Document Type

Post-Print

Keywords

sports media, entertainment, suspense, survey

Abstract

This survey study investigated contributors to viewers' hedonic enjoyment, appreciation, and emotional responses to a televised baseball game. There was an indirect relationship between athlete affinity and hedonic enjoyment by way of suspense. This relationship was moderated by the game's outcome such that suspense was associated more strongly with enjoyment when the viewer's team lost. Interest and knowledge of a player was the form of affinity that had a stronger relationship to suspense, rather than the viewers' sense of having a virtual friendship. Virtual friendship and sport involvement were associated directly with appreciation. Enjoyment and appreciation were associated with different emotional responses. Whereas enjoyment was associated with stronger positive and weaker negative emotions, appreciation was associated with stronger positive, negative, and meaningful emotions. final draft post-refereeing

Publication Date

4-3-2015

Publication Title

Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media

Volume

59

Issue

2

First Page

259

Last Page

277

DOI

10.1080/08838151.2015.1029124

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