Educational Value and Consumer Behavior in Endurance Sport Events: Insights from Quantitative and Qualitative Research

Authors

  • Gina Gogean Groza Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, University “1 Decembrie 1918” of Alba Iulia, 510009 Alba Iulia, Romania
  • Cristian Dragos Gheorghe Doctoral student, Doctoral Program in Marketing, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Piaţa Romană 6, Bucureşti 010374, Romania
  • Valentina Stefanica Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sciences, Physical Education and Informatics, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, Pitesti University Center, 110040 Pitesti, Romania
  • Marko Joksimović Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Montenegro, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro
  • Halil İbrahim Ceylan Physical Education of Sports Teaching Department, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Ataturk University, 25240 Erzurum, Türkiye
  • Cristina Maria Man Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, University 1 Decembrie 1918 of Alba Iulia, 510009 Alba Iulia, Romania
  • Corina Popescu Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sciences, Physical Education and Informatics, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, Pitesti University Center, 110040 Pitesti, Romania
  • Florin Cojanu Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sciences, Physical Education and Informatics, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, Pitesti University Center, 110040 Pitesti, Romania
  • Ana Maria Tataru Department of Medical Assistance and Physical Therapy, Faculty of Physical Education, Sports Science and Informatics, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, Pitesti University Center, 110040  Pitesti, Romania
  • Maria Diana Hristache Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sciences, Physical Education and Informatics, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, Pitesti University Center, 110040 Pitesti, Romania
  • Ionut-Traian Mercea Department of Educational Science, Faculty of Education, Social Sciences and Psychology, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, Pitesti University Center, 110040 Pitesti, Romania
  • Ovidiu Dragos Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, University “1 Decembrie 1918” of Alba Iulia, 510009 Alba Iulia, Romania

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/17.4/1078

Keywords:

health promotion through sport, event marketing, digital engagement in sport events, community building through endurance events, participant experience, loyalty drivers

Abstract

Background: Endurance sport events have evolved into platforms that integrate health promotion, education, and community building, while serving as strategic tools for sport marketing. Yet, little is known about how smaller-scale endurance events influence participant motivations, perceptions, and loyalty. Beyond their sporting and promotional roles, such events act as non-formal educational contexts that cultivate discipline, resilience, and social engagement. Purpose: This study examines the key drivers of participation, satisfaction, and return intention in a local endurance event, focusing on the interaction between health, social, and digital dimensions of consumer behavior. Methods: A mixed-methods design was used, combining a structured questionnaire (n = 120) with semi-structured interviews (n = 5). Quantitative data analyzed motivations, satisfaction, and loyalty, while qualitative insights explored atmosphere, social value, and digital expectations. Results: Health improvement (65%), personal achievement (20%), and social interaction (10%) were the main participation motives. Over 90% reported high satisfaction with event quality, especially logistics and atmosphere. Social media was the dominant promotional channel (72%), and satisfaction strongly predicted loyalty, with 82% intending to return and 78% willing to recommend the event. Conclusion: Local endurance events function not merely as athletic competitions but as holistic lifestyle and learning experiences that foster health, social cohesion, and digital engagement. High satisfaction enhances loyalty and advocacy, emphasizing the importance of quality, inclusivity, and educational value in designing sustainable sport events.

References

Amzar, L., & Stefanica, V. (2017). Comparative study between marketing conducted in two volleyball clubs. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 17(S5), 2274–2278. https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2017.s5243

Aouani, H., Selmi, W., Hammami, A., Ceylan, H. İ., Hammami, R., Bayrakdaroğlu, S., ... & Valentina, S. (2024). Meditative pathways to emotional intelligence in athletes: narrative review study. Journal of Men’s Health, 20(9), 25-31. https://doi.org/10.22514/jomh.2024.145

Biscaia, R., Correia, A., Rosado, A. F., Ross, S. D., & Maroco, J. (2013). Sport sponsorship: The relationship between team loyalty, sponsorship awareness, attitude toward the sponsor, and purchase intentions. Journal of Sport Management, 27(4), 288–302. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.27.4.288

Bougrine, H., Paillard, T., Jebabli, N., Ceylan, H. İ., Maitre, J., Dergaa, I., Stefanica, V., & Abderrahman, A. B. (2025). Ergogenic effects of combined caffeine supplementation and motivational music on anaerobic performance in female handball players: a randomized double-blind controlled trial. Nutrients, 17(10), 1613. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17101613

Cernaianu, S., Sobry, C., & Melo, R. (2021). Romania: Bucharest International Marathon—The impact of half marathon race from an environmental, economic, and sociocultural perspective. In R. Melo, C. Sobry, and D. Van Rheenen (Eds.), Small Scale Sport Tourism Events and Local Sustainable Development (Sports Economics, Management and Policy, Vol. 18, pp. 191–210). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62919-9_11

