Self-Transcendence Values Influence Meaningful Sports Consumption Behavior: The Chain Mediator of Team Identification and Eudaimonic Motivation

Abstract

With the improvement of people’s material conditions and the change of their values, sports consumption has shifted from hedonistic consumption, which simply pursues pleasurable experiences, to meaningful consumption, which seeks self-growth and life values. Meaningful sports consumption behavior has also received attention from scholars. The primary purpose of this study is to explore the mechanisms of meaningful sports consumption behavior from the perspective of individual values. Using self-transcendence values as the independent variable, team identification, and eudaimonic motivation as mediators, and introducing subjective on-field performance and hypo-egoic mindset as moderating variables, this study explores how self-transcendence values influence meaningful sports consumption behavior. The empirical analysis based on 910 questionnaire data in China revealed that self-transcendence values have a significant positive impact on meaningful sports consumption behavior through the chain mediating role of team identification and eudaimonic motivation. Subjective on-field performance and hypo-egoic mindset play a moderating role in this influence. This study enriches the study of sports consumption behavior, deepens the research on meaningful sports consumption behavior, and introduces a new research perspective to sports consumption behavior. The results of this study provide new management ideas for sports marketers to attract and increase consumer stickiness.

1. Introduction

As a new focus of China’s economic development, sports consumption has become an important force to pull China’s economic growth [1]. The upgrading of sports consumption can not only provide an important driving force for the change of the sports industry [1], but also, is an inherent requirement for the high-quality development of the sports industry [2]. The upgrading of sports consumption requires transformation and improvement in sports consumption’s content, mode, and consumption concept [2].

China’s sports industry has been developing rapidly in recent years, and according to the data released by the National Bureau of Statistics and the State General Administration of Sports, the scale of China’s sports industry reached RMB 2.9 trillion in 2019. Among the consumption of the sports industry, consumption of sports goods, consumption of sports venues, consumption of sports training, and consumption of sports fitness and leisure are essential elements. For sports consumption, existing studies have discussed the factors influencing sports consumption behavior [3], sports consumption policies [4], the relationship between sports consumption and the sports industry [5], sports consumption development trends [6], the current situation of residents’ sports consumption [7], and sports consumption motives [8], respectively.

Most existing studies on sports consumption are explored from the traditional perspective of sports consumption, arguing that people participate in sports consumption because it brings hedonic and beneficial values, such as entertainment, socialization, self-esteem, knowledge, achievement, etc. [8]. However, in the process of consumption, not all consumption behaviors pursue enjoyment and pleasure, while some consumption behaviors pursue meaningful experiences [9], and this meaningful consumption behavior has also received attention from scholars in the field of sports consumption [10]. In sports consumption, some behaviors pursue not enjoyment and pleasure but deeper meaning and value, including life goals, meaning of life, and spiritual growth [10]. For example, viewers will pay more attention to the games of their own country and local athletes (teams), tend to buy sporting goods of their brand, buy goods of local symbolic groups, participate in charity sporting events, support weak teams, appreciate the behavior of athletes’ noble character on the field, and admire and learn from athletes’ indomitable spirit of striving for improvement. These sports consumption behaviors, driven not by enjoyment and pleasure motives but by deeper meanings and values, are widespread phenomena that exist in the field of sports consumption and have not received the attention of traditional studies of sports consumption behaviors.

Jang et al. (2021) proposed meaningful sports consumption in Sport Management Review and explored the types of meaningful sports consumption and the effects on consumers’ emotional and behavioral responses [11]. Some studies have also examined the impact of meaningful sports consumption behavior, such as watching the Paralympic Games, on spectators’ pro-social behavior [12]. ’Moreover, some studies have explored the effects of meaningful sports consumption on audiences’ charitable fund support behaviors toward athletes [10]. Although there are some studies that have examined the role of meaningful sport consumption behaviors, no studies have explored the mechanisms by which meaningful sport consumption behaviors are generated—that is, what factors trigger and impact meaningful sport consumption behaviors.

An individual’s type of values, level of identification with the team, type of happiness motivation, hypo-egoic mindset, and subjective evaluation of sports performance can all influence individual consumption behaviors as well as meaningful sports consumption behaviors. Studies have shown that self-transcendence values emphasize transcending personal narrowness, placing greater importance on the well-being and needs of others, and making oneself feel happy while benefiting others, which in turn can positively influence socially oriented consumption behaviors, such as green consumption behaviors [13]. At the same time, the level of team identification of fans with the team will influence their happiness towards game-watching behavior and fans’ happiness because of the extra meaning it brings to them [14]. In addition, consumers’ eudaimonic motivation leads them to pursue higher-level needs and engage in meaningful consumption [14]. Further, individuals with a hypo-egoic mindset are less concerned with themselves and care less about how others perceive them [15,16]. They tend to be less concerned with their gains and losses and exhibit more altruistic pro-social behavior [17]. Finally, subjective on-field performance is a subjective evaluation of an athlete’s or team’s objective performance [14,18], which can significantly impact individuals’ attitudes and behaviors [19].

The main purpose of this study is to explore the mechanisms that influence meaningful sports consumption behavior and to analyze what factors trigger and influence meaningful sports consumption behavior. From the perspective of self-transcendent values, this study argues that individuals’ self-transcendent values influence meaningful sports consumption behavior. In this influence relationship, team identification and eudaimonic motivation will play a mediating role, while hypo-egoic mindset and subjective on-field performance will play a moderating role.

This study enriches the research content of sports consumption behavior, further deepens the study of meaningful sports consumption and introduces a new perspective for the study of meaningful sports consumption. The results of this study provide references and references for further expanding the scale of sports consumption, guiding the upgrading of sports consumption, and promoting the high-quality development of the sports industry.

2. Literature Review

2.1. Meaningful Sports Consumption

Early research on sports consumption was mainly from a hedonic perspective, arguing that the essence of sports consumption is to bring individuals a pleasurable enjoyment experience and that positive emotions play a crucial role in sports consumers’ attitudes and behaviors [20]. Scholars have recently mentioned that defining sports consumption solely from a hedonic perspective is no longer sufficient to explain the range of sport consumption behaviors [11]. Certain types of sports consumption go beyond experiencing positive emotions and help people to experience a greater purpose and meaning in their lives [21], leading individuals to grow into better people. Scholars have also conceptualized this type of sports consumption as meaningful sport consumption (MSC) [10].

Here, meaningfulness is said to arise from many different areas of life, such as leisure activities, spirituality, relationships with others, and contributing to the community in which one lives, among others [22]. In media and entertainment consumption, scholars have extensively studied meaningful consumption. Oliver (1993) was the first to explore why consumers enjoy tearful and sad movies, noting that in addition to watching movies for pleasure, individuals watch movies to experience the more profound meaning inherent in them [9]. Although some sadness often accompanies these “meaningful” experiences, they are also associated with positive emotions such as joy or happiness [23]. Mixed emotional experiences may be more satisfying or rewarding than purely positive experiences because consumers may derive “meaning” from experience [24]. Accordingly, mass entertainment motivation is no longer conceptualized along a single pleasure-seeking dimension, but an additional meaning-seeking dimension (happiness motivation) drives consumers’ entertainment choices [25].

Media entertainment is labeled as meaningful entertainment when it focuses on portraying moral virtues and stimulates viewers to think about the purpose of life. However, meaningful sports consumption can be conceptualized not only in terms of moral excellence but, likewise, the quality of an athlete’s resilience in overcoming obstacles on the playing field to achieve a goal can be considered meaningful by sports consumers. Accordingly, Jang et al. (2021) further classified meaningful sport consumption behaviors into two types based on a self-construal framework (i.e., whether individual mindsets are independent or reciprocal) as a theoretical foundation: skill-based MSC, in which independent-minded sport consumers view extraordinary skills as meaningful, and ethical MSC, in which interdependent sport consumers view moral excellence as meaningful [11].

Related research further suggests that the emotions of empathy, compassion, and reflection that arise when sports consumers watch the Paralympic Games are not pleasurable experiences. Still, the feelings are profound and contribute to a pro-social shift in viewers’ attitudes toward people with disabilities, thus making for a meaningful entertainment experience [12]. Similarly, sports consumers’ participation in charitable sporting events provides participants with a meaningful experience, and giving and helping others is an essential part of this meaning [26]. Meaningful sports consumption can lead to more outstanding pro-social behavior among sports consumers. One study found that sports consumers were more likely to support athlete-run charitable foundations when promotional videos highlighted meaningful aspects of athletes rather than hedonic elements [10]. A study on influencing consumers’ meaningful sport consumption behaviors noted that social needs, as higher-level intrinsic needs of individuals, can significantly and positively affect sports consumers to produce meaningful sport consumption behaviors. Team affiliation and self-esteem motivations partially mediate [27].

