Factors Affecting participation in Offline Sport Events of Sumo, Petanque and O-Sport during COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract
The recommendations and solutions provided by researchers in critical situations such as the spread of the corona virus lead us to a solution for holding sports events under special conditions in order to prevent the spread of such diseases while creating opportunities for people to participate in sports events and activities. In case of coronavirus outbreak, Offline events have shifted the public's focus from In-person and live streaming events to the web and cyberspace and it seems that in such a situation, the media and social networks and offline activities can break the spell of stillness and silence in the field of sports and open an opening to the attractive and popular world of sports. However, with many people unable to participate in their normal activities, it is important to take advantage of opportunities for physical activity and exercise in the midst of this global crisis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the factors affecting participation in offline sport events during coronavirus pandemic.
The research method is descriptive and survey type and applied in terms of purpose. The statistical population included all participants in the offline national competitions of the three sports of sumo, petanque and o-sport in 2021, in which 300 participants voluntarily completed the researcher-made questionary. The reliability of the research tool was reported using Cronbach's alpha method of 0.92. SPSS version 24 software was used for data analysis. Finally, by using structural equation modeling based on the partial least squares approach with SmartPLS software, the research hypotheses and causal model testing of the identified variables were investigated. Findings showed that the research model has a good fit and can be used to examine the factors affecting individual participation. The effect of factors of involvement, satisfaction and attitude of individuals on their participation in offline sports events was significant. Findings also showed that the factors of event characteristics, involvement and satisfaction increase the likelihood of developing a positive attitude towards participation in these events. Attitudes, satisfaction and involvement factors in an offline sports event, can also be intermediaries between the characteristics of the event and participation in it. Finding new ways for individuals and society to participate in sports is considered a unique opportunity. Holding offline sports events can be a creative solution to reduce the negative effects of crises such as the Corona pandemic and fill the void of activities and holding sports events, because it eliminates direct and close contact between people and also reduces trips and commuting. Many researches in line with the present research consider the level of involvement, attitude and satisfaction of people to be effective in increasing their sports participation. For example, Mason (2005) refers to the attitude factor, Alexandris et al (2007) and Funk et al (2004) to the conflict factor and Noori Khanyourdi et al (2023) and Yusuf et al (2019), Soheily et al (2018) to the satisfaction factor. Since these factors play an important and influential role in their participation in offline sports events, it is necessary to examine the factors that affect these variables. It is suggested that managers and sports professionals do their best and in different ways, such as raising the quality of events, increase the necessary grounds for the satisfaction of people to participate more in such events in conditions such as the Corona crisis.
The findings of the current research showed that the factors of attitude, satisfaction and involvement in an offline sports event can also be a mediator between the characteristics of the event and participation in it. The findings of this research are in line with the results of the research of Soheily et al (2018) on the mediating role of satisfaction and show that the characteristics of the event affect satisfaction and satisfaction has a significant effect on people's participation in offline sports events in this critical condition. The findings of this research are also aligned with the results of ALexandris et al (2007) and show that the involvement of people in an offline event can be a mediator between the characteristics of that event and participation in it. Also, the results of the research in line with the results of the research of Yusuf et al (2019) show that the characteristics of the event can affect the attitude towards the event, which is an effective motivational factor for attending a sports event. According to the findings of the research, evaluating the participants' perceptions is one of the useful methods that can be considered to increase their participation. In order to reduce the negative effects of the spread of the corona virus on the sports industry, sports institutions should update their communication with their fans and supporters and take the best and most advantage of virtual solutions such as online networks and official websites (Heydari et al, 2021). The findings of this research showed that the level of satisfaction, the level of involvement, the attitude towards the event and the characteristics of the event can be effective on people's intention to participate in offline sports events. Therefore, it is suggested that in order to maintain better communication with fans, spectators and enthusiasts who are the main assets of sports, these effective factors should be taken into consideration. A virus like Corona is highly contagious and its lethality is significant; therefore, it requires different management. Holding offline sports events can be an effective strategy to temporarily replace sports events in this situation. Of course, according to the findings of the research, in the successful holding of such events, the factors that affect participation should be considered. In general, it should be noted that the research model may not be able to fully express the intention of people to attend offline sports events, but knowing these effective factors can be useful in order to increase participation in sports events in situations such as the Corona crisis. Therefore, considering these factors, the current research considers the development of offline events as an important strategy in such situations, and it is suggested that managers of offline sports events provide appropriate planning for the development of participation by measuring the factors affecting participation.