A Study on K-League Fans' Intention to Participate in Sustainability Campaigns Applying the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to apply the extended Theory of Planned Behavior to examine the relationships between environmental concern, attachment points (team, community, and region), attitudes toward sustainability campaigns, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and the intention to participate in sustainability campaigns among domestic K-League fans. Additionally, the study analyzed the moderating effects of attachment points on the relationship between environmental concern and attitudes. Research design, data, and methodology: The study’s participants were K-League fans aged 20 and above in South Korea, and data was collected via an online survey through the online communities between August 24 and September 17, 2024, and 182 responses were used for analysis. The statistical analyses included frequency analysis, reliability analysis, validity analysis, path analysis, and moderation analysis. Results: The findings of the study are as follows: First, the environmental concern of sports fans was identified as a positive predictor of their attitudes toward sustainability campaigns. Second, the attachment to the region where the fan resides was found to strengthen the relationship between environmental concern and attitudes toward sustainability. Third, sports fans' attitudes toward sustainability campaigns, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control had a significant positive effect on their intention to participate in sustainability campaigns. Conclusions: This study is academically significant in that it extends existing theoretical frameworks in the context of domestic professional sports and attempts to more precisely understand consumer behavior and provides foundational data for establishing marketing strategies that can promote positive behavioral changes and foster interest in sustainability in the sports sector.