Existing research has more often explored the ability of meaningful sports consumption behavior to produce a range of pro-social behaviors. Still, no research has explored the underlying mechanisms of meaningful sports consumption formation. This paper further studies meaningful sports consumption behavior by examining the mechanisms of meaningful sports consumption generation and influence.

2.2. Value of Self-Transcendence

Values are people’s ideas about the importance of things—abstract, transcendent goals worth pursuing that transcend specific contexts and guide one’s way of doing things, means, and ends [28]. Consumers’ values are central to their decisions and are the ultimate source of driving purchase behavior and selection criteria. They are the psychological structures influencing their attitudes, interests, and behaviors [29].

Schwartz (1992) categorized 10 universal human values: power, achievement, hedonism, stimulation, self-direction, universalism, benevolence, tradition, conformity, and security into four higher-level values: openness, conservatism, conservatism, self-enhancement, and self-transcendence [30]. Schwartz (2016) further states that self-enhancement is an extrinsic and self-protective value that protects by avoiding or controlling anxiety and threatening stimuli, while self-transcendence is an intrinsic and self-growth value that emphasizes personal growth and self-expansion [31].

Individuals with self-transcendence values share characteristics that shift the focus on the self and promote pro-social behaviors that lead to increased altruism and motivation to become a better version of oneself, mainly including volunteering, charitable giving, and helping behaviors [32]. Research on green consumption has shown that individuals with self-transcendence values are more aware of the threats posed to humans by the environment, will have a more vital moral obligation to protect the environment than individuals with self-enhancement values [33], and are more willing to engage in green consumption behaviors [13,34], such as purchasing recyclable products and donating to environmental causes. In media consumption studies, self-transcendence values provide individuals with insight into the beauty and tragedy present in life, increased appreciation of the values, potentials, and virtues of others, as well as an appreciation of the natural world and forces beyond our own [35]. Within other domains, Ma and Lee (2012) confirmed that fair trade consumers have higher levels of self-transcendence intentions than non-fair trade product purchasers [36]. Existing studies have analyzed the link between values and ethical behavior in the context of sports [37], i.e., individuals with self-transcendence values (compared to self-enhancement) produce more pro-social behaviors, such as helping an injured opponent and praising an opponent, and fewer antisocial behaviors, such as game cheating and malicious fouls [38]. However, few studies have explored the influential relationship between self-transcendence values and sport consumption behaviors, especially the link with meaningful sport consumption behaviors. In this paper, we examine the mechanisms of meaningful sport consumption behaviors from the perspective of self-transcendence values to effectively link transcendent values with meaningful sport consumption behaviors.

2.3. Team Identification

The concept of team identification originated from social identity theory [39]. Social identity theory suggests that individuals can develop a strong sense of emotional and psychological belonging to the group to which they believe they belong and that their self-concept and self-esteem are determined by the social group to which they belong and the values and emotional meanings associated with such membership [16]. Sports management researchers have built on social identity theory to explain how consumers view sports teams as an extension of themselves [40] and have defined team identification as the sports consumer’s self-perceived intrinsic connection to the sports team and the tendency to view the team’s success or failure as self-success or failure [41].

In sports viewing, individuals tend to have higher levels of identification with a team when their attitudes toward that team become favorable and stable, regardless of the team’s performance [42]. Fans with high levels of identification are more loyal to their teams and share positive social identities with other fans [43]. They have a stronger emotional connection with their team and tend to continue to support the team when it fails for long-lasting happiness [44]. In contrast, individuals with low identification will view the success or failure of a sports team as someone else’s, unrelated to their identification [45]. When the team fails, a behavior called cut-off reflected failure (CORF) [46], i.e., moving away from the team to escape this negative emotion, tends to occur, resulting in a nonsignificant effect on the satisfaction of well-being needs [45]. Further research on sports consumption has shown that high levels of team identification are associated with a significant investment of time, effort, and resources, which in turn leads to a greater probability that individuals are willing to participate in and support their team’s activities and purchase products associated with them, such as higher on-site attendance [47], higher online game viewing [48], more frequent purchases of team souvenirs [49], and purchases of team sponsor products [50].

In studies affecting the level of an individual’s social identity, it has been noted that an individual’s social identity is often associated with fixed categories such as race, gender, politics, or religion, as well as salient identity characteristics [51]. Related scholars have similarly confirmed that team identification is not only an identification with a collection of owners, such as coaches and athletes in a sports team. More often, it is caused by the symbolic value of the sports team representing relevant social identities [52], such as university, city, region, and nationality. Intrinsic differences at the individual level of consumers are also important factors influencing team identification. Still, existing studies have only discussed the role of personality and character in influencing team identification [53]. Significantly few studies have gone into the influence of consumer values on their level of team identification, and no studies have examined the role that team identification plays in meaningful sports consumption behavior. This study combines self-transcendence values, team identification, and meaningful sports consumption to explore team identification’s role in generating meaningful sport consumption behaviors.

2.4. Hedonic and Eudaimonic Motivation

In the study of happiness, hedonism and eudaimonia represent the two most general theoretical frameworks [54,55], reflecting two distinct psychological states, respectively. Specifically, hedonism emphasizes how individuals maximize subjective pleasure enjoyment and avoid negative emotional experiences [56], and that people feel happy when pleasant emotions are accompanied by short-term satisfaction from satisfying needs [57]. Eudaimonia is different from the superficial pleasure experience and emphasizes deeper connotations such as personal growth and life meaning, and it also includes the perfection of sociality and moral qualities [58].

Individuals can exhibit different types of behavioral differences based on their orientation to happiness [59], and this happiness orientation can be classified as hedonic happiness and eudaimonic motivation [60]. Hedonic happiness motivation is related to the drive to satisfy the need for pleasure or relaxation in the present moment. In contrast, eudaimonic motivation is associated with the purpose of personal growth, excellence, meaning, and the happiness of others [61]. Thus, individuals with high hedonic happiness motivation often seek more enjoyable experiences and are susceptible to fluctuations in real-life situations, also known as fluctuating happiness motivation [62]. However, an individual with a high level of eudaimonic motivation is usually associated with engaging in longer-lasting, more satisfying behaviors that are considered worth doing. They seek personal growth and self-actualization more frequently [63], which are less susceptible to external circumstances, and are also known as enduring happiness motivators. Thus, when happiness motivation is linked to a temporal perspective, it is found that eudaimonic motivation is positively related to future goals. In contrast, hedonic happiness motivation is negatively or insignificantly related [64].

Previous research has confirmed the positive association of happiness motivation with happiness outcomes, such as life satisfaction, positive affect, and meaningfulness in life [65]. At the same time, a large body of evidence suggests that hedonic and eudaimonic motivations contribute to happiness in different ways [66]. Hedonic motivation is positively related to subjective well-being [63]. However, due to its pleasure-seeking and pain-avoiding nature, individuals with hedonic motivation are likelier to adopt undesirable or avoidant coping strategies in the face of life difficulties and consequently develop some unhealthy behaviors [59]. In contrast, eudaimonic motivation is usually associated with positive pro-social behaviors such as social well-being, community contribution, and connection with others [61].

Related research has also introduced the idea that mixed emotions are an emotional experience that may be associated with eudaimonia. Such mixed emotions are defined as experiences characterized by the co-activation of positive and negative emotions, such as feeling happy and sad simultaneously [67]. Oliver and Raney (2011) confirmed that eudaimonic motivation is an antecedent variable influencing viewers’ consumption behaviors mixed with negative emotions, such as watching a tragedy or witnessing moral beauty [25]. Berrios et al. (2018) further noted that mixed emotions are positively associated with eudaimonia and that a potential mechanism of influence links mixed emotions to eudaimonia through the search for meaning in life [68]. In studies of sports consumption, watching sporting events can be considered a recreational activity that provides an enjoyable experience [69]. Watching sporting events can effectively divert negative psychological states from work and life, obtain pleasurable experiences and reduce psychological stress [70], thus satisfying the hedonic happiness needs of feeling pleasure and avoiding pain. However, watching sporting events can experience various positive and negative emotions [71], and hedonic happiness motivation is insufficient to explain the full range of sports-watching behaviors, such as watching games supporting underdog teams with disparate strengths. In summary, eudaimonic motivation is often associated with pursuing personal growth and meaning in life, which can lead to meaningful consumption behaviors. The role of individual eudaimonic motivation in meaningful sports consumption has not been effectively explored in existing studies and needs further investigation.

