outside Greece with institutions such as Georgetown University, the Social and Economic Survey Research Institute at Qatar University, and the Supreme Committee for the Delivery of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.edit
Purpose-Given the increased competition among running events, it is important for event organizers to comprehend how they can retain a base of loyal customers. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between... more
Purpose-Given the increased competition among running events, it is important for event organizers to comprehend how they can retain a base of loyal customers. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between sport event personality and loyalty intentions of runners participating in a running event. More specifically, it examined the relationship of sport event personality dimensions with the overall image of a sporting event as well as the association of event image with runners' loyalty intentions. Design/methodology/approach-Data were collected from 247 participants of an international running event. A structural equation model analysis was followed. Findings-The results showed that three dimensions of event personality (namely, excitement, sophistication and sincerity) predicted event image, which in turn positively associated with loyalty intentions. Practical implications-The study discusses how event managers can improve the image of their events in order to increase their customers' loyalty levels. Originality/value-This is one of the first endeavors that examined the role of event image, a construct that has not received much attention in the context of road races, in a model concerning event participation.
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The present study aimed to examine the attitudes and behaviors of football fans in the Middle East and to make comparisons between the different football markets in the region. Overall, 2133 football fans from 10 countries participated in... more
The present study aimed to examine the attitudes and behaviors of football fans in the Middle East and to make comparisons between the different football markets in the region. Overall, 2133 football fans from 10 countries participated in the survey. Results showed that football is popular among all fans, regardless of country, age and income brackets. In the Middle East, fans frequently follow multiple football teams, while both males and females are highly identified with their favored teams. Results also showed that the big European football teams have created a solid fan base in this part of the world. Finally, the more passionate group of fans is keen not only on attending football games, but participating more in different types of sporting, leisure and art events and activities as well. The theoretical and applied implications of these results are discussed.
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Purpose-The concept of sport team identification has been widely used as a theoretical framework in explaining sport fan behavior. However, limited attention has been devoted to the consequences of distant (i.e., foreign) team... more
Purpose-The concept of sport team identification has been widely used as a theoretical framework in explaining sport fan behavior. However, limited attention has been devoted to the consequences of distant (i.e., foreign) team identification. The purpose of the current research was to examine the way in which fans (local and distant) can increase their levels of collective and personal self-esteem due to their team identification. Design/methodology/approach-Data were accumulated from three Greek websites (N 5 742). Among them, 623 subjects were grouped as local and 119 as distant football fans. A structural invariance analysis was followed. Findings-The results revealed how team identification, enduring team-related social connections, and basking in reflected glory are interrelated to affect collective and finally personal self-esteem. Moreover, no differences were found between local and distant fans regarding the paths from eam identification to collective self-esteem and from collective self-esteem to personal self-esteem. Originality/value-This is one of the first endeavors to examine the psychological consequences of distant team identification and to test the invariance across local and distant fans concerning the mechanisms that their personal self-esteem can be enhanced because their psychological connection to their favorite sport team.
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If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.com Emerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services. Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation.
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The present study was set out to investigate the association between teachers’ perception of the quality of their relationships with their students’ and teachers’ professional self-efficacy. Fifty public school teachers were asked: (a) to... more
The present study was set out to investigate the association between teachers’ perception of the quality of their relationships with their students’ and teachers’ professional self-efficacy. Fifty public school teachers were asked: (a) to assess their perceived levels of efficacy and (b) to randomly select eight students from their classrooms (4 males and 4 females) for whom (n = 395) to evaluate the quality of their relationships. The two administered instruments were the Teachers’
Sense of Efficacy Scale [Tschannen-Moran and Hoy. 2001. “Teacher Efficacy: Capturing an Elusive Construct.” Teaching and Teacher Education 17 (7): 783–805] and the Teacher–Student Relationship Inventory (TSRI; Ang. 2005. “Development and Validation of the Teacher–Student Relationship Inventory Using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis.” The Journal of Experimental Education 74 (1): 55–74). Initially, the psychometric properties of the TSRI were examined. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the Greek version of TSRI has the same three-factor structure reported in other cultures. Multilevel analysis
revealed that teachers’ beliefs were not related to any of the TSRI dimensions. Teachers’ and students’ gender seem to affect teachers’ perceptions of their relationships with their students.
