Antonio Fernández-Martínez’s research while affiliated with Pablo de Olavide University and other places

Introduction In recent years, the need to tackle major environmental challenges has increased awareness among organisations seeking to promote sustainable practices and minimise the impact of their events. This is a challenge for sports organisations and promoters, as they must offer high-quality events that meet the needs of the participants and, at the same time, are environmentally friendly. Objective To explore the relationship between sustainability, green practices, quality, satisfaction and intentions to participate again in sports events held in nature in Costa Rica. Methodology: 781 participants (66.3% men and 33.7% women), with an average age of 40.9 ± 11.9 years. We used a questionnaire composed of 24 items taken from different validated scales. For the purpose of data analysis, we applied various statistical techniques, including the calculation of descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha index, the average variance extracted, composite reliability and structural equation models. Results Sustainability is an important determining factor of event quality. We also found that green practices positively influence event quality. In addition, the emotions experienced by the participants have a significant impact on event quality, as well as on their intentions to participate again in the future. Conclusions The implementation of green and sustainable practices is fundamental in the management of sporting events held in natural spaces, since they not only contribute to reducing environmental impact, but can also improve the quality of the event. In turn, these variables, along with the positive emotions experienced during the event, influence the participants' intentions to participate again on future occasions.

This research aims to test the effect that the implementation of green practices at a major sport tourism event, the Badminton World Championships in Huelva (Spain), has on the future intention of spectators to return to similar sport events. A total of 523 spectators who attended the event were randomly selected and self-administered in the presence of the interviewer. A confirmatory factor analysis of the model and a multi-group analysis were carried out. Sporting events have a great impact on the environment in which they are organised, mainly when they are linked to tourism, whether at an economic, social or environmental level. The results indicated that green practices indirectly influence spectators’ future intentions through emotions and satisfaction, direct antecedents. In addition, green practices directly affect both image and trust, and indirectly affect satisfaction. In conclusion, green practices are a variable to be taken into account when planning the organisation of a sporting event that aims to consolidate itself in the tourism and sports services market.

Las organizaciones deportivas públicas prestan servicios con el objetivo de generar beneficios para la población. La interacción técnico-usuario es uno de los aspectos esenciales, siendo la cultura organizativa el elemento que permite mejorar el desempeño de los trabajadores y que se materializa en un aumento de la satisfacción de los usuarios. El objetivo fue conocer cómo una propuesta de intervención sobre la cultura organizativa realizada con trabajadores se traduce en las valoraciones de los usuarios y sus intenciones de comportamiento futuras. El grupo de estudio estuvo compuesto por 3985 usuarios y 388 trabajadores de servicios deportivos públicos, divididos en dos grupos, control y experimental. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo y cuasi-experimental, con una intervención sobre el grupo control de trabajadores. Se utilizó el método de medidas repetidas del modelo lineal general para constatar las diferencias en las variables dependientes y se calculó el tamaño de efecto. Los resultados mostraron que un incremento de la cultura organizativa de los trabajadores se correspondió con un aumento del valor percibido, la satisfacción y la lealtad de los usuarios. En conclusión, la mejora de la cultura organizativa de los servicios deportivos redunda de forma positiva sobre variables conativas, actitudinales y conductuales de los usuarios.

The sports industry contributes significantly to environmental degradation through its economic practices. As a result, there has been interest in reducing the impact through various initiatives in sectors such as sporting events, facility management, etc. However, these initiatives have not been studied in the sport sector, eluding the beneficial effects it could have on market positioning and user retention. Therefore, this study aims to assess the effect of green practices implemented by sports clubs on their users’ perceptions and loyalty. The GPSport and EPOD2 questionnaires were used on a total of 1732 users of 27 Spanish sports clubs, of whom 70% were men. In data processing, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis were used for psychometric properties; Cronbach’s alpha, AVE, and CR were used for correlations between factors, and CMIN, DF, and CFI were used to test the invariance of the factor structure across user groups. Perceptions of the service were predominantly positive. The construct with the highest value was satisfaction (4.36 ± 0.73), followed by loyalty (4.19 ± 0.79), with green practices scoring the lowest (3.01 ± 0.94). Perceived quality was a significant and direct antecedent of satisfaction, while satisfaction was a significant and direct antecedent of loyalty, with the former relationship being the strongest. Green practices were directly and significantly related to perceived quality, predominantly indirectly related to satisfaction, and mostly directly related to loyalty. For female users, the relevance of green practices as an antecedent of perceived quality and satisfaction was significantly higher. The results obtained suggest that green practices are an added value that improves users’ perceptions, especially among females, justifying the use of marketing strategies based on the adoption of green practices.