Chin, J. W. (2008). Global capitalism meets local postcommunism: Tensions in transition as manifested through physical culture and the female body in Romania [Doctoral dissertation], University of Maryland, College Park. Digital Repository at the University of Maryland. https://drum.lib.umd.edu/bitstreams/0463b5c0-3a11-4e26-aa13-959828ab99b9/download

Czegledi, O., Cernaianu, S., Mischler, S., & Sipos-Onyestyak, N. (2021). Hungary: The socioeconomic impact of urban running events on local tourism and regional development in Debrecen. In R. Melo, C. Sobry, and D. Van Rheenen (Eds.), Small Scale Sport Tourism Events and Local Sustainable Development (pp. 129–149). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62919-9_8

Dan, M.-C. (2019). Sustainable entrepreneurship in the Romanian sports industry. Proceedings of the International Conference on Business Excellence, 13(1), 647–654. https://doi.org/10.2478/picbe-2019-0057

Davids, G. J., Roman, N. V., and Khaile, F. T. (2021). Sport as a catalyst for social cohesion in fragmented communities: A view from post-apartheid South Africa. Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 11(8), 19–25. https://doi.org/10.7176/RHSS/11-8-03

De Waele, J.-M., & Husting, A. (Eds.). (2005). Sport, politiques et sociétés en Europe centrale et orientale. Éditions de l’Université de Bruxelles. https://www.editions-ulb.be/fr/book/?GCOI=74530100433540

Fernández-Martínez, A., Cabello-Manrique, D., Roca-Cruz, A. F., & Nuviala, A. (2022). The influence of small-scale sporting events on participants’ intentions to recommend the host city. Sustainability, 14(13), 7549. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137549

Filo, K., Lock, D., & Karg, A. (2015). Sport and social media research: A review. Sport Management Review, 18(2), 166–181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smr.2014.11.001

Geidne, S., & Van Hoye, A. (2021). Health promotion in sport, through sport, as an outcome of sport, or health-promoting sport—What is the difference? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(17), 9045. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18179045

Grix, J. (Ed.). (2017). Leveraging mega-event legacies (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315439846

Jeong, Y., & Kim, S. (2020). A study of event quality, destination image, perceived value, tourist satisfaction, and destination loyalty among sport tourists. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 32(4), 940–960. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-02-2019-0101

Kaplanidou, K., Jordan, J. S., Funk, D., & Ridinger, L. L. (2012). Recurring sport events and destination image perceptions: Impact on active sport tourist behavioral intentions and place attachment. Journal of Sport Management, 26(3), 237–248. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.26.3.237

Kennedy, M. D., Knight, C. J., Falk Neto, J. H., Uzzell, K. S., & Szabo, S. W. (2020). Futureproofing triathlon: Expert suggestions to improve health and performance in triathletes. BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 12(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-019-0153-5

Lee, I. S., Brown, G., King, K., & Shipway, R. (2016). Social identity in serious sport event space. Event Management, 20(4), 491–499. https://doi.org/10.3727/152599516X14745497664352

Lora, A. (2024). Role of arts and cultural events in community development and social cohesion. International Journal of Humanity and Social Sciences, 3(3), 39–51. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/381128992_Role_of_Arts_and_Cultural_Events_in_Community_Development_and_Social_Cohesion

Malchrowicz-Mośko, E., & Rozmiarek, M. (2018). Why women run? Motivations for running in a half-marathon among female local runners and sport tourists. Olimpianos – Journal of Olympic Studies, 2(3), 475–488. https://doi.org/10.30937/2526-6314.v2n3.id58

Michalska, M., Grajek, M., & Rozmiarek, M. (2025). Motivations of sports volunteers at mass endurance events: A case study of Poznan. Sports, 13(8), 255. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13080255

Min, D., & Woo, S. (2023). Structural relationships among perceived sporting event quality, image, trust, satisfaction, and loyalty of small-scale golf tournament participants: A case of Korea family golf challenge. Korean Journal of Sport Science, 34(2), 306–325. https://doi.org/10.24985/kjss.2023.34.2.306

Nešić, M., Radenković-Šošić, B., & Zubanov, V. (2021). Sports events in the function of city branding as tourist destinations. Časopis za ekonomiju i tržišne komunikacije, 11(1), 45–60. Downloads/1168313.EMC-godina_XI_broj_2.pdf

Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis: Striving to meet the trustworthiness criteria. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917733847

Parra-Camacho, D., González-García, R. J., & Alonso-Dos-Santos, M. (2020). Social impact of a participative small-scale sporting event. Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal, 10(1), 91–108. https://doi.org/10.1108/SBM-02-2019-0015

Perić, M., Đurkin, J., & Wise, N. (2016). Leveraging small-scale sport events: Challenges of organising, delivering and managing sustainable outcomes in rural communities—The case of Gorski Kotar, Croatia. Sustainability, 8(12), 1337. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8121337