Sense of Efficacy Scale [Tschannen-Moran and Hoy. 2001. “Teacher Efficacy: Capturing an Elusive Construct.” Teaching and Teacher Education 17 (7): 783–805] and the Teacher–Student Relationship Inventory (TSRI; Ang. 2005. “Development and Validation of the Teacher–Student Relationship Inventory Using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis.” The Journal of Experimental Education 74 (1): 55–74). Initially, the psychometric properties of the TSRI were examined. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the Greek version of TSRI has the same three-factor structure reported in other cultures. Multilevel analysis
revealed that teachers’ beliefs were not related to any of the TSRI dimensions. Teachers’ and students’ gender seem to affect teachers’ perceptions of their relationships with their students.
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The current investigation extended past efforts on cultural differences in sport fandom by investigating sport fandom in Qatar, a previously unexplored culture. A sample o/259 sport fans completed a questionnaire packet assessing... more
The current investigation extended past efforts on cultural differences in sport fandom by investigating sport fandom in Qatar, a previously unexplored culture. A sample o/259 sport fans completed a questionnaire packet assessing demographic variables, sport fandom, team identification, impacts of various socialization agents. and six typical sport/an behaviors. The results revealed a number of interesting findings including gender difl'erences (males exhibited both greater levels of identification with a team and sport fandom than females), the influence of team-related factors for selecting a sport team, and a particularly large percentage of foreign teams listed as one 11 favorite team. To farther our understanding of the behavior of sport /01111 globally and provide insights to sport manages, the results of this research are compared and contrasted with similar studies conducted in Australia, Greece, Norway, U.K., and the U.S.
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Studying the factors that contribute to the development of skiing loyalty holds particular interest for ski resort managers and marketers, since it has been reported that recreational skiers’ dropout rates are considerably high. This... more
Studying the factors that contribute to the development of skiing loyalty holds particular interest for ski resort managers and marketers, since it has been reported that recreational skiers’ dropout rates are considerably high. This study examines how intrapersonal, interpersonal and structural constraints, influence the development of skiers’ stage-based attitudinal loyalty (Attraction, Attachment and Allegiance stages), as conceptualised by the psychological continuum model, and further tests if constraints can be used for classifying skiers into the three stages of the model (Attraction, Attachment and Allegiance). Two hundred and thirty (N = 230) recreational skiers from one ski resort in North Greece participated in the study. The results indicated that the intensity of perceived constraints decreased from the lowest (attraction) to the highest (Allegiance) stage of the model. However, the hierarchical influence of constraints was not entirely confirmed, since all three types of constraints contributed to the stage classification of recreational skiers. The theoretical and applied implications of these results are discussed.
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The Sport Spectator Identification Scale (SSIS) is a widely used instrument designed to measure spectators’ levels of identification with a sport team. Despite the fact that several studies were conducted to examine its validity and... more
The Sport Spectator Identification Scale (SSIS) is a widely used instrument designed to measure spectators’ levels of identification with a sport team. Despite the fact that several studies were conducted to examine its validity and reliability, these past efforts relied solely on Classical Test Theory (Lock et al. 2009; Theodorakis et al., 2006; Wann & Branscombe, 1993). The purpose of the present study was to reevaluate the SSIS psychometric properties within the Item Response Theory (IRT) framework. Although the findings are encouraging, there are issues of concern and suggestions for the instrument’s further improvement
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The present study examined the role of social psychological and developmental processes in predicting children’s sport team identification. Although there is previous research on the factors that predict adults’ sport team identification... more
The present study examined the role of social psychological and developmental processes in predicting children’s sport team identification. Although there is previous research on the factors that predict adults’ sport team identification and research on children’s social (mainly ethnic) identification, there is no research on examining children’s team identification. One hundred and fifty pupils first reported their favorite sport team, the degree of their team identification and their need to belong to a social group. Multiple regression analyses using bootstrapping approach showed that both need of belongingness and age significantly predicted team identification. Practical implications of the findings are discussed.
