Spectators’ adaptation to health-related risk: the moderating role of team identification and past spectating experience

Purpose This study used a revised protection motivation theory to investigate how professional sport fans in Taiwan adapted to health-related risk such as COVID-19. It examined the effects of perceived changes in event quality (CEQ), threat and coping appraisal and the moderating roles of team identification and past spectating experience. Design/methodology/approach An online survey collected data from 1,080 professional baseball and basketball league fans. A qualitative and quantitative CEQ scale was developed. Findings Structural equation modeling showed a path from perceptions of health-related risk (HR), CEQ, threat appraisal and coping appraisal to intention to adapt. Fans with stronger team identification are more likely to adapt to HR prevention measures and CEQ on the basis of their coping appraisals than fans with weaker team identification are. Furthermore, fans with weaker team identification and nonrepeat attendees generally develop an intention to adapt after performing a threat appraisal. These findings inform in-person and online event promotion strategies. Originality/value Integrating information sources and a mediating variable, CEQ, into the PMT framework while considering spectators’ traits provides new insights into spectators’ decision-making in health-related risk contexts.