Analysis of the Relationship between the Expectations of Local Residents for the Women’s Professional Volleyball Team and Local Image, Social Overhead Capital Perception, and Local Attachment

Abstract

Establishing a new sports club in the local community is an important factor that can enhance the local image, develop a social infrastructure due to tourist visits, and make residents feel attached to their community. Accordingly, this study examines the relationship between local image, social overhead capital (SOC) recognition, local attachment, and the founding effects of a new women’s professional volleyball team. We analyzed 377 questionnaires using frequency analysis, correlation analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling. The findings reveal that establishing a local women’s professional volleyball team has a statistically non-significant economic expectation effect on the local image and statistically significant cultural and public relations expectation effects on the local image, SOC perception, and local attachment. This results from an investigation into the effectiveness of the AI Peppers on the expected effects of establishing a local professional sports team. In conclusion, creating a local professional sports team can impact the expected cultural promotion effect, e.g., expanding the local community infrastructure, attracting tourists and spectators, and strengthening attachment to residents. Furthermore, it can be presented as an efficient alternative to solve the problems of the professional sports industry centered in metropolitan regions.