Spectator emotions: Effects on quality, satisfaction, value, and future intentions

There is a great interest from the academic and professional fields to know the performance of sports enterprises from the point of view of the user and the sport spectators. This study analyzes relationships between service quality, perceived value, satisfaction, future intentions, and emotions of spectators of a professional basketball competition. A self-report survey yields data for 493 spectators. After confirming reliability and validity of the data collection measures, an application of structural equation modeling to empirical data tests the model. Results show that (1) service quality predicts spectators' satisfaction and perceived value, and that perceived value and satisfaction are strong predictors of future intentions. (2) A high level of emotion is the best predictor of service performance. (3) Emotions (arousal and pleasure) act as moderators in predicting quality's effect on spectators' perceived value.