Examining Motivation for Charity Sport Event Participation: A Comparison of Recreation-Based and Charity-Based Motives

Abstract

This paper examines the role of recreation motives and motives for charitable giving in the development of participants' attachment to a charity sport event across two different events. Online questionnaires were administered within a pilot study, and then given to participants in the 2007 Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) LIVESTRONG Challenge (N=568) and the 2007 3M Half Marathon and Relay (N=689). Regression analysis revealed both recreation-based and charity-based motives contribute to attachment to the events. The findings also demonstrate that the charity-based motives make a stronger contribution for the 2007 LAF LIVESTRONG Challenge, while recreation-based motives make a stronger contribution for the 2007 3M Half Marathon and Relay. Suggestions are made for the creation of participant profiles based upon the motives.

KEYWORDS:

• Charity sport events
• motivation
• attachment