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This study aimed to extent the use of the Other Customer Perception (OCP) scale by testing its psychometric properties and its generalizability in the context of sport and fitness centres. 360 members of three fitness clubs in Greece... more
This study aimed to extent the use of the Other Customer Perception (OCP) scale by testing its psychometric properties and its generalizability in the context of sport and fitness centres. 360 members of three fitness clubs in Greece participated in the study. They were randomly divided into two subsamples (a calibration and a validation sample). Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis and composite reliability estimates the construct validity of OCP was supported. A cross-validation approach using invariance testing procedures across the two samples further supported the validity and generalizability of OCP in sport and fitness settings. OCP was found to be a reliable and valid scale for assessing the role of other customers in the service experience.
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This study examines the effect of sport involvement and fans’ beliefs about sponsorship on certain sponsorship outcomes in the context of professional basketball. Quantitative data were collected from a survey of 222 spectators attending... more
This study examines the effect of sport involvement and fans’ beliefs about sponsorship on certain sponsorship outcomes in the context of professional basketball. Quantitative data were collected from a survey of 222 spectators attending a professional basketball game in Greece. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was employed to examine the validity of the scale. Overall, the examination of the structural parameters indicated that attitude towards sponsors was significantly predicted by sport involvement and beliefs about sponsorship, while it significantly predicted purchase intentions, word of mouth, and fans’ satisfaction from the use of sponsor’s products.
Companies have the opportunity through sponsorship to benefit by linking themselves to an organization that, for some individuals, constitutes a part of their self identity. Fans with high team identification are more likely to view... more
Companies have the opportunity through sponsorship to benefit by linking themselves to an organization that, for some individuals, constitutes a part of their self identity. Fans with high team identification are more likely to view sponsors as members of the same group. The results reported in this study suggest that team identification and involvement with a sport have an important contribution in predicting fans’ willingness to buy sponsors’ products.However, when the interaction between the two constructs in relation to purchase intentions was examined, fans’ identification with a professional sport team was shown to have a fully mediating effect on the relationship between involvement and the sponsorship outcome in question.
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The current investigation examined the interrelationships among overall sport team identification, specific dimensions of team identification, and behavioral intentions. Using an antecedents approach to guide predictions (Dabholkar,... more
The current investigation examined the interrelationships among overall sport team identification, specific dimensions of team identification, and behavioral intentions. Using an antecedents approach to guide predictions (Dabholkar, Shepherd, & Thorpe, 2000), a model was tested in which overall identification would mediate the relationship between specific dimensions of team identification and behavioral intentions. To test the hypothesized pattern of effects, participants completed a questionnaire packet assessing overall identification via the Sport Spectator Identification Scale (Wann & Branscombe, 1993), specific dimensions of identification assessed via the Team Identification Scale (Dimmock & Grove, 2006; Theodorakis, Dimmock, Wann, & Barlas, 2010), and four items assessing behavioral intentions. A series of regression analyses confirmed the predicted pattern of effects. Specifically, both overall identification and the specific dimensions of identification predicted behaviora...
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The present study extended the use of the Sport Spectator Identification Scale (SSIS) to Greek sport fans through testing the psychometric properties and the cross-cultural generalizability of the translated SSIS. The study involved two... more
The present study extended the use of the Sport Spectator Identification Scale (SSIS) to Greek sport fans through testing the psychometric properties and the cross-cultural generalizability of the translated SSIS. The study involved two phases. Firstly, the scale was translated and initially validated based on responses of Greek sport fans (N = 443). Secondly, its measurement invariance properties were examined using a U.S.- based reference sample of sport fans (N = 158). The results supported the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, factor structure, concurrent validity, and construct validity of the translated SSIS responses. The measurement invariance analyses highlighted the partial metric invariance properties of the translated scale supporting its cross-cultural validity. Overall, the Greek SSIS was found to be a reliable, valid, and cross-culturally equivalent to the original SSIS tool for the assessment of sport spectator identification levels in Greek sport fans.
