An Investigation of the Sports Awareness Levels of Individuals Participating in International Sports Events in Terms of Various Variables: The Case of the Marmara Region

Abstract

The objective of this study is to examine whether the level of sports awareness among individuals participating in international sports events in the Marmara Region varies according to demographic variables. The population of the study consists of individuals participating in sports events in the Marmara Region, while the sample consists of a total of 441 participants selected from the provinces of Istanbul, Kocaeli, Sakarya, Yalova, Bursa, and Edirne. The "Sports Awareness Scale", a tool developed by Uyar and Sunay (2020), was utilised as the primary data collection instrument. The research design employed a descriptive survey model. Following the acquisition of ethical committee approval, the administration of the questionnaires was conducted by the researcher(s) in person within the designated activity areas, in accordance with the stipulations of the research permit. All data were initially coded on paper, subsequently transferred to the SPSS Statistical 25.0 program, and then subjected to data editing. The analysis of the data was conducted using a range of statistical methods, including independent samples T-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and post-hoc analyses for differences. All analyses were evaluated at a significance level of p<.05. Consequently, it was determined that the general sports awareness scores of the participants in the study were high in terms of the Sports Awareness Scale.

Keywords

• Sports awareness
• Event
• Recreation
• International Sports Events

Uluslararası Spor Etkinliklerine Katılan Bireylerin Spor Farkındalık Düzeylerinin Çeşitli Değişkenler Açısından İncelenmesi: Marmara Bölgesi Örneği

Öz

Bu araştırmanın amacı, Marmara Bölgesi’nde uluslararası spor etkinliklerine katılan bireylerin spor farkındalık düzeylerinin demografik değişkenlere göre farklılık gösterip göstermediğinin incelemesidir. Araştırmanın evrenini Marmara Bölgesi’nde spor etkinliklere katılan bireyler oluştururken, örneklem İstanbul, Kocaeli, Sakarya, Yalova, Bursa ve Edirne illerinden seçilen toplam 441 katılımcı oluşturmaktadır. Veri toplama aracı olarak Uyar ve Sunay (2020) tarafından geliştirilen “Spor Farkındalığı Ölçeği” kullanılmıştır. Araştırma betimsel tarama modeli ile desenlenmiştir. Anketler, etik kurul izni alınması sonrası araştırmacı/araştırmacılar tarafından araştırma izni kapsamında etkinlik bölgelerine gidilerek yüz yüze uygulatılmıştır. Tüm veriler kağıt üzerinde kodlanarak SPSS Statistical 25.0 programına aktarılmış ve veri düzenlemesi yapılmıştır. Verilerin analizinde Bağımsız Örneklemler için T-Testi, Tek Yönlü Varyans Analizi (ANOVA) ve farklılıklara ilişkin Post-Hoc analizleri kullanılmıştır. Tüm analizlerde anlamlılık p<.05 düzeyinde değerlendirilmiştir. Sonuç olarak, araştırmaya katılan katılımcıların Spor Farkındalık Ölçeği açısından genel spor farkındalık puanlarının yüksek düzeyde olduğu belirlenmiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Spor farkındalığı
• Etkinlik
• Rekreasyon
• Uluslararası Spor Etkinlikleri

