The dissertation had two major research purposes. The first purpose was to explore what values may be associated with spectator sports. This purpose was completed by using qualitative inquiry and conducting a review of literature. The second purpose was to examine the relationships between personal values and sport spectator behavior. Sport spectator behavior included spectator sport consumption and sport spectator experiences. This purpose was completed by administering a questionnaire and conducting statistical analyses (for example, descriptive analyses, MANOVA, cluster analyses, stepwise multiple regression, and confirmatory regression analyses). In general, this dissertation adopted a mixed research method design including qualitative and quantitative methods. A qualitative study was conducted to examine values individuals associate with spectator sports. Prior studies of values in sport settings have been primarily conceptual discussions (e.g., Duncan, 1983; Wann, Melnick, Russell, & Pease, 2001) and have focused on participation rather than spectatorship (e.g., Lee, Whitehead, & Balchin, 2000; Simmons & Dickinson, 1986; Wankel & Berger, 1990). Research with spectator sports has investigated fan motivations for attending sports rather than general values associated with spectator sports (e.g., Milne, & McDonald, 1999; Trail, & James, 2001). The current study is an initial step examining the values individuals associate with spectator sports. The study utilized interviews and focus groups and had four progressive phases for triangulation, transferability and constant comparative assessment. The finding suggested ten value types associated with spectator sports: Enjoyment, Sociability, Identity, Status, Moral, Spirituality, Epistemic, Aesthetics, Ritual, No or negative values. Using existing value measures (Kahle, 1983; Maslow, 1970; Rokeach, 1973; Schwartz, 1992, 1996), a pilot survey was conducted to specify 28 individual values which were considered more relevant to spectator sports. A main study was then conducted by using a questionnaire with 28 value measures, 6 modes of spectator sport consumption and 10 experience items. The first group of hypotheses examined whether personal values predicted spectator sport consumption. The results showed significant results, but the direction of associations varied. Sixteen personal values had positive associations with spectator sport consumption; 7 had negative associations with spectator sport consumption; 5 had mixed results. The second group of hypotheses examined whether personal values predicted expected sport spectator experiences. Twenty personal values supported the hypotheses; five values had the results opposite to the hypotheses; two values had mixed results; the value, DEVOUT did not have significant result. The results suggested directions for revision of the ten-value type framework derived from the qualitative inquiry. The results also indicated that the corresponding relationships between some of the individual values and value types associated with spectator sports require further clarification. Different from the results of prior research in fan motivations, the results of this dissertation show that it is likely that people might experience something relevant to some values through spectator sport consumption but did not actively associate the values with spectator sports. In other words, people might be motivated to consume spectator sports in some occasions, but this did not mean that the motivation is a constant value associated with spectator sports. Future research is required to provide more evidence to support this conjecture. The results provide implications for theory in sport consumer behavior to explain spectator sport behavior more thoroughly. The results also provide useful information for sport marketers, sponsors, and policy makers to design their promotion activities, proposals, and policies by using the values as themes. Future research should examine how different sports and cultures influence the associations between personal values and spectator sports. Value-based attitudes might be developed for each value type to help clarify the relationships among values, motives, and attitudes toward spectator sports. The development of attitudes can also enhance the prediction effects of values on spectator sport consumption. By conducting spectator sport value research, it is hoped that attributes of spectator sports can be identified or created to help sport marketers design sporting events to meet the desires of broad potential consumers.
