Sport Mega-Events, Volunteer Motivation, and Self-Assessment: Reasons and Expectations for participating in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Abstract

Background: Sport management research is currently extensive and multidisciplinary, allowing a wide scientific knowledge about its multiple areas of intervention within the sport sciences. One of the key areas of research has focused on understanding the management of sporting events, particularly large-scale events, and their sporting, economic and social impacts. In the last decade, research has also been focusing on the study of volunteers involved in global sport mega-events. Approach: The main objective of this study focuses on in-depth knowledge about the satisfaction, expectations and motivations of volunteers involved in the organization of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games from a self-perception perspective, while identifying the sociodemographic profile and comparing results according to the variables of the analysis model. Methods: This research followed a quantitative-descriptive approach, using primary data collection through a semi-structured questionnaire survey. The data obtained were subsequently analysed and compared using descriptive and inferential statistical methods and techniques. In a universe of 25 241 volunteers, a total of 828 validated answers were obtained after verification of the questionnaires. Results: According to the survey, there was a prevalence of volunteers living in the organising country (90.1%), mostly female (53.7%). The most representative age groups were 16-25 years (38.6%), followed by the 26-35 age group (24.8%). Most volunteers were single (66.4%) and held a bachelor's degree (68.0%). The volunteers highlighted mainly the feeling of pleasure (20.0%), improvement of personal and professional curriculum (17.0%), passion for the Olympic Games (16.8%) and passion for sport (15.6%) as the main reasons and motivations for their involvement as volunteers in the event. The group comparison found some statistically significant gender differences, namely regarding the perceptions of "Recognition and/or rewards received", "Making professional contacts", "The tasks carried out allowed me to show my worth" and "Positive Experience". Conclusions: Participation as a volunteer in the world's most important sport mega-event was perceived as being positive, a feeling expressed by different motivations and levels of satisfaction regarding the value and benefits provided by this involvement. This is proven when 92.0% of the volunteers replied that they would participate in a similar experience again.