2.5. Subjective On-Field Performance

Subjective on-field performance (SOP) refers to the differences in subjective evaluations of objective on-field performance (e.g., win–lose results of a game) displayed by the same team by different individuals [14]. The outcome of a team’s objective on-field performance on the field is fixed, but each individual’s subjective evaluation of it is inconsistent. For example, fans focus on subjective information such as the team’s potential for future success, the mental attitude on the field, and the personal qualities of the players [72,73].

Past empirical analyses have shown how the status of the group an individual identifies with plays a crucial role in influencing their psychological state [74]. When individuals identify with a high-status group (e.g., a team with high competition performance), they tend to derive more self-esteem and well-being from their identification [75]. Conversely, when identifying with a low-status group (e.g., teams with poor tournament performance), they typically have lower feelings of self-worth and well-being [76]. However, existing research similarly points out that identification with a low-status group (e.g., identification with the hometown team but poor team performance) is strongly associated with pride and longer-term well-being [72]. One of the potential influences contributing to the emergence of this paradoxical phenomenon is the variation in individuals’ subjective on-field performance, i.e., individuals may use a range of positive subjective responses to mitigate the effects of adverse game outcomes on them [73,74]. In a related study, Inoue et al. (2022) further confirmed that the level of fans’ subjective perceptions of team performance significantly and positively affects fans’ social life satisfaction [14].

Jetten et al. (2017) scholars argue that there are three ways to maintain and enhance the uniqueness of the groups they identify with relative to other groups. First, in-group members may shift the dimension of comparison by selectively assessing their group’s positive attributes while ignoring its negative attributes. Second, in-group members may attempt to gain a sense of superiority by comparing their group with groups of lower status. Third, in-group members may subjectively exaggerate their group’s status by changing how they define their social identity [74].

In summary, individual differences in subjective on-field performance of teams can positively influence personal attitudes and behaviors [77], which is further amplified, especially in studies of sports spectatorship [14]. However, the kind of influence that subjective on-field performance can play in meaningful sport consumption contexts requires further research and exploration.

2.6. Hypo-Egoic Mindset

Individuals can be classified into two categories of egoistic and hypo-egoic mindsets according to whether they value themselves more or others more in their lives [78]. Individuals with egocentric mindsets focus mainly on their own needs and desires, even if they care about others because they can give them some desired social benefits [79]. Numerous studies have demonstrated that people want desirable qualities in themselves [80]. In a social context, they also want others to recognize and acknowledge these qualities [81]. Individuals who emphasize an egoistic mindset want their attributes to be recognized by others and pay more attention to how others perceive them, so they have a high degree of self-awareness in social groups [82]. Self-awareness includes self-presentation and impression management, and its starting point is not to deceive others but to convey an accurate, idealized, or embellished self-concept [83]. They believe constructing an ideal self-image and receiving recognition from others helps people achieve interpersonal goals, such as getting a job or winning friends [84].

In contrast, a hypo-egoic mindset refers to an individual’s tendency to believe that everyone’s interests are of equal value, that the importance of the self is not exaggerated, and that there is a strong sense of connection between the self and others [85]. Leary and Terry (2012) proposed The Hypo-Egoic Mindset Model from the perspective of self-awareness and self-reflection [86]. The model states that individuals with a hypo-egoic mindset are less concerned with self and less susceptible to adverse emotions when engaging in expression inhibition. For example, they are less concerned about evaluating others and less sensitive to symbolic threats to the self [87]. Wayment et al. (2015) reflected the hypo-egoic mindset in four ways: individuals have a sense of transcendence when performing activities; an inclusive identification with others and the natural world; a tendency to adopt the views of others; and a positive attitude toward growth [88]. Accordingly, the hypo-egoic mindset reflects pro-social behavior. It is positively associated with altruism, whereas the tendency to hold an egoistic mindset is more inclined to place personal interests above the interests of others and reflects a stronger egoism [17].

In the literature on the association between egoistic and hypo-egoic mindsets and subjective well-being, individuals with an egocentric mindset are associated with fluctuating well-being and distressing emotions mediate [89]. In contrast, individuals with a hypo-egoic mindset are associated with long-lasting well-being, in which emotional stability plays a moderating role [90]. This view also reflects how people who benefit others will be happier than those who satisfy themselves [78]. It has been confirmed in other studies that individuals with a hypo-egoic mindset have a more accurate perception of self and do not focus too much on themselves or brag about the achievements they have made. Also, they are less likely to believe they deserve special treatment than egoistic individuals with inaccurate self-evaluations and inflated egos [17]. In summary, individuals with a hypo-egoic mindset (compared to an egoistic mindset) tend to be associated with more pro-social behaviors. However, whether this role exists in meaningful sport consumption behaviors requires further research.

3. Research Design

3.1. Research Model

Based on the above analysis, this study constructs a conceptual model with individual self-transcendence values as the independent variable, meaningful sports consumption behavior as the dependent variable, sequentially introducing team identification and eudaimonic motivation as chain mediating variables, and introducing subjective on-field performance and hypo-egoic mindset as moderating variables in the path of team identification influencing eudaimonic motivation and meaningful sports consumption of sports consumers. Among them, the value of self-transcendence, as a value element driving consumers’ purchase behavior, triggers the generation of meaningful sports consumption behavior. Team identification and eudaimonic motivation, as consumer attitudes and consumers’ own pursuits, play an influential role in the generation of meaningful sports consumption behaviors. Subjective on-field performance and hypo-egoic mindset, as aspects of consumers’ perceptions and individual characteristics, influence the interactions between these variables. The specific framework of the conceptual model for this study is shown in Figure 1.

3.2. Research Hypothesis

3.2.1. The Influence of Self-Transcendence Values on Meaningful Sports Consumption

Research on media entertainment confirms that meaningful media experiences tend to be associated with higher levels of cognition [35], and self-transcendence values, as a high level of cognition, can empower individuals to be more magnanimous [91]. Individuals with self-transcendence values tend to be closely associated with altruistic or pro-social behaviors, such as volunteering, charitable activities, and environmental behaviors [92]. At the same time, those who focus on personal interests and chase personal achievements will show more aggressive behaviors [93]. Meanwhile, values significantly predict individual participation in sports and sports consumption behavior [94]. The meaning perceived by sports consumers closely relates to their values [95]. Individuals with self-transcendence values are concerned with their growth and interconnectedness with others. They will not be overly concerned with self-interest and the single-minded pursuit of recreational experiences but are more likely to pursue spiritual growth, the meaningfulness of life, and deeper values in sports consumption, i.e., meaningful sports consumption. Thus, this paper proposes the following hypothesis:

H1. 

Self-transcendence values significantly and positively influence meaningful sports consumption behavior.

3.2.2. Impact of Self-Transcendence Values on Team Identification

In green consumption studies, self-enhancement and self-transcendence generate identification with organic food, but this identification pathway is different [96]. Self-transcendence individuals generate identification with organic food based on environmental awareness (altruistic motivation) [97]. Self-enhanced individuals generate identification with organic food based on health awareness (self-interest motivation) [98]. In the context of meaningful sports consumption, the identification pathway generated by self-transcendence values is (i.e., altruistic rather than egoistic mindset) consistent with the concept of team identification with the competition team. Other studies have noted that individuals who value self-enhancement are motivated to perceive groups with high status [99]. In contrast, individuals who love self-transcendence values generate identifications with groups that are not influenced by high or low group status [99]. Accordingly, individuals with self-enhancement values are more likely to support teams with better records and higher status for hedonistic purposes. Such identification is unstable because environmental changes can influence it. On the contrary, individuals with self-transcendence values are more likely to identify with a team as an extension of their selves out of a higher dimensional sense of belonging and patriotism, and such team identification is more stable. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed in this paper:

H2. 

Self-transcendence values can significantly and positively influence the level of team identification.

3.2.3. The Effect of Self-Transcendence Values on Eudaimonic Motivation

Values are related to what individuals consider important and worth pursuing [100]. In the literature on the link between values and subjective well-being, Oishi et al. (1999) noted that goals, achievements, and activities that reflect self-transcendence values are more long-lastingly satisfying than activities that reflect self-enhancing values [101]. Waterman (2008) also explained how striving for growth and self-transcendence can produce more ambitious happiness pursuits, i.e., goals that involve developing one’s best potential are more likely to promote sustainable happiness [102]. Another study noted that in individualistic cultures that emphasize personal selfishness and self-worth, people are more inclined to pursue self-enjoyment. In contrast, in collectivist cultures that emphasize social responsibility and group interests, people downplay the pursuit of hedonism and shift to higher-level happiness pursuits. Whereas social culture is closely related to individual values, individualistic culture emphasizes self-improvement values more; collectivist culture emphasizes self-transcendence values such as benevolence and universalism [103]. Accordingly, the self-transcendence values positively influenced by collectivist culture should be associated with higher and more consistent eudaimonic motivation. Therefore, this paper proposes the following hypothesis:

H3. 