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ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to measure the satisfaction of a sample of 234 team handball athletes from the Youth Team Handball Finals Tournament in Greece. 99 men and 135 women completed the Scale of Athlete Satisfaction questionnaire.... more
The aim of this study was to measure the satisfaction of a sample of 234 team handball athletes from the Youth Team Handball Finals Tournament in Greece. 99 men and 135 women completed the Scale of Athlete Satisfaction questionnaire. Results indicated that the athletes were satisfied with their leaders’ behavior and their personal outcomes. No differences between the genders were revealed. Also, the more practices per week in which the athletes were engaged, the more satisfied they were. In conclusion, the study demonstrated that the Scale of Athlete Satisfaction is a promising tool for measuring athlete satisfaction in the context of team sports in Greece.
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The present study examined the factor structure, internal consistency, and predictive validity of the Leisure Involvement Scale (Kyle, Graefe, Manning, & Bacon, 2003) translated into Greek. Data were collected from 173 members of... more
The present study examined the factor structure, internal consistency, and predictive validity of the Leisure Involvement Scale (Kyle, Graefe, Manning, & Bacon, 2003) translated into Greek. Data were collected from 173 members of socialization clubs in the area of Central Macedonia in northern Greece. Of the total sam-ple, 131 (75.6%) women participated in traditional dancing leisure activities. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the three-dimensional factor structure of the scale. In addition, high internal consistency esti-mates and predictive validity evidence emerged via the correlations of the subscale scores with levels of psychological commitment and participants’ levels of satisfaction. Overall, the results provided initial support for the psychometric properties of the Greek version of the Leisure Involvement Scale.
Even though athletes are probably the most important component of every sport program or activity, the concept of athlete satisfaction has received little attention by the researchers. Thus, the purpose of this study was twofold: 1). To... more
Even though athletes are probably the most important component of every sport program or activity, the concept of athlete satisfaction has received little attention by the researchers. Thus, the purpose of this study was twofold: 1). To assess the construct validity of the “Athletes Satisfaction Scale” presented by Chelladurai et al. (1988), and 2). To examine, if variables such as the gender, the sport, the weekly training program, and the athletic experience, influence the levels of athletes’ satisfaction. The sample of this study was 141 athletes from four different team sports. Results from factor analysis provided evidence for the construct validity of the scale developed by Chelladurai et al. (1988). Also, as results indicated only the gender, as well as, the athletic experience influenced athletes satisfaction.
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Leisure Constraints scale (Alexandris & Caroll, 1997) and to delineate the role of leisure constrains in determining levels of involvement in leisure traditional... more
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Leisure Constraints scale (Alexandris & Caroll, 1997) and to delineate the role of leisure constrains in determining levels of involvement in leisure traditional dancing activities. The participants completed the Leisure Constraints scale (Alexandris & Caroll, 1997) and the Leisure Involvement scale (Kyle et al., 2003). The data supported the factor structure and the internal consistency of the Leisure Constraints scale. Further, the constraint dimensions predicted a considerable amount of variance of involvement in traditional dancing activities. Overall, leisure constraints do seem to play a significant role in the prediction of levels of involvement in the context of traditional dancing activities.
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Leisure involvement plays a formative role in the development of participants’ loyalty to a leisure provider or a particular place. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between fan involvement with the sport of... more
Leisure involvement plays a formative role in the development of participants’ loyalty to a leisure provider or a particular place. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between fan involvement with the sport of football (soccer) and their loyalty to their favourite team among 215 Greek university students. The results confirmed the multidimensional model of involvement employed in fan behaviour research. Furthermore, regression analyses showed that the three dimensions of involvement have predicted to a different extent certain aspects of fan loyalty to their team. Studying fan involvement profile and the extent to which each dimension has an influence on key aspects of fan behavior can be used by professional teams' management as a tool for their fan segmentation and the development of appropriate communication strategies.
