Greening sports events through fans’ pro-environmental behavior: the roles of affective commitment and motives attribution

Research question The study examines determinants of sport fans’ intention to engage in in-event pro-environmental behavior, shedding light on the interplay between perceived environmental responsibility, affective commitment and motive attributions. Research methods Drawing on a survey of European football fans, the study tests the relation between perceived environmental responsibility and pro-environmental behavioral intention through structural equation modelling, also testing the mediation of affective commitment. The study tests the moderation of motives attributions, as substantive or symbolic, on the relation between affective commitment and pro-environmental behavioral intention. Results and findings The results underscore affective commitment as a mediational pathway between perceived environmental responsibility and pro-environmental behavioral intention. The findings also indicate that motives attributions are associated with differences in the strength of the relationship between affective commitment and behavioral intention, evincing differential effects of symbolic and substantive motives. Implications The study advances research on fans’ behavioral responses to sport organizations’ environmental responsibility by identifying key determinants of in-event pro-environmental behavioral intention. It offers actionable insights, underscoring the relevance of emotionally engaging and authentic strategies for supporting fans’ pro-environmental engagement during sport events.