Sport spectator well-being: a scoping review

A clear understanding of sport consumer well-being is central to enriching research on the interaction between sport organizations and consumers, and more tangibly, to advancing public policy. This research offers a scoping review of existing studies on the well-being of sport spectators, resulting in the formulation of a Sport Spectator Well-being Process Model designed to direct future research endeavors. The review includes 76 peer-reviewed articles comprising reviews, qualitative and quantitative studies. A dual approach of frequency and thematic analysis was utilized to synthesize the findings. The frequency analysis highlighted an increasing trend in relevant publications over time, and the thematic analysis informed the development of a conceptual model of the four key stages of the sport spectator well-being process. The review also identified three significant research gaps: (1) the narrow scope of research contexts, (2) a limited range of theoretical frameworks employed and (3) challenges in research methodology. The findings significantly contribute to the transformative sport service research by integrating positive psychology concepts into the discourse on sport spectator well-being. The conceptual model is vital for researchers exploring the intricate relationship between sport spectatorship and spectator well-being, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of this significant topic.