Residents’ perceptions of impacts and support for sports events: A meta-analysis based on social exchange theory and triple bottom line

The relationship between residents’ perceptions of sports events and their supportive attitudes is a pivotal topic in academia, yet existing studies report inconsistent findings. This meta-analysis examines how residents’ perceptions of sports events’ impacts influence their supportive attitudes, integrating Social Exchange Theory (SET) and the Triple Bottom Line (TBL). The moderating effect of event type (mega vs. small-medium events), hosting region (developed vs. developing countries), and event stage (pre- vs. during- and post-event stages) were examined. The results show that: (1) perceived overall benefits, rather than costs, significantly and positively influence supportive attitude; (2) among the various dimensions, perceived economic, environmental, and social benefits, along with perceived environmental costs, are identified as critical antecedents of supportive attitude; and (3) event type, hosting region, and event stage are critical in moderating the effect sizes. The findings underscore the importance of aligning sports event management strategies with residents’ perceptions for successful event outcomes.