Stadium Atmosphere: Concept and Measurement

The atmosphere at the stadium is widely cited as the most pivotal reason for people to attend sports events (Uhrich and Koenigstorfer, 2009). We define stadium atmosphere as the behavioral response that originates from a set of interactions between a spectator and every aspect of stadium environment. Prior literature on atmospherics in retail, architecture, tourism and hospitality suggests that emotionally appealing environments satisfy hedonic consumption needs by contributing to individual’s sensory experiences. Unlike retail atmosphere, the stadium atmosphere has a much stronger effect on spectator behaviors as it provides additional value to the core service product (sports event) by creating unique entertainment value (Wakefield & Blodgett, 1999). Despite this, there has been little empirical research into the phenomenon of stadium atmosphere and its influence on spectators’ behavioral outcomes. This study addresses this literature gap by first developing and validating a stadium atmosphere measurement scale and then empirically testing the influence of stadium atmosphere on behavioral outcomes.