Poczta, J., & Malchrowicz-Mośko, E. (2018). Modern running events in sustainable development: More than just taking care of health and physical condition (Poznan Half Marathon case study). Sustainability, 10(7), 2145. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072145

Ramos-Ruiz, J. E., Solano-Sanchez, M. A., Castaño-Prieto, L., & Garcia-Garcia, L. (2024). Why do we run in a sporting event? A gender perspective through the half-marathon of Cordoba, Spain. Social Sciences, 13(4), 209. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040209

Rata, B.C., Ciolca, C., Butnariu, M., Rata, G., Rata, M., Dragoi, C.C., Robu, V., & Mihăilescu, L. (2022). Building time management skills through the teaching practice activity. Revista Românească pentru Educaţie Multidimensională, 14(3), 88-100. https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/14.3/599

Richelieu, A., & Webb, A. (2024). Strategic sport marketing in the society of the spectacle. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 32(6), 744–761. https://doi.org/10.1080/0965254X.2021.1965188

Rosu, D., Cojanu, F., Stefanica, V., & Enache, S. (2022). Experimental management of work collectives through social and socialization activities. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 22(7), 1742–1747. https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2022.07218

Stefanica, V., & Rosu, D. (2018). Evaluation of the working groups in the group cohesion perspective, in the project Boboc Camp, 2018. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 18(S5), 2134–2138. https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2018.s5322

Stefanica, V. (2022). Study on the dynamics of the use of food supplements in amateur sports. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 22(8), 1900–1904. https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2022.08240

Stefanica, V., Joksimović, M., Ceylan, H. İ., & Muntean, R. I. (2024a). Navigating the path to management: Insights into sport manager selection and diversity strategies in Romania. Cogent Social Sciences, 10(1), 2436550. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2024.2436550

Stefanica, V., Mercea, I.-T., Ursu, V. E., Gorban, C. F., Dragoș, G. C., Mihaiu, C., & Groza, G. G. (2024b). Developing psychomotor skills and social attributes through integrated psychomotor and unified football training: A Special Olympics intervention study. Revista Românească pentru Educaţie Multidimensională, 16(3), 224–242. https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/16.3/892

Stefanica, V., Munteanu, R. I., Roșu, D., Ursu, V. E., Gogean Groza, G., & Dragoș, G. C. (2024c). Exploring entrepreneurial intention among students in the academic sports domain: A multifaceted examination. Revista Românească pentru Educaţie Multidimensională, 16(2), 118–137. https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/16.2/849

Teare, G., & Taks, M. (2021). Sport events for sport participation: A scoping review. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 3, 655579. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2021.655579

Tjelta, L. I., Kvåle, P. E., & Shalfawi, S. A. (2018). The half-marathon participants: Who are they and what motivates them for training and competition? Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 18(4), 2450–2455. https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2018.04366

Thompson, N., Wang, X., & Daya, P. (2020). Determinants of news sharing behavior on social media. Journal of Computer Information Systems, 60(6), 593–602. https://doi.org/10.1080/08874417.2019.1566803

Trail, G. T., & James, J. D. (2001). The motivation scale for sport consumption: Assessment of the scale’s psychometric properties. Journal of Sport Behavior, 24(1), 108–127. Retrieved from https://web.stanford.edu/class/ed150x/Motivation.htm

Van Hoye, A., Geidne, S., Vuillemin, A., Dowd, K., Glibo, I., Heck, S., Winand, M., & the Health Promoting Sports Federations Project Group. (2023). Health-promoting sports federations: Theoretical foundations and guidelines. Frontiers in Public Health, 11, 1147899. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1147899

Wang, B., Zhang, P., Zhu, Y., Li, J., Yang, Y., Tan, X., & Zeng, L. (2025). A theoretical model of sports and health integration to promote active health. BMC Public Health, 25, 1039. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22237-x

Yoshida, M., & James, J. D. (2010). Customer satisfaction with game and service experiences: Antecedents and consequences. Journal of Sport Management, 24(3), 338–361. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.24.3.338

Downloads

Published

2025-12-18

How to Cite

Gogean Groza, G., Gheorghe, C. D., Stefanica, V., Joksimović, M., Ceylan, H. İbrahim, Man, C. M., Popescu, C., Cojanu, F., Tataru, A. M., Hristache, M. D. ., Mercea, I.-T. ., & Dragos, O. (2025). Educational Value and Consumer Behavior in Endurance Sport Events: Insights from Quantitative and Qualitative Research. Revista Romaneasca Pentru Educatie Multidimensionala, 17(4), 776-798. https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/17.4/1078

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 4 (2025): Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala

Section

Education, Sport and Health

License

Copyright (c) 2025 The Authors & InManifest Network

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  • Authors retain copyright and grant this journalright of first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work, with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
  • Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g. post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  • Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g. in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as an earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).

Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala Journal has an Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs
CC BY-NC-ND

CC_BY_NC_ND