En los últimos años los eventos deportivos llevados a cabo en la naturaleza han aumentado, provocando un gran impacto en los lugares donde se realizan. Las organizaciones deportivas tienen el reto de ofrecer eventos deportivos de calidad que satisfagan las necesidades de los participantes y que sean amigables con el ambiente. Objetivo: explorar la relación entre las prácticas verdes, la calidad (general y del resultado), la satisfacción y la intención de volver a participar en eventos deportivos realizados en el medio natural en Costa Rica. Método: 781 participantes (66.3% hombres y 33.7% mujeres) con una edad promedio de 40.9 ± 11.9 años. El instrumento utilizado fue un cuestionario conformado por 24 ítems provenientes de distintas escalas. Para el análisis de los datos, se aplicaron técnicas estadísticas, incluyendo el cálculo de estadísticas descriptivas, el índice Alpha de Cronbach, la varianza promedio extraída, la fiabilidad compuesta y modelos de ecuaciones estructurales. Resultados: se destaca las prácticas verdes como antecedente de la calidad general y que la calidad general antecede la satisfacción, mientras que la calidad del resultado antecede la satisfacción y las intenciones de volver a participar, además, se encontró que la satisfacción también es un antecedente de las intenciones de volver a participar en el evento. Conclusiones: la implementación de prácticas verdes es un elemento indispensable a considerar en la gestión de eventos deportivos, ya que no solo ayudan a minimizar el impacto medio ambiental, sino que también pueden mejorar la calidad del evento y la intención de volver a participar de los participantes. Palabras clave: prácticas verdes, satisfacción, evento deportivo, intenciones futuras. Abstract. In recent years, the offer of sports services carried out in nature has increased, causing a great impact on the places where they are held. Sports organizations have the challenge of offering quality sports events that meet the needs of participants and are environmentally friendly. Objective: to explore the relationship between green practices, quality (overall and of the outcome), satisfaction, and the intention to participate again in sports events held in natural environments in Costa Rica. Method: 781 participants (66.3% men and 33.7% women) with an average age of 40.9 ± 11.9 years. The instrument used was a questionnaire consisting of 24 items from different scales. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha, AVE, FC, and structural model analysis were calculated for data analysis. Results: Green practices are highlighted as an antecedent to general quality, and general quality precedes satisfaction, while outcome quality influences satisfaction and intentions to participate again. Furthermore, satisfaction precedes intentions to participate again in the event. Conclusions: The implementation of green practices is an indispensable element to consider in the management of sports events since they not only help minimize the environmental impact but also can improve the quality of the event and the participant's experience. Key words: green practices, satisfaction, sport event, future intentions

Environmental sustainability has often been associated with increased organizational profitability, efficiency, and competitiveness. A related example is green practices which have become a central component of many companies’ marketing strategies and day-to-day management. The current study aims to develop and validate a scale for use in sport organizations and activities. An item bank derived from past literature was prepared, which was then assessed by a group of experts and pilot-tested. Two waves of data collection were then collected (N = 1165 and N = 567). An exploratory factor analysis was performed with the data from wave 1, and a one-dimensional solution was presented. Then, a confirmatory factor analysis followed by a multigroup analysis was performed with the data from wave 2. The results confirmed the six-item one-dimensional scale with high levels of reliability and validity and optimal fit indices. The scale is important to green practices adopted by sport organizations regarding the customer–organization relationship.

Tourism, including sports tourism, is an important driver of social and economic development. Sports tourism events, and small-scale sporting events in particular, are a powerful resource for promoting tourism in the host city, as a viable way of developing sustainable tourism in the local community. This study aims to analyse the impact of functional quality, outcome quality, satisfaction, and perceived value on intentions to recommend the host city among participants in a small-scale sporting event. A total of 866 runners in a 21-km recreational race participated in this study. A multi-item scale was used and a confirmatory factor analysis of the model was carried out, and the presence of gender differences in the relationships was ascertained using a multigroup analysis. The results revealed a direct effect of functional quality and satisfaction, and an indirect effect of outcome quality and value on intentions to recommend the city. Intention to recommend the city and functional quality showed differences between males and females. In conclusion, managing quality is a key strategy in encouraging participants in small-scale sporting events to recommend the host city.

Las organizaciones deportivas pueden tener una relación más cercana con sus seguidores y aprender de ellos a través de sus interacciones sociales en comunidades virtuales. El objetivo fue constatar la validez, fiabilidad y estructura factorial de la escala de motivos de uso de páginas web de equipos de fútbol. Tras los análisis factoriales confirmatorios se obtuvo un cuestionario reducido compuesto por siete dimensiones, con 21 ítems, con una gran proporción de varianza explicada y fiabilidad alta. Estos resultados constataron que se trataba de un instrumento fiable y válido, acreditándolo como útil para la gestión y la investigación, con una fácil puesta en práctica, pudiendo ser utilizado de forma periódica por los responsables de las organizaciones deportivas, permitiendo la comparación entre éstas. Los resultados han permitido presentar una herramienta capaz de conocer los motivos por los que las personas aficionadas al fútbol utilizaban las páginas web de los equipos. Abstract. Sports organizations may have a closer relationship with their fans and learn from them through their social interactions in virtual communities. The aim was to test the validity, reliability and factor structure of the scale of reasons for using football team websites. The confirmatory factor analyses resulted in a reduced questionnaire composed of seven dimensions, with 21 items, a high proportion of explained variance and high reliability. These results showed that it was a reliable and valid instrument, accrediting it as useful for management and research, easy to implement, and can be used periodically by those in charge of sports organizations, allowing for comparison between them. The results have made it possible to present a tool capable of finding out the reasons why football fans use the teams' websites.

There are two main lines of inquiry in the literature on adherence and/or loyalty to the practice of physical activity and to health services: one focuses on the impact of perceived quality of sports and health services and satisfaction with these services on user loyalty, while the other concludes that users with more self-determined motivation at more advanced stages of physical activity display higher levels of physical activity and greater intentions to continue this activity. The objective of this study is to ascertain the impact of different dimensions of sports service quality on satisfaction and loyalty among users aged 12 to 16 years old and to identify any differences between adolescent users at more and less consolidated stages of physical activity. A total of 1717 minors with a mean age of 13.83 ± 1.32 years who practise organised physical activity at public sports centres in Nuevo León (Mexico), 51.5% of whom were boys, participated in the study. The model of structural equations linking quality, satisfaction, and loyalty displayed adequate indices. The results showed that the staff, specific activity, and user satisfaction are predictors of loyalty. Significant differences were only found between minors at consolidated and non-consolidated stages of physical activity in the relationship between service personnel and loyalty. In conclusion, human resources and their deployment are predictive of loyalty towards sports and health services among adolescents.