Testing Variation in Esports Spectators’ Motivations in Relation to Consumption Behaviour

Yueh-Tung Hua, Kun-Yu Liu (), Hsien-Che Huang, Ian D. Rotherham and Shang-Chun Ma ()
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Yueh-Tung Hua: Institute of Physical Education, Health & Leisure Studies, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1 University Road, Tainan City 701, Taiwan
Kun-Yu Liu: Department of Recreation and Sport Management, Shu-Te University, No. 59, Hengshan Rd., Yanchao Dist., Kaohsiung City 82445, Taiwan
Hsien-Che Huang: Physical Education Office, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1 University Road, Tainan City 701, Taiwan
Ian D. Rotherham: Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Olympic Legacy Park, 2 Old Hall Rd, Sheffield S9 3TU, UK
Shang-Chun Ma: Institute of Physical Education, Health & Leisure Studies, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1 University Road, Tainan City 701, Taiwan

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-20

Abstract: This study aims to examine firstly the motivations of esports spectators driving them to engage in consumption behaviour, and secondly, two spectator groups (League of Legends, LOL; Hearthstone) to compare the findings of the independence model and the competing model. In recent decades, the concept of esports has emerged as a major component of the sports industry and, therefore, of the global economy. However, the basic functioning of this new sector is relatively poorly understood. This study considers consumer motivations as they relate to esports and aims to assess how selected motivations interact. The motivations chosen in five categories were adopted from the Uses and Gratifications Theory. The independence model (based on Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT)) and competing model (based on multiple theoretical perspectives) were applied to the LOL and Hearthstone spectator groups. Data (n = 574) were collected via online surveys with cross-validation measured and established between the two groups. The findings showed that social integrative motivations positively impacted consumption behaviour across game genres. Affective motivation partially mediated the relationship between social integrative motivation and consumption behaviour in LOL, and cognitive and personal integrative motivations positively influenced consumption behaviour in Hearthstone. The tension-release motivation had no significant association with consumption behaviour for spectators of either game. The findings can help the commercial interests of different esports game genres to predict why people consume particular esports and thus aid effective marketing strategies.

Keywords: motivation; esports; uses and gratifications theory; consumption behaviour (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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