Self-transcendence values significantly and positively influence eudaimonic motivation.

3.2.4. The Impact of Team Identification on Meaningful Sports Consumption

Past research has confirmed that the level of team identification can significantly and positively influence sports consumption behavior [104]. Specifically, sports consumers with high team identification provide more significant support for the team they identify with by watching more games, purchasing more merchandise symbolizing the team, and buying products from their sponsors than sports consumers with low team identification [48,50,105]. Recent research has revealed new findings that the message type of advertising can be classified as hedonic and meaningful when athlete-owned foundations highlight the happy or meaningful aspects of the athletes in their promotional ads. The impact of this difference in message type on sports consumers’ behavior in supporting athlete-owned foundations depends on their high level of identification with the athlete [10]. In this study, sports consumers with high levels of team identification viewed the team as part of their extended self. They put more effort into the team, had a stronger connection with the team, and showed greater loyalty. Therefore, sports consumers with high team identification may pay attention to and support their teams beyond simple hedonic needs and embody more symbolic and meaningful values in their sports consumption process. Accordingly, this paper proposes the following hypothesis:

H4. 

The level of team identification significantly and positively influences meaningful sports consumption behavior.

3.2.5. The Effect of Team Identification on Eudaimonic Motivation

Highly identified individuals can gain tangible psychological benefits simply by being connected to the group. Social activities typically lead to a sense of belonging to others and a connection to society [106]. The existence of such a well-being pathway among fans has been recently confirmed in research on sports, suggesting that high individual identification with sports teams is closely related to their psychosocial well-being [107]. Wann (2006) further noted in his study that people who identify more with their local or national sports teams would show higher levels of social self-esteem and well-being orientations than those who identify less [43]. This higher level of social self-esteem and social well-being of individuals has also been conceptualized as eudaimonia [18]. Specifically, individuals with low team identification seek immediate, present pleasure satisfaction during sports consumption. They prefer to increase the psychological distance between themselves and the team to maintain positive emotions and reduce negative emotions when the team experiences a defeat [44]. Thus, individuals with low team identification are more likely to be associated with hedonic happiness motivation. In contrast, for individuals with high team identification, true support is not always entertainment. Still, more about duty and obligation, and highly loyal fans do not decrease or increase their psychological distance from their team based on the success or failure of their team’s season [108]. Thus, individuals with high levels of team identification are more likely to be associated with eudaimonic motivation. In summary, this paper proposes the following hypothesis:

H5. 

The level of team identification significantly and positively affects eudaimonic motivation.

3.2.6. The Effect of Eudaimonic Motivation on Meaningful Sports Consumption

Tamborini et al. (2010) argue that eudaimonic motivation may represent a distinctive need other than those identified by self-determination theory, a higher level lack reflecting the individual’s “search for meaning” or “search for truth” [109]. In their study of media entertainment, Oliver and Raney (2011) noted that hedonic happiness motivation cannot fully explain viewers’ satisfaction with media entertainment, especially when the joy content is perceived as very meaningful [25]. People who search for meaning will show greater appreciation for meaningful entertainment. This tendency to search for meaning is closely related to eudaimonic motivation [110], a vision of a person seeking meaning in life and experiencing moral virtues [23]. In a study of craft consumption, it was further noted that craft consumers are not only able to seek pleasure and fantasy sensations beyond the process of handwork (hedonic) but also rely on the practice of uniqueness to extend their ideas into the product and seek a deeper level of pleasure by giving a particular self-expressive meaning to the crafting process (e.g., eudaimonia) [111]. Therefore, when consumers seek a higher level of pleasure (i.e., eudaimonic motivation), they are more willing to pursue a meaningful component of sports consumption, i.e., meaningful sports consumption. Accordingly, this paper proposes the following hypothesis.

H6. 

Eudaimonic motivation significantly and positively influences consumers to produce meaningful sports consumption behavior.

3.2.7. The Mediating Role of Team Identification

Existing research suggests that individuals who value self-enhancement values such as power and achievement will be more inclined to identify with higher-status groups [99], i.e., with teams with better records. In contrast, self-transcendence values emphasize the interests of others and seek to understand, appreciate, and tolerate all people regardless of their status or position [99]. Therefore, they do not identify with a team because of its performance or status but more out of patriotism, team affiliation, or other emotional values. According to social identity theory, individuals who identify with an organization are committed to supporting the actions of that organization [112]. Cornwell and Coote (2005) scholars noted that consumers’ identification with nonprofit organizations significantly influences subsequent charitable behavior [113]. Furthermore, individuals with self-enhancement values support only teams with better records, and this identification breaks down when their performance declines to preserve their positive emotions [114]. This level of identification is also more substantial, and their game-watching or other consumer behavior towards the team is less hedonic and more meaningful. Accordingly, this paper proposes the following hypothesis:

H7. 

There is a mediating role of team identification in the influence of self-transcendence values on meaningful sports consumption behavior.

3.2.8. The Mediating Role of Eudaimonic Motivation

Individuals in search of meaning seek goals related to their values, and they develop higher levels of happiness when goals align with their values [115]. In other words, happiness causes a person to strive to align their behaviors with their values, thus fostering a sense that these behaviors are meaningful [63]. Sortheix and Schwartz (2017) describe the mechanisms of influence that link values to happiness motivation, and they state that self-transcendence values express individual growth orientations that motivate people to engage in and express self-actualization, ideas, and emotions, which generate eudaimonic motivation associated with excellence, meaning, and growth [116]. In addition, a study of employee performance noted that employees pursuing eudaimonic motivation were more beneficial to job performance than those seeking hedonic happiness motivation [117]. Specifically, eudaimonic motivation shows employees’ pursuit of meaning and focus more on achieving happy experiences at work (e.g., the meaningfulness of work or purpose of life) [118]. In contrast, hedonic motivation shows employees’ hedonic pursuit of pleasure and will focus excessively on hedonic well-being (e.g., job satisfaction). In summary, eudaimonic motivation mediates the relationship between self-transcendence values and some meaningful behaviors or experiences, and the following hypotheses are proposed accordingly.

H8. 

There is a mediating role of eudaimonic motivation in self-transcendence values influencing meaningful sports consumption behavior.

3.2.9. The Mediating Chain Role of Team Identification and Eudaimonic Motivation

Values serve as enduring individual beliefs that ultimately guide various behaviors [30]. Individuals who place a high value on self-transcendence values want to be valuable, loyal, and honest and are more patriotic in competitions involving national prestige [94]. Lee and Trail (2011) noted that patriotic sports consumers who harbor beliefs about loyalty to their country increase their level of team identification accordingly [19]. When sports consumers engage in activities closely related to their self-identity, they experience more eudaimonia [119]. At the same time, researchers found that sports consumers with high levels of team identification tend to be more likely to enjoy the game in a sporting event-watching environment [120] and to develop stronger social relationships with other fans [121] in which they experience a greater sense of belonging. Accordingly, sports consumers with a high level of team identification tend to view themselves as part of the team. The success or failure of the team is the success or failure of the self, and their motivation to watch or consume the game has long gone beyond the usual hedonic motivation to a higher level of eudaimonic motivation. This kind of sports consumption behavior, which is based on transcending the hedonic nature and shifting to the pursuit of more profound meaning and growth, is also regarded as meaningful sports consumption. Accordingly, this paper proposes the following hypothesis:

H9. 

There is a mediating chain role of team identification and eudaimonic motivation in the process of self-transcendence values influencing meaningful sports consumption.

3.2.10. The Moderating Role of Subjective On-Field Performance

A team’s objective performance on the field (e.g., game wins and losses) can reflect the social status of that team and the fans, and this social status plays an essential role in the fans’ sense of self-worth [74]. When objective performance confers a lower social status in a group, members may engage in a range of socially creative activities to maintain or enhance the uniqueness of their group. In sports spectating, where teams cannot win every game due to the unpredictable nature of sports competition, a range of subjective responses by sports consumers in the face of team success and failure can play a significant role. This series of emotional reactions is considered a subjective on-field performance in contrast to objective on-field performance [14].

In the face of their team’s failures or poor win–loss record, sports consumers at the same level of team identification use differentiated subjective on-field performance to maintain their identification with the team [14] and follow sports consumption activities. This sports consumption reflects more meaningful attributes than hedonic attributes. Specific subjective on-field performance behaviors include positive assessments of the team’s future success [73] and maintaining the team’s uniqueness by shifting the focus of the evaluation to nonperformance-related attributes, such as the strong commitment of its fan base [72]. Wann (2006) suggested that such coping strategies enable fans to reduce the psychological distress associated with poor performance and enhance their social well-being [43]. Keyes (2002) also included the social well-being of individuals as a category within the concept of eudaimonia [18]. Accordingly, the higher the subjective on-field performance of sports consumers towards their team, the more it enhances the impact of team identification on eudaimonic motivation and meaningful sports consumption behavior by maintaining the uniqueness of their team. Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed in this paper:

H10a. 

