Effect of Consumer Experience Quality on Participant Engagement in Japanese Running Events

This study examines the influences of core product quality, service quality, social network quality, and event satisfaction on participant engagement using the conceptual framework of consumer experience quality and customer engagement theory in sport. The study surveyed 452 runners aft er they finished the Ako City Marathon. We divided the core product quality into event characteristics and physical changes and service quality into event staff and service environments. Participant engagement included prosocial behavior, management cooperation, and behavioral loyalty. The results revealed that event characteristics in core product quality and service environment in service quality positively influenced event satisfaction. Additionally, social network quality positively influenced prosocial behavior, management cooperation, and behavioral loyalty. Finally, event characteristics and service environments had a significant indirect effect on behavioral loyalty through event satisfaction.