Choosing Your Sports Partners: Assessing Selection Preferences Through Observational and Experimental Studies

Previous research has demonstrated the positive impact of doing sports together on maintaining physical activity levels. Yet, there remains a gap in understanding the selection processes leading to sports partnerships. We address this question using a two-study design. Study 1 examines longitudinal ego-network data; we analyze data of 1,222 sports partnerships among 409 Dutch university students. We find that emotional closeness, rather than skill similarity, is a key determinant of sports partnership continuation over time. We do not find that the sports setting in which sports partnerships are embedded (i.e. sports clubs, informal groups, commercial gyms, unorganized settings) affect the stability of sports partnerships. Study 2 employs a discrete choice experiment, in which individuals are tasked to choose a sports partner out of choice-sets consisting of three sports partners who vary in the types of motivations and resources they offer (i.e. social comparison, knowledge, companionship, encouragement). People express a strong preference for sports partners who emphasize social aspects of sports, but as individuals become more active, sports partners who emphasize social comparison and who are knowledgeable about sports gain attractiveness. We discuss the implications of these findings for tailored strategies leveraging social networks to promote sports participation.