The present study, based on social identity theory, examined the relationship between fan identification and loyalty in prodessional sports. 128 Greek university students participated in the study. Linear regression analyses showed that... more
The present study, based on social identity theory, examined the relationship between fan identification and loyalty in prodessional sports. 128 Greek university students participated in the study. Linear regression analyses showed that team identification predicted to a considerable extent various important fan behaviors: (a) the number of games of their favorite team attended in the last season, (b) the number
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The purpose of this study was to examine the factor structure of the Role Ambiguity Scale (Beauchamp, Bray, Eys, & Carron, 2002) by comparing three alternative models of role ambiguity: a four-factor model with correlated latent factors... more
The purpose of this study was to examine the factor structure of the Role Ambiguity Scale (Beauchamp, Bray, Eys, & Carron, 2002) by comparing three alternative models of role ambiguity: a four-factor model with correlated latent factors developed by Beauchamp et al. (2002), a single-factor model, and the hierarchical model proposed by Eys et al. (2003b). The instrument was administered to 179 team handball players, and 125 basketball players in two studies. Confirmatory factor analyses were used to test the three competing measurement models. Results indicated that the four-factor model with correlated latent factors of role ambiguity best represents the responses of Greek players of team handball and basketball to the Role Ambiguity Scale.
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The purpose was to test the applicability of the Scale of Athlete Satisfaction for Greek swimmers and to assess sex and sport-related differences for swimers' mean... more
The purpose was to test the applicability of the Scale of Athlete Satisfaction for Greek swimmers and to assess sex and sport-related differences for swimers' mean satisfaction. The sample of 351 Greek swimmers comprised 186 males and 165 females competing in five categories of the National Swimming Championhip in Greece. Their mean age was 16 yr. (SD=2; range 13 to 28 years). A confirmatory factor analysis supported the factorial validity of the scale. Analysis indicated that sex, weekly practice schedule, and sport experience differentiated facets of satisfaction among these swimmers. This scale is reliable and valid for measuring athletes' satisfaction with individual sports.
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Un estudio de validación cruzada sobre la escala de percepción de otros consumidores en el contexto de centros deportivos y de fitness
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The Sport Spectator Identification Scale (SSIS) is a widely used instrument designed to measure spectators’ levels of identification with a sport team. Despite the fact that several studies were conducted to examine its validity and... more
The Sport Spectator Identification Scale (SSIS) is a widely used instrument designed to measure spectators’ levels of identification with a sport team. Despite the fact that several studies were conducted to examine its validity and reliability, these past efforts relied solely on Classical Test Theory (Lock et al. 2009; Theodorakis et al., 2006; Wann & Branscombe, 1993). The purpose of the present study was to reevaluate the SSIS psychometric properties within the Item Response Theory (IRT) framework. Although the findings are encouraging, there are issues of concern and suggestions for the instrument’s further improvement
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PurposeThe concept of sport team identification has been widely used as a theoretical framework in explaining sport fan behavior. However, limited attention has been devoted to the consequences of distant (i.e., foreign) team... more
PurposeThe concept of sport team identification has been widely used as a theoretical framework in explaining sport fan behavior. However, limited attention has been devoted to the consequences of distant (i.e., foreign) team identification. The purpose of the current research was to examine the way in which fans (local and distant) can increase their levels of collective and personal self-esteem due to their team identification.Design/methodology/approachData were accumulated from three Greek websites (N = 742). Among them, 623 subjects were grouped as local and 119 as distant football fans. A structural invariance analysis was followed.FindingsThe results revealed how team identification, enduring team-related social connections, and basking in reflected glory are interrelated to affect collective and finally personal self-esteem. Moreover, no differences were found between local and distant fans regarding the paths from eam identification to collective self-esteem and from collec...
