To be or not to be: negotiating leisure constraints with technology and data analytics amid the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic is having an unprecedented impact on the leisure industry. Mandatory directives such as social distancing and stay-at-home/shelter-in-place orders reduce disease transmission and protect the health and well-being of the public. However, such strategies might impair active leisure participation. We identify challenges and constraints of engaging in active leisure activities during the pandemic and explore how the general public can use technology and big data analytics to negotiate constraints during this uncertain time. Creative applications of big data analytics demonstrate that negotiating active leisure constraints and battling the pandemic are not contradictory goals. We recommend society to harness the power of these data-driven tools to effectively navigate interpersonal, structural, and intrapersonal constraints to active leisure while improving the efficiency with which we combat the spread of COVID-19.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• big data analytics
• leisure constraint negotiation
• smart technology

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. The U.S. May job report indicated that the leisure and hospitality industry had a strong rebound with a record-breaking addition of more than 1.2 million jobs in May 2020 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020).

2. Active leisure refers to the performance of an activity which requires moderately intense physical exertion. It is undertaken during an individual’s discretionary time and perceived by the individual as either beneficial or enjoyable (Annear et al., 2014; Beaton & Funk, 2008).

3. In accordance with Dong et al. (2020), confirmed cases are reported individuals who test positive for the COVID-19, including the number of presumptive positive cases, by a federal state, territorial or local public health agency.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

James Du

James Du, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sport Management at Florida State University. Dr. Du's research leverages big data analytics to better understand and predict consumer behavior and psychology within various sport and leisure contexts. Dr. Du is also interested in the interdisciplinary studies between sport management and public health, with a particular focus on demystifying the actionable role of sport as a transformative socioeconomic catalyst in affecting individuals and communities.

Carter Floyd

Carter Floyd is a doctoral student in the Department of Sport Management at Florida State University. Carter is interested in consumer analytics in sport and leisure. His current work also focuses on analyzing user-generated content to study changes in student-athletes' sentiment related to major societal events and policy decisions.

Amy C. H. Kim

Amy C. H. Kim, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sport Management at Florida State University. Dr. Kim’s primary research inquiry aims to examine the effectiveness of sport participation on individuals’ social, psychological, and mental health outcomes from a social epidemiological perspective and develop evidence-based interventions to promote sport participation and participants’ health and well-being.

Bradley J. Baker

Bradley J. Baker, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sport Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Dr. Baker's research interests include research methods, brand building via social media, sport consumer behavior and loyalty, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

Mikihiro Sato

Mikihiro Sato, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Sato's primary line of research focuses on the role of sport in promoting well-being. He has conducted research in the contexts of participatory sport events, spectator sport events, and the Olympic Games. Dr. Sato has also conducted research about the role of leisure-time physical activity in promoting health and well-being.

Jeffrey D. James

Jeffrey D. James, Ph.D., is the Mode L. Stone Distinguished Professor of Sport Management and Chair of the Department of Sport Management at Florida State University. Dr. James’ research focuses on the psychological connection people form with sport objects, whether that is a particular sport, team, athlete, or other sport objects. Particular research interests include the processes by which individuals form a psychological connection to a sports team, and the cognitive and behavioral consequences of such connections.

Daniel C. Funk

Daniel C. Funk, Ph.D., is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Sport and Recreation Management and Washburn Senior Research Fellow for the School of Sport, Tourism, and Hospitality Management and Senior Advisor at the Translational Research Center in the Fox School of Business at Temple University. Dr. Funk’s research focuses on consumer experiences through investigating the internal and external factors that shape involvement in sport, event, tourism, and leisure industry sectors.