Beyond the game: the role of environmental sustainability in shaping members' satisfaction and loyalty in non-profit sports clubs

Purpose This study examines how environmental sustainability shapes members' perceived value, satisfaction and loyalty in non-profit sports clubs through the lens of the expectation–confirmation theory. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 1,751 Belgian sports club members. A latent congruence model was employed to assess the alignment between members' environmental expectations and their perceptions of the club's environmental engagement and its effects on perceived value, satisfaction, commitment and word-of-mouth. Findings Both the overall level of the club's perceived environmental engagement and its alignment with the members' environmental expectations independently shape perceived value and satisfaction, which in turn influence commitment and word-of-mouth. Specifically, expectation–perception gaps reduce perceived value and satisfaction, thereby weakening members' loyalty-related outcomes. Conversely, higher levels of the club's perceived environmental engagement, even in the presence of some misalignment, are associated with more favorable member evaluations. Originality/value By exploring environmental sustainability through the expectation-confirmation framework, this study extends sport ecology research in the non-profit context and demonstrates that environmental alignment can serve as a strategic lever to foster both member satisfaction and member loyalty.