Golf event sports tourists: Behavioral intentions and preceptions of service quality, value, satisfaction, and image

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships that exist between service quality, satisfaction, value and how they impact sporting event image and sponsors‟ corporate brand image in relation to behavioral intentions toward the sporting event and sponsors. Structural equation modeling techniques were applied to data collected from 518 sport tourists in a professional golf event. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the CFA measurement model was a good fit (CFI = .968, TLI = .961, RMSEA = .054, SRMR = .040). The structural model was a good fit (CFI = .968, TLI = .961, RMSEA = .054, SRMR = .040). It was found that there were significant relationships between the variables except for six parameters. The six statistically insignificant parameters were the effects of perceived value and service quality on behavioral intentions toward the sporting event, satisfaction and service quality on behavioral intentions toward the sponsoring corporations, perceived value on sporting event image, and satisfaction on corporate brand image. Moreover, the findings indicated that sporting event image and satisfaction had a significant influence on behavioral intentions toward the sporting event. Corporate brand image and perceived value had a significant effect on behavioral intentions toward the sponsoring corporations. Service quality and satisfaction had a significant influence on sporting event image. Service quality, perceived value and sporting event image had a significant influence on corporate brand image. Service quality and perceived value had influence on satisfaction. Service quality is highly predictive of perceived value. The results imply that high quality service created tourist value and satisfaction, thus resulting in favorable image, and ultimately leading to positive behavioral intentions toward the event and sponsors. The importance of service evaluations of a sporting event should be recognized by both event organizers and sports sponsors. The study provides an overall approach of service evaluations in the sport tourism context. It is believed that the model of the current study could be meaningful in prediction of sport tourists‟ behavioral intentions toward the sporting event and sponsoring corporations. Therefore, the comprehensive model of this study contributes to providing a theoretical frame of reference for future studies.