Pamela Wicker

Promoting Sport for All to Age-specific Target Groups: the Impact of Sport Infrastructure

Abstract Abstract Sport management should contribute to making sport accessible for people of all ages. Therefore, sport management research must analyse the impact of different managerial opportunities. A special focus lies on the effects of infrastructural conditions. In this paper, the impact of sport infrastructure on sport participation has been analysed using data from a population survey in the city of Stuttgart, which are related to infrastructural data. The results show that the availability of sport infrastructure, regardless of individual socio-economic conditions, influences patterns of sport activity significantly. However, the influence of certain types of sport infrastructure varies between age groups. For example, the availability of swimming pools is important during childhood and adolescence, whereas the availability of fitness centres, gymnasia and sports fields is of greater importance in young adulthood. These findings have significance for the ways in which sport managers can influence patterns of lifelong sports activity.

Demographic and economic factors influencing inclusion in the German sport system – a microanalysis of the years 1985 to 2005

Abstract Demographic and economic changes in society lead to questions concerning the consequences of these changes for sport. This study examines to what extent sport participation in Germany depends on demographic and economic parameters and how sport inclusion varies when demographic and economic conditions change. The underlying model is based on the economic household theory, which has been expanded to a demo-economic analysis model. The database contains all data records from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) from the years 1985 to 2005. Regression analyses show that negative effects of inclusion in sport caused by demographic factors such as ageing and migration could be compensated for by economic growth and investment in education. But interaction models show that education and income effects are more important in relation to the inclusion of migrants in sport than for the German population as a whole. Moreover, only the German population benefits from positive period effects over 20 years, not the non-German population.

Determinants of sport participation in the European Union

Abstract With regard to sport participation in Europe, there are many national studies which are difficult to compare because of different ways of operationalizing sport participation and different methods of analysis and statistical procedures. The aim of this paper is to check which determinants influence sport participation in which way. With the help of data from the Eurobarometer 2004, regression analyses are carried out (1) for the whole European Union and (2) for all 25 member states separately. The advantage of these data is that they contain information about all 25 member states and, thus, results concerning sport participation can be compared. In the European model, age, relationship, children and occupation negatively affect sport participation, while education years and town size have a significant positive influence on sport participation. The country-specific regression models show in some aspects different determinants of sport participation. Consequently, political advice with regard to the inclusion in the sport system has to refer to these peculiarities of sport participation in the different European countries.

The value of Olympic success and the intangible effects of sport events – a contingent valuation approach in Germany

Abstract Olympic Games produce tangible and intangible effects that have been extensively researched; however, little is known on the importance of Olympic success to the population. The purpose of this study was to investigate the value of Olympic success using the contingent valuation method (CVM). The empirical evaluation is undertaken with data from a nationwide population survey in Germany (n=2006). Residents were asked to state their willingness-to-pay (WTP) for Germany being ranked first in the medal table and for a German winning a gold medal in track and field at the 2012 London Olympics. Average WTP amounts to €6.13 and €5.21, respectively. The regression results show that consumption capital and intangible factors were significant determinants of WTP. The findings can be integrated into cost-benefit analyses that are carried out for major sport events and can help justifying the use of taxpayer money to finance major sport events and elite sport development.

Determinants of sport participation in different sports

Previous research has shown that the demographic–economic model consisting of variables such as age, gender, nationality, income, and time can generally be used to explain sport participation. However, this model has not yet been tested for participation in different sports. The purpose of this paper is to test the applicability of the model for different sports and to depict profiles for sport participants in different sports in Germany. Based on data from different sport participation surveys with an overall sample size of n = 26,263, the determinants for practising different sports are tested using regression analyses. The findings suggest that different sports have diverse determinants. For example, the typical tennis player tends to be male, well-educated, and a native of the country. The results indicate that the demographic–economic model is appropriate in predicting sport participation in different sports.