There is a positive moderating effect of subjective on-field performance in team identification influencing eudaimonic motivation.

H10b. 

There is a positive moderating effect of subjective on-field performance in team identification influencing meaningful sports consumption behavior.

3.2.11. The Moderating Effect of a Hypo-Egoic Mindset

Individuals with an egoistic mindset want others to recognize and acknowledge positive qualities in them. They tend to be more focused on how others perceive them, meaning they are highly self-aware in public [82]. Individuals with a hypo-egoic mindset shift their attention more from the self to others, effectively focusing on the well-being of others. Dambrun (2017) further found that an egocentric approach to work induces fluctuating well-being, while a selfless or hypo-egoic approach promotes sustainable well-being [89]. In sports consumption, we proposed that sports consumers with higher levels of team identification are more likely to generate greater eudaimonic motivation during subsequent sports consumption, even if the team has a poor record. However, there is no doubt that poor team performance brings negative emotional experiences to sports consumers [44], and a hypo-egoic mindset mitigates the adverse effects of negative emotions, such as depression, on well-being [87]. Accordingly, individuals with a hypo-egoic mindset may reduce the impact of negative emotions resulting from unfavorable match outcomes, thereby enhancing the role of team identification in influencing eudaimonic motivation. Therefore, this paper proposes the following hypothesis:

H11a. 

There is a moderating role of hypo-egoic mindset in team identification influencing eudaimonic motivation.

On the other hand, individuals with an egoistic mindset tend to react defensively when they encounter information potentially threatening their positive self-image [122]. In contrast, a hypo-egoic mindset can effectively reduce individuals’ defensive self-focus on physical threats (e.g., physical health, death) and psychological threats (e.g., social exclusion, gender stereotypes) [86]. When this difference in mindset is reflected in sports consumption, individual differences in essential mindset may have different effects on subsequent game viewing or other consumption behaviors, even if individuals share the same level of identification with the team. When the individual hypo-egoic mindset is more robust, more individuals can reduce the defensive behaviors associated with team failure, thus increasing the relationship between team identification and meaningful sports consumption behaviors. Accordingly, this paper proposes the following hypothesis:

H11b. 

There is a moderating role of hypo-egoic mindset in team identification influencing meaningful sports consumption behavior.

3.3. Research Methods

3.3.1. Sample Selection

This study uses a questionnaire survey of consumers who have participated in sports consumption to explore the influencing factors that affect consumers’ behavior of engaging in meaningful sports consumption. The study sample excluded individuals under the age of 16, as this age group typically lacks the independent ability to consume, which could impact the generalizability of the findings. The survey process was divided into a pre-survey and a formal survey. The questionnaire was reworked to address the pre-survey’s vague expressions and linguistic ambiguities. A total of 1100 questionnaires were distributed in the survey process. A total of 1015 questionnaires were received, among which invalid questionnaires such as short filling time and obvious logical errors (e.g., contradictory selection of front and back question items, highly consistent scoring of different latent variables) were excluded. Finally, 910 valid questionnaires were obtained, and the questionnaire recovery rate was 92%. The effective rate of the questionnaire was 90%. The specific sample information is shown in

Table 1. Descriptive statistics of the sample.

Classification Indicator	Categories	Frequency	Percentage (%)
Gender	Male	483	53.1%
	Female	427	46.9%
Ages	16–18	111	12.2%
	18–25	313	34.4%
	26–35	271	29.8%
	36–45	150	16.5%
	>45	65	7.1%
Education level	High School and below	230	25.3%
	Junior college	303	33.3%
	Undergraduate	299	32.9%
	Master and above	78	8.6%
Monthly income	<3000	322	35.4%
	3000–5000	285	31.3%
	5000–8000	228	25.1%
	>8000	75	8.2%
Monthly sports consumption expenditure	<200	447	49.1%
	200–500	222	24.4%
	500–1000	183	20.1%
	>1000	58	6.4%

.

3.3.2. Measurement

The scales involved in this study were derived from scales that have been published and used many times in mainstream national and international journals. The final measurement scale was obtained through repeated discussions and adjustments by the panel, experts, and investigators in the consumption scenario of this study (see

Table 2. Questionnaire items.

Variable	Item	Load	SD	CR	AVE	Cronbach’s α
Self-Transcendence Values	STV1 Selfless dedication to the team	0.810	0.116	0.9836	0.6567	0.938
	STV2 Caring for others	0.796
	STV3 The success of the team is more important	0.797
	STV4 National spirit	0.840
	STV5 Patriotism	0.836
	STV6 Proud to hear the national anthem	0.819
	STV7 Support your country’s team	0.809
	STV8 Olympics for Peace	0.774
Team Identification	TI1 The team’s success is my success	0.790	0.114	0.8686	0.6230	0.871
	TI2 Praise for the team is my praise	0.780
	TI3 Saying “we” instead of “they” to the team	0.782
	TI4 Proud of the team’s victory	0.805
Eudaimonic Motivation	EM1 Appreciating the moral character of athletes	0.805	0.118	0.8843	0.6566	0.885
	EM2 Appreciate athletes playing above their level	0.802
	EM3 Appreciating the athletes’ fighting spirit	0.812
	EM4 Contest to think about the value of life	0.822
Meaningful Sports Consumption	MSC1 Buy team peripherals, regardless of record	0.790	0.114	0.9160	0.6452	0.915
	MSC2 Watch the team play, regardless of record	0.807
	MSC3 Watch my country’s (local) team play	0.818
	MSC4 Buy sports tickets to support the development of domestic (local) sports	0.798
	MSC5 Buy products from your national (local) team sponsor	0.801
	MSC6 Pay extra for national (local) teams	0.805
Subjective On-Field Performance	SOP1 Even if we lose, my team is better than yours	0.786	0.086	0.8852	0.6585	0.884
	SOP2 Even if we lose the game, my team has more fighting spirit	0.837
	SOP3 Even if we lose, the team is still stronger	0.825
	SOP4 The team’s failure is accidental	0.797
Hypo-Egoic Mindset	HEM1 Most people have a good life more important	0.719	0.083	0.8863	0.6096	0.888
	HEM2 Focus on the effect of my actions on others	0.763
	HEM3 The happiness of others is more important	0.797
	HEM4 The feelings of others are more important	0.812
	HEM5 The interests of others are more important	0.809

). Six variables were measured in this study: self-transcendence values, team identification, eudaimonic motivation, meaningful sports consumption, subjective on-field performance, and hypo-egoic mindset referenced. The scale items were on a 7-point Likert scale, with 1 indicating “strongly disagree” and 7 meaning “strongly agree”.

All items were adapted from other relevant studies. Self-transcendence values prioritize personal growth and consideration for others. To compile the items, we referred to Levenson et al. (2005) and focused on seven dimensions, such as selfless giving, team spirit, and patriotism [123]. Team identification is a psychological concept that highlights the sense of belonging sports consumers feel towards sports teams, considering them as an extension of themselves. Following the approach of Gwinner and Swanson (2003), the items for measuring team identification were developed based on four key aspects, such as belongingness, pride, and loyalty [41]. Eudaimonic motivation focuses on the inclination of sports consumers to seek purpose in life and encounter moral virtues. Therefore, the items were created based on four dimensions, such as moral quality and life values, as referenced by Oliver and Raney (2011) [25]. Meaningful sports consumption behavior looks at experiencing a more ambitious life goal and helping oneself to become a better person, and therefore, refers to Schippers and Ziegler (2019) to compose the items in terms of six aspects such as self-actualization and national spirit [124]. Subjective on-field performance reflects the differences in the subjective evaluation of objective field performance by sports consumers, and therefore, refer to Funk (2017) to compose the items in terms of four aspects such as assessment perspective and future judgment [125]. Hypo-egoic mindset is closely related to altruism, and so, refers to Leary et al. (2006) to compose items from five aspects such as others’ interests and others’ feelings [126]. The specific items are shown in Table 2.