Kaynakça

1. Bahadır, Z., & Kaya, K. (2016). An examination of recreational sports programs in Turkey. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention, 5(11), 22–27.
2. Carty, C., Van der Ploeg, H. P., Biddle, S. J. H., Bull, F., Willumsen, J., Lee, L., & Milton, K. (2021). The first global physical activity and sedentary behavior guidelines for people living with disability. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 18(1), 86–93. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2020-0629
3. Çalgan, G., & İnan, H. (2023). Determination of sport awareness levels of students in physical education and sports school (Adıyaman example). International Journal of Sport Culture and Science, 11(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.14486/IntJSCS.2023.669
4. Den Braver, N. R., Garcia Bengoechea, E., Messing, S., Kelly, L., Schoonmade, L. J., Volf, K., & Lakerveld, J. (2022). The impact of mass-media campaigns on physical activity: A review of reviews through a policy lens. European Journal of Public Health, 32(Suppl. 4), iv71–iv83. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-022-01306-0
5. Deng, J., Zhou, X., Xu, H., Chen, M., & Zhang, Y. (2025). Family sports intergenerational influence effect and related mechanisms: Evidence from Chinese families. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1592844. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1592844
6. Ece, C., Çetin, S., Şen, M., Senger, K., & Koç, M. (2022). The relationship between recreation awareness and happiness levels of children in Turkey. Annals of Applied Sport Science, 10(3), e1063. https://doi.org/10.52547/aassjournal.1063
7. Eime, R. M., Young, J. A., Harvey, J. T., Charity, M. J., & Payne, W. R. (2013). A systematic review of the psychological and social benefits of participation in sport for adults: Informing development of a conceptual model of health through sport. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 10(1), 135. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-10-135
8. Eskiler, E., Genç, H., Yalçın, İ., Ekinci, N. E., & Kızar, O. (2022). Rekreasyon ve spor: Psikososyal alanlarda güncel yaklaşımlar. IKSAD Yayınları.