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the sources of inspiration for active participants in sport events, and the link between inspiration sources and event-related outcomes (i.e. life satisfaction and behavioral intentions).... more
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the sources of inspiration for active participants in sport events, and the link between inspiration sources and event-related outcomes (i.e. life satisfaction and behavioral intentions). Design/methodology/approach Research questions were examined using a Greek (n=264) and a US (n=103) sample of participants of two small-scale running events. Content analysis was used to identify and code the themes of inspiration, while a multivariate analyses of variance was performed to test the inspiration group differences on life satisfaction and behavioral intentions. Findings The qualitative findings revealed three categories of inspiration source identified in each sample. The quantitative results showed that the interaction between inspiration source and event type had an overall effect on participants’ life satisfaction and future participation intention. Specifically, findings highlighted the different roles of inspiration on influencing l...
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to test the psychometric properties of the Team Brand Personality Scale by Blank et al. (2013, 2018) in the context of the professional football clubs in Greece, based on the perceptions of fans for... more
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to test the psychometric properties of the Team Brand Personality Scale by Blank et al. (2013, 2018) in the context of the professional football clubs in Greece, based on the perceptions of fans for their own team and the rival team. The brand personality team scores of the fans are also used to create a league map presenting the brand personality of the different teams of the Greek football Super League. Design/methodology/approach Following a quantitative research design, 724 Greek football fans completed an electronic questionnaire assessing demographics, brand personality, team identification, sport involvement, attitudinal loyalty and game attractiveness. Findings The results partially confirmed the psychometric properties of the brand personality scale and suggested that the notion of brand personality influences positively the attitudinal loyalty and game attractiveness of the fans. Based on the results, the personality structure for the f...
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ABSTRACT The present study was set out to investigate the association between teachers’ perception of the quality of their relationships with their students’ and teachers’ professional self-efficacy. Fifty public school teachers were... more
ABSTRACT The present study was set out to investigate the association between teachers’ perception of the quality of their relationships with their students’ and teachers’ professional self-efficacy. Fifty public school teachers were asked: (a) to assess their perceived levels of efficacy and (b) to randomly select eight students from their classrooms (4 males and 4 females) for whom (n = 395) to evaluate the quality of their relationships. The two administered instruments were the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale [Tschannen-Moran and Hoy. 2001. “Teacher Efficacy: Capturing an Elusive Construct.” Teaching and Teacher Education 17 (7): 783–805] and the Teacher–Student Relationship Inventory (TSRI; Ang. 2005. “Development and Validation of the Teacher–Student Relationship Inventory Using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis.” The Journal of Experimental Education 74 (1): 55–74). Initially, the psychometric properties of the TSRI were examined. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the Greek version of TSRI has the same three-factor structure reported in other cultures. Multilevel analysis revealed that teachers’ beliefs were not related to any of the TSRI dimensions. Teachers’ and students’ gender seem to affect teachers’ perceptions of their relationships with their students.
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Abstract Studying the factors that contribute to the development of skiing loyalty holds particular interest for ski resort managers and marketers, since it has been reported that recreational skiers’ dropout rates are considerably high.... more
Abstract Studying the factors that contribute to the development of skiing loyalty holds particular interest for ski resort managers and marketers, since it has been reported that recreational skiers’ dropout rates are considerably high. This study examines how intrapersonal, interpersonal and structural constraints, influence the development of skiers’ stage-based attitudinal loyalty (Attraction, Attachment and Allegiance stages), as conceptualised by the psychological continuum model, and further tests if constraints can be used for classifying skiers into the three stages of the model (Attraction, Attachment and Allegiance). Two hundred and thirty (N = 230) recreational skiers from one ski resort in North Greece participated in the study. The results indicated that the intensity of perceived constraints decreased from the lowest (attraction) to the highest (Allegiance) stage of the model. However, the hierarchical influence of constraints was not entirely confirmed, since all three types of constraints contributed to the stage classification of recreational skiers. The theoretical and applied implications of these results are discussed.