4. Results and Analysis

4.1. Measurement Model Testing

This study examined the data’s reliability through validation factor analysis. The results showed that the measurement models fit well: χ² /df = 1.247, RMR = 0.056, GFI = 0.964, AGFI = 0.957, PGFI = 0.801, TLI = 0.994, CFI = 0.994, and RMSEA = 0.016. As shown in Table 2, the standardized factor loadings for all structural variables were more significant than 0.7 (the relevant study suggested a minimum critical level of 0.60) and were effective at the α = 0.01 level, indicating the high convergent validity of the scale. The compositional reliability (CR) of the latent variables is the combination of the reliability of all the observed variables. This indicator analyzes the consistency among the latent variables’ observed variables. A level of 0.7 or higher indicates good compositional reliability, and the CR value of each latent variable is more significant than 0.70. Next, the average variance extracted (AVE) is above the recommended level of 0.50, implying that more than 50% of the questions’ variance are explained. The consistency reliability test was based on the Cronbach alpha coefficient, which was above the critical level of 0.7 for all the scales in this study. In addition, the square root of all AVEs was greater than their row and column correlation coefficients, which indicates that the scale has high discriminant validity. For details, see Table 2 and

Table 3. Correlation coefficients of latent variables.

	STV	TI	EM	MSC	SOP	HEM
STV	0.810
TI	0.577	0.789
EM	0.620	0.581	0.810
MSC	0.585	0.554	0.528	0.803
SOP	0.336	0.325	0.386	0.463	0.811
HEM	0.484	0.447	0.464	0.562	0.476	0.781

Note: the diagonal data of the matrix represent the square root of the AVE values and the lower half of the matrix represents the correlation coefficient.

.

4.2. Structural Model Test

This study was based on the Covariance Matrix Structural Equation Modeling to analyze the influence relationships between variables. The paths of the model were analyzed using AMOS 24.0, and the path coefficients between the variables were observed to determine the influence relationships between self-transcendence values, team identification, eudaimonic motivation, and meaningful sports consumption (see

Table 4. Path test results.

Hypotheses	Path	Standard Path Coefficient	SE	T-Value	p	Results
H1	STV→MSC	0.328	0.043	7.746	***	Supported
H2	STV→TI	0.574	0.038	15.281	***	Supported
H3	STV→EM	0.431	0.042	10.84	***	Supported
H4	TI→MSC	0.265	0.041	6.369	***	Supported
H5	TI→EM	0.328	0.041	8.299	***	Supported
H6	EM→MSC	0.172	0.041	4.035	***	Supported

Note: *** p < 0.001.

). The model goodness-of-fit statistics were: χ²/df = 1.449, RMR = 0.057, GFI = 0.971, AGFI = 0.963, PGFI = 0.779, TLI = 0.992, CFI = 0.993, and RMSEA = 0.022. These statistical values indicate that the measurement model fits well.

The main effect results of this study are shown in Figure 2, where self-transcendence values have a significant positive effect relationship on team identification (γ = 0.574, p < 0.001), eudaimonic motivation (γ = 0.431, p < 0.001), and meaningful sports consumption (γ = 0.328, p < 0.001), i.e., hypotheses H1, H2, and H3 hold. Team identification has a significant positive effect on eudaimonic motivation (γ = 0.328, p < 0.001) and meaningful sports consumption (γ = 0.265, p < 0.001), i.e., hypothesis H4 and H5 holds. A significant positive influence relationship exists between eudaimonic motivation and meaningful sports consumption (γ = 0.172, p < 0.001), i.e., hypothesis H6 holds.

4.3. Mediation Effect Test

To verify the mediating effect of team identification and eudaimonic motivation. This paper used the Bootstrap method to test the mediating effect using AMOS software. Through 5000 repetitions of sampling using the Bias-corrected method and Percentile method tests, it was found that the direct and indirect effects were within the 95% confidence interval. The upper and lower bounds did not include zero values, p < 0.01, indicating that the model was a partial mediation model, as shown in

Table 5. Results of mediating effect test.

Path	Effect Value	SE	p	Bias-Corrected 95% CI		Percentile 95% CI
				Lower	Upper	Lower	Upper
Total effect	0.560	0.037	0.000	0.491	0.638	0.487	0.636
Direct effect	0.313	0.052	0.000	0.213	0.414	0.211	0.412
Indirect effects	0.247	0.037	0.000	0.180	0.323	0.179	0.323
STV→TI→MSC	0.145	0.029	0.000	0.090	0.205	0.090	0.204
STV→EM→MSC	0.071	0.024	0.001	0.028	0.121	0.027	0.121
STV→TI→EM→MSC	0.031	0.010	0.001	0.013	0.055	0.012	0.053

.

As shown in Table 5, the upper and lower limits of team identification in self-transcendence values influencing meaningful sports consumption behavior are 0.090, 0.205 at a 95% confidence interval, with values excluding 0 and p-value < 0.001, indicating that the mediating effect is significant and hypothesis H7 holds. The upper and lower limits of eudaimonic motivation in self-transcendence values influencing meaningful sports consumption behavior were 0.028, 0.121 at a 95% confidence interval with values excluding 0 and p-value < 0.01, indicating that the mediating effect was significant and hypothesis H8 holds. The upper and lower limits of team identification and eudaimonic motivation in self-transcendence values influencing meaningful sports consumption behavior were 0.013 and 0.055 at 95% confidence intervals, with values excluding 0 and p-values < 0.01, indicating significant indirect effects and chain mediation, and that hypothesis H9 holds.

4.4. Moderating Effect Test

To validate the moderating role of subjective on-field performance and hypo-egoic mindset on the pathway of team identification influence on eudaimonic motivation and meaningful sports consumption behavior, respectively. This study first standardized all continuous variables and then tested the moderating effects using Model 1 of the SPSS plug-in Process version 4.0 developed by Hayes, controlling for gender, age, literacy, monthly income, and monthly sports consumption variables. The results are shown in

Table 6. Results of the moderating effects of subjective on-field performance.

Variable	Dependent Variable: SOP		Dependent Variable: MSC
	β	T	β	T
Gender	−0.0514	−0.6712	0.1283	1.7570
Ages	−0.1551 ***	−3.3636	0.0334	0.7602
Education level	−0.0155	−0.3740	0.0368	0.9348
Monthly income	0.0253	0.4411	−0.0349	−0.6394
Monthly sports consumption	0.0403	0.8367	−0.0062	−0.1343
TI	0.4417 ***	14.8141	0.4006 ***	14.1012
SOP	0.2528 ***	7.5532	0.3470 ***	10.8794
TI × SOP	0.0543 *	2.5211	0.0452 *	2.1999
R2	0.5579		0.5783
ΔR2	0.0049		0.0036
F	6.3560		4.8395

Note: * p < 0.05; *** p < 0.001.

and

Table 7. Results of the moderating effect of hypo-egoic mindset.

Variable	Dependent Variable: EM		Dependent Variable: MSC
	β	T	β	T
Gender	−0.0479	−0.6341	0.1182	1.6680
Ages	−0.1729 ***	−3.7773	0.0229	0.5337
Education level	−0.0152	−0.3726	0.0381	0.3209
Monthly income	0.0499	0.8805	−0.0123	−0.2310
Monthly sports consumption	0.0419	0.8749	−0.0137	−0.3061
TI	0.3962 ***	12.8482	0.3447 ***	11.9312
HEM	0.3316 ***	8.9015	0.4594 ***	13.1583
TI × HEM	0.0323	1.2906	0.0737 **	3.1409
R2	0.5704		0.6079
ΔR2	0.0012		0.0069
F	1.6657		9.8650

Note: ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.001.

.

The moderating effect was determined by whether the interaction term between the independent and moderating variables had a significant positive effect on the dependent variable. From Table 6, the interaction term of team identification and subjective on-field performance significantly positively affected consumer eudaimonic motivation after including subjective on-field performance in the model (β = 0.0543, Boot SE = 0.0216, t = 2.5211, Bootstrap 95% CI [0.0120, 0.0966], p = 0.0119). The interaction term of team identification and subjective on-field performance significantly positively affected consumers’ meaningful sports consumption behavior (β = 0.0452, Boot SE = 0.0205, t = 2.1999, Boostrap95% CI [0.0049, 0.0855], p = 0.0281). The above data suggest a moderating role of subjective on-field performance in the pathway of team identification’s influence on consumer eudaimonic motivation and meaningful sports consumption behavior—that is, hypothesis H10a and hypothesis H10b passed the test.

As seen in Table 7, the interaction term of team identification and hypo-egoic mindset had no significant effect on consumers’ eudaimonic motivation after including eudaimonic motivation in the model (β = 0.0323, Boot SE = 0.0251, t = 1.2906, Bootstrap 95% CI [−0.0168, 0.0815], p = 0.1972). The interaction term of team identification and hypo-egoic mindset significantly positively affected consumers’ production of meaningful sports consumption behavior (β = 0.0737, Boot SE = 0.0235, t = 3.1409, Bootstrap 95% CI [0.0277, 0.1198], p = 0.0017). These data suggest a moderating role of hypo-egoic mindset in the pathway of team identification influence on consumers’ production of meaningful sports consumption behaviors, but not in the path of team identification influence on consumers’ eudaimonic motivation. That is, hypothesis H11b holds, and H11a does not hold.

