An Examination of Sport Commitment of Windsurfers

Much research over the past decade has been conducted for understanding the commitment of sport participants. While many different subjects have been examined, there is no study which examines windsurfers through the Sport Commitment Model (SCM) (Scanlan, Carpenter, Schmidt, Simons, & Keeler, 1993). The present study examined the sport commitment of windsurfers and the relationship between windsurfing commitment and the following variables: demographic characteristics, participation frequency, and purchase behavior. The survey instrument included items from the SCM Questionnaire (Scanlan, Carpneter, et al., 1993) and the Modified SCM questionnaire (Casper, 2004). A total of 173 questionnaires were distributed during two windsurfing events: I) the Frisco Woods WindFest, and 2) the Windsurfing Enthusiasts of Tidewater (WET) Spring Regatta. A total of 139 usable questionnaires were returned for a response rate of 82%. Factor analysis revealed two factors with items being classified as either: 1) intrinsic motivation (windsurfing enjoyment, involvement opportunities, and personal investments) or 2) extrinsic motivation (social constraints and social support). While the extrinsic factor explained 18% of the variance, the intrinsic factor explained 32% of the variance. Regression analysis showed that the intrinsic factor was a stronger predictor of windsurfing commitment (β = .825, p < .01). Windsurfing commitment was associated with participation frequency (β = .400, p < .01) and purchase behavior (β = .269, p < .01). Windsurfing commitment, participation frequency, and purchase behavior were analyzed by various demographic variables. There were no differences based on age; however, gender, income, and skill level differences were evident for windsurfing commitment. Significant difference among skill level groups was also apparent for participation frequency. There were differences based on income and skill level for purchase behavior.