The Balance Proposition: How Strength of Motivation Moderates the Relationship between Constraints and Attendance Intentions

Recent attendance studies in sport management have focused on both constraints and motivation (e.g., Kim & Trail, 2010). While findings show that constraints and motivation are correlated with game attendance, it remains unclear why some individuals are able to overcome constraints while others are not. To test the above premise, two studies were conducted to extend our understanding of game attendance constraints. The objectives of the two studies were to examine (a) how strength of motivation moderates the relationship between attendance constraints, and attendance intentions and (b) investigate the role of negotiation as a mediator between constraints and attendance intentions. Findings suggest that sport consumers negotiate individual constraint factors differently based on their strength of motivation. These results provide support for the Balance Proposition (Jackson, Crawford, & Godbey, 1993) by extending the theory in a spectator sport context.