To more visually reflect the moderating role of subjective on-field performance and hypo-egoic mindset in the relationship between team identification and eudaimonic motivation or meaningful sports consumption behavior, the moderating effects were plotted in this study (as shown in Figure 3, Figure 4 and Figure 5). Figure 3 and Figure 4 show that when subjective on-field performance is at a higher level, consumer team identification has a more substantial effect on eudaimonic motivation and meaningful sports consumption behavior, respectively, i.e., subjective on-field performance positively moderates the positive impact of team identification on eudaimonic motivation and meaningful sports consumption behavior, and hypotheses H10a and H10b are further tested. Figure 5 shows that the effect of consumer team identification on meaningful sports consumption behavior is more potent when consumer hypo-egoic mindset is at a higher level, i.e., hypo-egoic mindset positively moderates the positive effect of team identification on meaningful sports consumption, and hypothesis H11b is further verified.

5. Discussion and Insight

5.1. Discussion of Results

This study explores the issue of the mechanisms that generate meaningful sports consumption behaviors among consumers through empirical analysis. It is verified that sports consumers with self-transcendence values can influence the consumption of meaningful sports consumption behavior through the chain-mediating effect of team identification and eudaimonic motivation. In this mechanism of influence, sports consumers’ subjective on-field performance and hypo-egoic mindset play a corresponding moderating role. The discussion of this paper is as follows.

(1)

Self-transcendence values and meaningful sports consumption behavior

Past research has confirmed that self-transcendence values promote more pro-social behaviors in individuals than self-enhancing values, such as volunteering, charitable giving, and green consumption [13,32]. The link between self-transcendence values and ethical behaviors in sports has also been confirmed in the context of sports research, for example, by helping opponents and opposing cheating [37]. This series of studies demonstrate that an individual’s self-transcendence values lead him to develop more ethical and pro-social behaviors. Like previous findings, the present study verified in the context of sports consumption that consumers’ self-transcendence values can also trigger their socially meaningful behaviors. The difference is that this study further finds that consumers’ self-transcendence values can trigger their meaningful sports consumption behaviors. This finding provides a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the role played by individual self-transcendence values.

(2)

Self-transcendence values and team identification

Previous studies in areas such as green consumption and status consumption have confirmed that differences in values can have different degrees of influence on identification [51,97]. For example, self-transcendence values can generate identification with organic food based on altruistic consciousness, such as environmentalism [97], and low-status groups not based on status [99]. Consistent with previous studies, the present study further verified a significant correlation between self-transcendence values and consumer identification. The difference is that the current study demonstrated that individual consumers’ self-transcendence values significantly impact their team identification with a team in the context of sports consumption. This finding further deepens and enriches the understanding of the impact of individual values on identification.

(3)

Self-transcendence values and eudaimonic motivation

Previous studies in various fields, such as recreation, family education, and environmental protection, have confirmed that self-transcendence values are usually associated with longer, more sustainable, and more ambitious well-being [101]. And such happiness is viewed as eudaimonia instead of hedonic happiness [25]. As with previous studies, the present study further verified a significant association between self-transcendence values and eudaimonia in sports consumption. The amount that differs from the previous research is that this influential relationship is based on the context of sports consumption. The findings of this study further extend the boundaries of the conditions under which self-transcendence values influence eudaimonic motivation and deepen and enrich our understanding of this influence relationship.

(4)

Team identification and meaningful sports consumption behavior

Previous studies have confirmed that an individual’s group identity level can impact their behavior (including consumer behavior). For example, identifying with their group helps consumers associate products with a specific social identity and categorize other consumers by analyzing purchased products [127]. Consumers’ conceptions of this social identity can further influence their purchase decisions [128]. Research in sports consumption also confirms that the level of team identification can positively impact sports consumers’ support for their team and a subsequent set of sports consumption behaviors [48]. Like previous studies, the present study confirms that sports consumers’ level of team identification can influence their sports consumption behaviors. Unlike previous studies, the present study demonstrates that individuals’ level of team identification can significantly affect their meaningful sports consumption behavior in a meaningful sports consumption context. This finding further deepens the understanding of the impact of team identification on consumer behavior.

(5)

Team identification and eudaimonic motivation

Past research has noted that consumers generate greater happiness when engaging in activities closely related to their self-identification [75]. In studies in the field of sports, higher levels of fan identification with the team are associated with greater loyalty and the experience of more happiness [44]. This present study confirmed that the level of sports consumers’ identification with the team significantly positively affected their eudaimonic motivation. This result further validates the positive influence relationship between the level of team identification and happiness orientation in previous studies. In contrast to previous studies, this paper additionally focuses on consumers’ happiness with the type of eudaimonia, i.e., individuals with higher levels of identification are more likely to pursue excellence, growth, and meaningful eudaimonia in their sports consumption activities. This finding further deepens the research on the impact of team identification on consumer well-being.

(6)

Eudaimonic motivation and meaningful sports consumption behavior

Past research on mediated entertainment confirms that viewers are no longer motivated by a single pleasure-seeking dimension of hedonic motivation to watch sad movies but more by a eudaimonic motivation that seeks a meaningful measurement of life [23]. Thus, eudaimonic motivation is often interpreted as an antecedent variable for consumption behaviors with meaningful attributes, such as witnessing moral beauty or seeking value in life [25]. In the same way as previous studies, this study further verified the positive influence relationship between eudaimonic motivation and meaningful consumption in the context of sports consumption. However, unlike previous studies, this paper takes a sports consumption perspective. In the context of sports consumption, it confirms that when the happiness motivation pursued by sports consumers is eudaimonic, it promotes their meaningful sports consumption behavior. This finding advances the field of application of the effect of eudaimonic motivation on meaningful consumption behavior.

(7)

The mediating role of team identification and eudaimonic motivation

Past research has confirmed the mediating role of team identification between self-transcendence values and consumer behavior. For example, self-transcendence values are more likely to motivate sports consumers to identify with a lower-status group based on emotions such as patriotism or team affiliation than self-enhancement values [99], thus influencing their subsequent sports consumption behavior [48]. Again, Barbarossa (2017) confirmed the mediating role of green self-identification in the process of self-transcendence values influencing consumers’ purchase of electric vehicles [129]. Also, past studies have demonstrated the mediating role of eudaimonic motivation in self-transcendence values and consumer behavior. For example, an individual’s self-transcendence values can impact eudaimonic motivation regarding personal growth, excellence, and meaning [61], which further translates into pursuing meaningful behaviors, such as employees’ pursuit of meaning at work [118].

Consistent with previous research, this present study further validated the mediating effect of team identification and eudaimonic motivation in the influence of self-transcendence values on meaningful sports consumption behavior in the domain of sports consumption. Unlike previous studies, this study further validated the chain-mediating effect, confirming a chain-mediating influence relationship among self-transcendence values, team identification, eudaimonic motivation, and meaningful sports consumption behavior. This finding further deepens the understanding of the influence of self-transcendence values on consumer behavior and how team identification and eudaimonic motivation play a role in this influence relationship.

(8)

The moderating effect of subjective on-field performance

Past empirical research has shown that subjective on-field performance can impact individuals’ happiness perceptions and behaviors. For example, when fans are asked to state how many games their favorite team has won in the past, fans tend to report a better-winning record than the actual record. This in-group favoritism tendency, in turn, leads to positive well-being [130]. In a study on the well-being of middle-aged and older adults, Inoue (2022) noted that middle-aged and older fans’ subjective perceptions of enhanced team performance increased their social life satisfaction and their team’s subsequent supportive behavior [14]. In line with previous studies, the present study further confirms that subjective on-field performance impacts fans’ eudaimonic motivations and meaningful sports consumption behaviors. Unlike previous studies, the present study found that the effect of subjective on-field performance on fans’ eudaimonic motivation and sports consumption behavior was not direct but was achieved through a moderating influence. This finding further deepens the understanding of how subjective on-field performance impacts fans’ happiness perceptions and consumption behaviors.