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Place Attachment is a concept with growing importance in Sports tourism. This concept refers to the extent to which an individual values or identifies with a particular environmental setting (Moore & Graefe, 1994; Moore & Scott, 2003).... more
Place Attachment is a concept with growing importance in Sports tourism. This concept refers to the extent to which an individual values or identifies with a particular environmental setting (Moore & Graefe, 1994; Moore & Scott, 2003). Four dimensions constitute Place attachment: place dependence, place identity, social bonding and affective attachment (Kyle et al., 2004b). In this study, the concept was brought to the team sports, namely, to Soccer. The objective of this study is to translate the Place Attachment Scale (PAS) into Portuguese and to examine the crosscultural generalizability of the factor structure and psychometric properties underlying responses to the translated scale. Therefore, the present study extends the use of the PAS to Portuguese soccer fans through testing the psychometric properties and the cross-cultural validity of the translated scales. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis and the alpha scores provide evidence for the validity and reliabilit...
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PurposeGiven the increased competition among running events, it is important for event organizers to comprehend how they can retain a base of loyal customers. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between... more
PurposeGiven the increased competition among running events, it is important for event organizers to comprehend how they can retain a base of loyal customers. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between sport event personality and loyalty intentions of runners participating in a running event. More specifically, it examined the relationship of sport event personality dimensions with the overall image of a sporting event as well as the association of event image with runners’ loyalty intentions.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 247 participants of an international running event. A structural equation model analysis was followed.FindingsThe results showed that three dimensions of event personality (namely, excitement, sophistication and sincerity) predicted event image, which in turn positively associated with loyalty intentions.Practical implicationsThe study discusses how event managers can improve the image of their events in order ...
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The majority of studies, from what is known to date, have focused on the effect of the service quality dimensions in overall satisfaction not dynamic but in a cross sectional way, without highlighting the contribution of their experience... more
The majority of studies, from what is known to date, have focused on the effect of the service quality dimensions in overall satisfaction not dynamic but in a cross sectional way, without highlighting the contribution of their experience level. Latest research in services, support that, the needs and customer’s perceptions change over time depending on their experience level. The present study examines the relationship between three specific service quality dimensions with overall satisfaction among novice and experienced participants in the field of SfA (Sport for All) programs. In total, there were 478 men and women participants from SfA programs offered by two adjacent Municipalities in Northern Greece. According to their participation time in specific programs, 116 of them were classified as novice and 296 as experienced, while the results of the survey found statistically significant differences between the two groups only in one dimension, the outcome quality. Based on the abo...
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The current investigation examined the interrelationships among overall sport team identification, specific dimensions of team identification, and behavioral intentions. Using an antecedents approach to guide pre dictions (Dabholkar,... more
The current investigation examined the interrelationships among overall sport team identification, specific dimensions of team identification, and behavioral intentions. Using an antecedents approach to guide pre dictions (Dabholkar, Shepherd, & Thorpe, 2000), a model was tested in which overall identification would mediate the relationship between specific dimensions of team identification and behavioral intentions. To test the hypothesized pattern of effects, participants completed a questionnaire packet assessing overall iden tification via the Sport Spectator Identification Scale (Wann & Branscombe, 1993), specific dimensions of identification assessed via the Team Identification Scale (Dimmock & Grove, 2006; Theodorakis, Dimmock, Wann, & Barlas, 2010), and four items assessing behavioral intentions. A series of regression analyses con firmed the predicted pattern of effects. Specifically, both overall identification and the specific dimensions of identification predicted behavi...
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The present study aimed to examine the attitudes and behaviors of football fans in the Middle East and to make comparisons between the different football markets in the region. Overall, 2133 football fans from 10 countries participated in... more
The present study aimed to examine the attitudes and behaviors of football fans in the Middle East and to make comparisons between the different football markets in the region. Overall, 2133 football fans from 10 countries participated in the survey. Results showed that football is popular among all fans, regardless of country, age and income brackets. In the Middle East, fans frequently follow multiple football teams, while both males and females are highly identified with their favored teams. Results also showed that the big European football teams have created a solid fan base in this part of the world. Finally, the more passionate group of fans is keen not only on attending football games, but participating more in different types of sporting, leisure and art events and activities as well. The theoretical and applied implications of these results are discussed.
