Consumption environment, fan engagement, and social diffusion in non-professional football: an S-O-R study of China's Su Chao league

Abstract

Introduction Non-professional sports leagues represent an increasingly significant segment of the sports economy, yet the micro-level behavioral mechanisms through which innovative consumption environments generate sustained consumer engagement remain poorly understood. This study applies the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) framework to the Jiangsu Provincial Super League (Su Chao), extending the stimulus dimension to capture the distinctive characteristics of culturally embedded grassroots sporting events, including civic identity, “one-city-one-team” rivalry, and industry integration. Methods Survey data were collected from 382 Su Chao consumers. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were conducted together with bootstrap-based mediation and multi-group moderation tests. The stimulus tier was operationalized across four dimensions—scene immersion, industry integration, digital services, and basic facilities—while the organism tier was structured as a three-stage sequential system. Results All 22 hypothesized structural paths were supported. Digital services and scene immersion emerged as the strongest stimulus predictors, whereas basic facilities functioned primarily as hygiene factors. Stimulus effects on behavioral responses were fully mediated through organism states. Participation frequency and consumer age significantly conditioned key pathways. The broad support for the hypothesized relationships should be interpreted in the context of Su Chao's highly anticipated inaugural season, characterized by novelty and high community engagement. Discussion The findings indicate that digital services can supersede the physical environment as a primary driver of consumer experience in non-professional football. The study extends the S-O-R framework by demonstrating how culturally embedded consumption environments translate into sustained consumer engagement through sequential cognitive and affective mechanisms.