9. Füzéki, E., Engeroff, T., & Banzer, W. (2024). Age-related differences in physical activity awareness and participation: Evidence from adults in the United Kingdom. Sports, 12(7), 174. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12070174
10. Getz, D. (2012). Event studies: Theory, research and policy for planned events. Routledge.
11. Gratton, C., & Preuss, H. (2008). Maximizing Olympic impacts by building up legacies. The International Journal of the History of Sport, 25(14), 1922–1938. https://doi.org/10.1080/09523360802439023
12. Grix, J., & Houlihan, B. (2014). Sports mega-events as part of a nation’s soft power strategy: The cases of Germany (2006) and the UK (2012). The British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 16(4), 572–596. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-856X.12017
13. Güzel Gürbüz, P., Abay Beşikçi, E., & Esentaş Deveci, M. (2024). Metaphorical Perceptions of the Concept of "Game" from the Perspective of Students Studying in the Department of Recreation. International Journal of Recreation and Sports Science, 8(1), 98-103. https://doi.org/10.46463/ijrss.1535257
14. Henderson, K. A. (2004). Theory in recreation and leisure research: Reflections, issues, and prospects. Leisure Sciences, 26(2), 119–135. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490400490502471
15. Higham, J. (1999). Commentary—Sport as an avenue of tourism development: An analysis of the positive and negative impacts of sport tourism. Current Issues in Tourism, 2(1), 82–90. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683509908667845
16. Hou, J. (2025). The impact of social media on sports consumer behavior: Analysis. Academic Journal of Management and Social Sciences, 12(2), 45–59. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-19795
17. Hoye, R., Nicholson, M., & Brown, K. (2015). Involvement in sport and social connectedness. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 50(1), 3–21. https://doi.org/10.1177/1012690212466076
18. İnce, A., & Yıldıran, İ. (2019). The effects of sport events on the image of host cities. Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, 30(3), 120–134. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/sbd/issue/49198/662622
19. Jago, R., Fox, K. R., Page, A. S., Brockman, R., & Thompson, J. L. (2020). Family influences on physical activity in children: A longitudinal study in the United Kingdom. BMC Public Health, 20, 1420. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09583-2
20. Kaplanidou, K., & Vogt, C. (2007). The interrelationship between sport event and destination image and sport tourists’ behaviours. Journal of Sport & Tourism, 12(3–4), 183–206. https://doi.org/10.1080/14775080701736932
21. Karasar, N. (2022). Scientific research methods (37th ed.). Nobel Akademi Yayıncılık.
22. Ko, Y. J., & Pastore, D. L. (2005). A hierarchical model of service quality for the recreational sport industry. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 14(2), 84–97. https://doi.org/10.1177/106169340501400203
23. Kracht, C. L., & Ylitalo, K. R. (2018). Sibling influence on children's objectively measured physical activity. BMC Public Health, 18, 1234. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-6053-0
24. LeCroy, M. N. (2024). Correlations in siblings' physical activity and sedentary behaviors. Child Health, 13(2), 102–110. https://doi.org/10.1089/chi.2022.0232
25. Malloy, D. C., Ross, S., & Zakus, D. H. (2003). Sport ethics: Concepts and cases in sport and recreation (2nd ed.). Thompson Educational Publishing.
26. Misener, L., & Mason, D. S. (2006). Creating community networks: Can sporting events offer meaningful sources of social capital? Managing Leisure, 11(1), 39–56. https://doi.org/10.1080/13606710500445676
27. Mocanu, G. D., Murariu, G., Onu, I., & Badicu, G. (2022). The influence of gender and the specificity of sports activities on the performance of body balance for students of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(13), 767. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph1913767
28. Oja, L., & Piksööt, J. (2022). Physical activity and sports participation among adolescents: Associations with sports-related knowledge and attitudes. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(10), Article 6235. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19106235
29. Osai, K. V., Taylor, R. D., Côté, J., & Fraser-Thomas, J. (2020). Modeling and differentiation among siblings participating in youth sport. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 42(6), 500–512. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2020-0123
30. Özant, M. İ., Ayyıldız Durhan, T., Demirel, M., & Zorba, E. (2025). Recreational activity motivation and perceived health outcomes in recreation from men’s perspective. Journal of Men’s Health, 21(3), 127–136. https://doi.org/10.22514/jomh.2025.044
31. Preuss, H. (2007). The conceptualisation and measurement of mega sport event legacies. Journal of Sport & Tourism, 12(3–4), 207–228. https://doi.org/10.1080/14775080701736957
32. Roche, M. (2000). Mega-events and modernity: Olympics and expos in the growth of global culture. Routledge.
33. Singh, C., Bandre, G., Gajbe, U., Shrivastava, S., Tiwade, Y. R., Bankar, N., & Moizuddin, K. (2024). Sedentary habits and their detrimental impact on global health: A viewpoint. National Journal of Community Medicine, 15(2), 154–160. https://doi.org/10.55489/njcm.150220243590
34. Smith, J., & Green, K. (2018). Student sport participation and awareness: Gender perspectives in higher education. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 42(3), 201–217. https://doi.org/10.1177/019372351877654
35. Spaaij, R. (2012). Beyond the playing field: Experiences of sport, social capital, and integration among Somalis in Australia. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 35(9), 1519–1538. https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2011.592205
36. Tian, Y. (2023). The relationship between media use and sports participation behavior: A meta-analysis. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 45(4), 123–135. https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076231185476
37. Toohey, K., & Veal, A. J. (2007). The Olympic Games: A social science perspective. CABI.
38. Trail, G. T., & James, J. D. (2001). The motivation scale for sport consumption: Assessment of the scale’s psychometric properties. Journal of Sport Behavior, 24(1), 108–127.
39. Uzun, İ. N., & Karataş, M. (2022). Recreational activity and sport. In F. Güven (Ed.), Recreation and sport (pp. XX–YY). Efe Akademi Yayınları.
40. Weed, M. (2014). Sport, tourism and identities: Global frameworks and local realities. Routledge.
41. Wei, L., Aman, M. S., Abidin, N. E. Z., & Qian, W. (2025). Exploring the relationship between sports media use, sports participation behavior, and sport commitment: A mixed-methods study using structural equation modeling and qualitative insights. BMC Psychology, 13, Article 636. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02964
42. Yalçın, İ., Bayram, A., Eskiler, E., Genç, H., & Kızar, O. (2022). Recreation and sport: Contemporary approaches in psychosocial fields. IKSAD Yayınları.
43. Yıldız, O. (2025). Sport and recreation in the digitalized world. Özgür Yayınları.
44. Ylitalo, K. R., & Ylitalo, K. R. (2019). Sibship, physical activity, and sedentary behavior. BMC Public Health, 19, 6521. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6521