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Abstract Sport events constitute attractive platforms for providing unique experiences which increase, among others, participants’ satisfaction and purchase happiness. The current research explores whether (a) how event service quality... more
Abstract Sport events constitute attractive platforms for providing unique experiences which increase, among others, participants’ satisfaction and purchase happiness. The current research explores whether (a) how event service quality elements influence have an impact on event satisfaction; (b) how satisfaction with the event influences happiness with the consumption experience; and (c) happiness influences the participant’s perceived quality of life. Data were collected from 344 participants of an international running event in Greece, adopting survey methods. Results indicated that event evaluations, in terms of quality and satisfaction, are inter-related and affect happiness with the experiential purchase. Furthermore, for the first time evidence is provided connecting purchase happiness with quality of life. The study contributes to leisure and sport management literature by empirically demonstrating that participation in quality sport events can significantly enhance the participants’ quality of life. Implications of this study include the designing of events to have more experiential elements to contribute to consumption happiness and enhanced quality of life.
Research Interests: Psychology and Tourism
The present study aimed to develop a scale for measuring Qataris’ attitudes toward coaching and their intentions towards this profession. The survey target population included Qataris who were 18 years or older and who lived in... more
The present study aimed to develop a scale for measuring Qataris’ attitudes toward coaching and their intentions towards this profession. The survey target population included Qataris who were 18 years or older and who lived in residential housing units in Qatar. To assure representation of population a proportionate stratified sampling method was used. Overall, 823 Qatari nationals participated in the study. To develop the scale for measuring Qataris’ attitudes toward coaching (ATC), standard scale development procedures were followed. These procedures resulted in a 5-factors measure; Image, Personal development, Job nature, Rewards and Limitations. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses provided initial evidence regarding the factorial, convergent and discriminant validity of the scale. The reliability of all factors were also satisfactory. The five aforementioned factors predicted 22% of the variability in job intentions. Theoretical and practical implications of the study ...
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Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
... Olympic Games: a framework for international public relations Yvonne Harahousou, Chris Kabitsis, Anna ... for the public relations in organizing committees which, with certain minor alterations, based on ... promotion of the state... more
... Olympic Games: a framework for international public relations Yvonne Harahousou, Chris Kabitsis, Anna ... for the public relations in organizing committees which, with certain minor alterations, based on ... promotion of the state lotteries, increased awareness on the torch relay route ...
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In this investigation, we tested a model examining the effect of service quality on skiers' satisfaction and loyalty related to two ski resorts in northern Greece. We conceptualized service quality in terms of three dimensions:... more
In this investigation, we tested a model examining the effect of service quality on skiers' satisfaction and loyalty related to two ski resorts in northern Greece. We conceptualized service quality in terms of three dimensions: interaction quality, which ...
Research Interests:
Studying the factors that contribute to the development of skiing loyalty holds particular interest for ski resort managers and marketers, since it has been reported that recreational skiers' dropout rates are considerably high. This... more
Studying the factors that contribute to the development of skiing loyalty holds particular interest for ski resort managers and marketers, since it has been reported that recreational skiers' dropout rates are considerably high. This study examines how intrapersonal, interpersonal and structural constraints, influence the development of skiers' stage-based attitudinal loyalty (Attraction, Attachment and Allegiance stages), as conceptualised by the psychological continuum model, and further tests if constraints can be used for classifying skiers into the three stages of the model (Attraction, Attachment and Allegiance). Two hundred and thirty (N = 230) recreational skiers from one ski resort in North Greece participated in the study. The results indicated that the intensity of perceived constraints decreased from the lowest (attraction) to the highest (Allegiance) stage of the model. However, the hierarchical influence of constraints was not entirely confirmed, since all three types of constraints contributed to the stage classification of recreational skiers. The theoretical and applied implications of these results are discussed.