(9)

The moderating effect of a hypo-egoic mindset

Past research has confirmed the positive effect of a hypo-egoic mindset on individuals’ well-being and pro-social behavior. For example, Kitson et al. (2020) noted that individuals with a hypo-egoic mindset shift their attention from the self to others, contributing to their lasting well-being experiences [131]. In a study on interpersonal interactions, it was noted that individuals with a hypo-egoic mindset tend to be better able to produce similar pro-social behaviors, such as forgiveness of others. In addition, a study of charitable behavior noted that individuals with a hypo-egoic mindset have a greater capacity for empathy, which positively influences unselfish giving behavior [132]. In the same way as previous studies, the present study further confirmed that a hypo-egoic mindset affects pro-social behaviors such as meaningful sports consumption. The difference is that the current research points out that the influence exerted by a hypo-egoic mindset on meaningful sports consumption behavior is achieved through a moderating effect.

However, contrary to the expected assumption, no significant moderating effect of a hypo-egoic mindset in team identification influenced eudaimonic motivation. The reasons for this analysis may lie in the following two points: on the one hand, eudaimonic motivation reflects more of a mixed emotional experience [25]. However, a hypo-egoic mindset can reduce the negative emotions of unfavorable game outcomes [87]. The happiness motivation pursued by a single-minded reduction of negative emotional experiences and the retention of positive emotional experiences may not be entirely eudaimonic motivation. Even to a certain extent, the stronger the hypo-egoic mindset of sports consumers, the more likely it is to enhance the effect of team identification on hedonic well-being motivation. On the other hand, individuals with a hypo-egoic mindset, relying on their low self-concern, may have lowered their expectations of the team before the game, and correspondingly, reduced their desire for happiness goals. The related findings further deepen the understanding of how hypo-egoic mindsets influence individual consumption behavior.

5.2. Conclusions

This study examined the mechanisms that influence the generation of meaningful sports consumption behaviors from the perspective of individual values and obtained the following conclusions. First, self-transcendence values, which pursue self-growth and interpersonal connections, can significantly and positively influence sports consumers to produce meaningful sport consumption behaviors. Second, individuals with self-transcendence values tend to exhibit higher levels of team identification and generate more eudaimonic motivations. Third, the level of team identification of sports consumers significantly and positively influences the generation of eudaimonic motivation and meaningful sports consumption behaviors. Fourth, eudaimonic motivation, which is opposed to hedonic happiness motivation, is associated with meaningful sports consumption behavior. Fifth, individuals with self-transcendent values can further influence sports consumers to generate meaningful sport consumption behaviors through the chain-mediating effect of team identification level and eudaimonic motivation. Sixth, there is a significant positive moderating effect of differences in sports consumers’ subjective on-field performance toward their teams in the process of team identification influencing eudaimonic motivation and meaningful sports consumption. Seventh, individuals with a hypo-egoic mindset reduce the influence of negative emotions on their behavior, and there is a significant positive moderating effect in the process of team identification influencing meaningful sports consumption behavior; however, there is no moderating effect in the process of team identification influencing eudaimonic motivation.

5.3. Theoretical Contribution

First, this study enriches the content of sports consumption behavior research. Previous studies on meaningful consumption have primarily focused on media entertainment, charitable giving, fair trade, and green consumption [13,32,36]. Studies on sports consumption behavior have mainly explored the issue of ordinary sports consumption behavior from a hedonistic perspective [20,133] and have not explored meaningful sports consumption behavior in depth. A few studies have examined what emotional experiences and behavioral consequences meaningful sport consumption behaviors can have for consumers [11], but no analysis of how meaningful sport consumption behaviors are generated. This study extends the study of sports consumption behavior from normal hedonic sports consumption behavior to meaningful sports consumption behavior, further enriching the research on sport consumption behavior.

Second, this study further deepens the research on meaningful sports consumption behavior. Existing research on meaningful sports consumption behavior has only explored how meaningful sports consumption behavior can affect consumers. Existing research has concluded that meaningful sports consumption can lead to mixed emotions among consumers and impact the types of motivations and types of consumption behaviors. However, existing studies do not address how consumers’ meaningful sports consumption behavior is generated and its contributing mechanisms. This study further deepens the research on meaningful sport consumption behaviors by exploring the mechanisms that generate meaningful sport consumption behaviors from the perspective of consumer values.

Finally, this study introduces values theory, social identity theory, and happiness motivation theory into meaningful sports consumption research to introduce a new research perspective on meaningful sports consumption. This current study explored the effects of self-transcendence values on consumers’ subjective well-being [134], caring behaviors [135], ethical sports behaviors [37], and environmental behaviors [136]. Also, studies have concluded that team identification affects sports consumers’ well-being [43], life satisfaction [44], loyalty [43], perceived value [49], and general sport consumption behaviors [50]. In addition, studies on consumer happiness motivation have classified consumers’ happiness motivation into two categories: hedonic and eudaimonic motivation, and discussed eudaimonic motivation’s influence on consumption behavior [111]. This study uses the value of self-transcendence as the independent variable. Team identification and eudaimonic motivation are used as intermediate variables to explore their effects on meaningful sports consumption behavior, introducing a new theoretical perspective on meaningful sports consumption behavior.

5.4. Management Insights

The uncertainty of competitive sports and the scarcity of game victories make sports consumption unable to satisfy consumers’ pursuit of hedonic experiences at all times, and this poses a great challenge to sports marketers. However, this study considers the mechanisms at play in generating meaningful sports consumption behaviors among sports consumers from a values-based perspective, which can provide sports marketers with new ideas for solutions.

(1)

Change the new thinking of sports management marketing and strengthen the concept of meaningful sports consumption. With the increasing improvements of modern people’s quality of life and material living standards, people’s cognitive thinking and sports consumption concept have undergone a huge change; in the process, sports consumption has not only pursued the use value and enjoyment value of sports goods but also pursued the meaningful value and symbolic value of sports goods. In this regard, sports enterprises or sports marketers should convert the traditional hedonistic marketing ideas and deepen the concept of meaningful sports consumption. For example, the team’s promotional videos should highlight the meaningful attributes of the team such as hard work, helpfulness, and moral beauty.

(2)

Satisfying the need for self-transcendent values and increasing the meaningful value attributes of goods. In international sports events, sports consumers with self-transcendent values show stronger patriotism, and this patriotism value is a key factor in attracting more sports fans to support their national teams. For this reason, sports marketers should promote sports products and services in a way that fully reflects values such as patriotism or team affiliation that satisfy the need for self-transcendent values, giving sports goods higher meaningful value attributes to increase sports consumers’ willingness to continuously participate in consumption.

(3)

Increase the level of consumer team identification to promote eudaimonia value generation. Sports clubs should seek to increase the level of team identification among fans to create stronger ties. Specifically, marketers can promote the connection between the team and the city (e.g., by incorporating more city elements in the team’s name and tagline) and transfering the fans’ identification with the city to the team. At the same time, highlighting the fulfilling happiness value of a sporting event (e.g., belonging) is a better way to achieve long-term happiness satisfaction than the purely hedonic value (e.g., success, victory) for a high-team-identity sporting event audience.

(4)

Focus on individual consumer mindset differences to create a positive subjective live performance. While high-profile and successful teams tend to be more attractive in the marketplace, the nature of athletic competition means that most teams face more poor records than highly successful teams. Therefore, teams with poor records should maintain the uniqueness of their teams by shifting the focus of fan evaluation to non-performance-related attributes through behaviors such as active corporate social responsibility, hosting various community groups (e.g., charity sporting events), and inviting fans to team practices. Beyond that, sports marketers need to properly identify the mindset of sports consumers and strategically consider the differences between them when segmenting and targeting. Specifically, marketers can determine whether a consumer is sub-egoist-minded with a few short questions when they sign up for an online account and make a purchase, and push more meaningfully biased goods or services to sub-egoist-minded sports consumers.

6. Research Limitations and Prospects

The limitations of this study are shown below, and these limitations also point the way for future research. First, the sample of this study is all from China, and the relevant findings only apply to a Chinese cultural context. However, the cultures and philosophies of different countries and regions are different. For example, Eastern countries place more emphasis on collectivist culture. In comparison, Western countries put more emphasis on individualist culture, and cultural differences can lead to different values [103], which in turn can have a limited impact on their behavior. Such studies can be conducted in other cultures and regions to verify the findings’ generalizability. Second, hedonic and eudaimonic motivations are usually interrelated, and consumers can have different motivations [137]. Therefore, it is difficult for consumers to decide whether their motivation to consume sports is eudaimonic or hedonic. Accordingly, future research needs to examine meaningful sports consumption and hedonic sport consumption behaviors under the same research framework. Finally, this study examines the effects of self-transcendence values, team identification, eudaimonic motivation, subjective on-field performance, and hypo-egoic mindset on meaningful sports consumption behavior. However, in addition to the above factors, other aspects, such as game expectations, may also impact meaningful sports consumption behavior [138]. Thus, future research will need to explore further the effects of other factors on meaningful sports consumption behavior.