Socio-economic patterns of sport demand and ageing

Due to the demographic situation in nowadays societies, physical activity, and sport expenditure have to be analysed from a demographic as well as socio-economical perspective. This means that determinants such as age, gender, nationality/ethnicity, income, time, educational level, profession, and social status have to be taken into account. However, when comparing the various studies, the different methods of analysis and different operationalisation of variables have to be considered. This is in particular vital investigating age. Whilst cross-sectional studies point out that physical activity generally decreases with increasing age, longitudinal analyses come to different results. Previous studies indicate that pertaining to gender more men take part in sports than women. However, considering period and cohort effects, recent longitudinal studies showed that women participate more in sport than in the past. Besides, it was found out that men generally tend to spend more money on sports than women do. A further finding is that the educational level influences physical activity positively. Research revealed that income had a positive impact on both, physical activity and sport expenditure.

A multi-level framework for investigating the engagement of sport volunteers

Abstract Previous research has extensively investigated the drivers of the decision to volunteer on an individual level. As volunteering usually occurs within an institutional context (e.g., sport club and sport event), the characteristics of the institution must also be considered; however, they have been largely neglected in previous research. A review of the literature on both levels reveals both theoretical and methodological shortcomings which this paper attempts to address. The individual and institutional perspectives are combined resulting in a multi-level framework for the investigation of the drivers of volunteer engagement. Drawing on the heterodox approach and the concept of organizational capacity, the framework consists of an individual and an institutional level. Suggestions for indicators and statistical modeling (multi-level analysis) are provided. The suggested multi-level framework and the multi-level analysis can open new perspectives for research on volunteers in sport.

Travel time spending behaviour in recreational sports: an econometric approach with management implications.

Abstract The analysis of the economic determinants of participation in sports is considered to be a promising research topic in general. Although time is a constitutive part of sports consumption, there has been only limited empirical analysis of the determinants of time investments in recreational sports. This article focuses on revealing the determinants of sports consumers’ travel time spending behaviour in recreational sports. The study is based on survey data from two studies, one in Stuttgart and the second in Cologne. By applying a Heckit model, several socio-demographic (e.g., gender, age) and involvement (e.g., frequency a sport is practised) variables influencing the sports consumers’ travel time investments are detected. Practical implications with regard to sports facility management/planning (e.g., sports facility allocation as well as closure, relocation and renovation of existing sports facilities) are discussed.

Sport participation and subjective well-being: instrumental variable results from German survey data.

BACKGROUND A major policy goal of many ministries of sport and health is increased participation in sport to promote health. A growing literature is emerging about the benefits of sport participation on happiness. A challenge in establishing a link between sport participation and happiness is controlling for endogeneity of sport participation in the happiness equation. METHODS This study seeks to establish causal evidence of a relationship between sport participation and self reported happiness using instrumental variables (IV). RESULTS IV estimates based on data from a 2009 population survey living in Rheinberg, Germany indicate that individuals who participate in sport have higher life happiness. The results suggest a U-shaped relationship between age and self-reported happiness. Higher income is associated with greater self-reported happiness, males are less happy than females, and single individuals are less happy than nonsingles. CONCLUSIONS Since the results are IV, this finding is interpreted as a causal relationship between sport participation and subjective well-being (SWB). This broader impact of sport participation on general happiness lends support to the policy priority of many governments to increase sport participation at all levels of the general population.

Micro and macro level determinants of sport participation.

Purpose – Sport participation is not exclusively determined by individual socio‐demographic factors (micro level) since infrastructure factors such as the availability of sport facilities and sport programmes (macro level) can also play a role in this regard. The purpose of this paper is to provide evidence for these determinants of sport participation using multi‐level analyses.Design/methodology/approach – A survey among the resident population in the city of Munich was carried out in 2008 (n=11,715). Furthermore, secondary data on the available sport infrastructure in every urban district of Munich (n=25) were collected. Multi‐level analyses were conducted to find the micro and macro level determinants of sport participation.Findings – The results show that aside from micro level factors, the availability of swimming pools and parks is especially important for residents’ sport activity. Moreover, sport activity in non‐profit sport clubs can be enhanced by both a good supply of sport programmes offered ...