Evaluating the psychological mechanisms underlying new Olympic sports consumption: the expectation disconfirmation theory framework applied to Millennials’ and Generation Z’s experiences

IntroductionThis study investigated the psychological mechanisms underlying Millennials’ and Generation Z’s consumption of the newly adopted Olympic sports, breaking, skateboarding, surfing, and sport climbing, featured for the first time in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Drawing on the expectation disconfirmation theory (EDT), we examined how gaps between prior expectations and the actual viewing experience shape satisfaction and continuous viewing intentions.MethodsA survey was conducted from August to December 2024 involving Millennial and Generation Z respondents residing across 17 regions in Korea using purposive sampling to recruit individuals with prior viewing experience of the target sports. A total of 430 valid responses were analyzed in this study. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Seoul National University (Approval Number: SNU 24-10-055) and complied with the established ethical research guidelines.ResultsFindings indicated that prior expectations did not significantly influence disconfirmation or satisfaction, whereas perceived performance emerged as a central determinant of both constructs. Disconfirmation exerted a positive effect on satisfaction, suggesting that in contexts where prior information is limited, emotional and cognitive stimulation arising from performances exceeding expectations can enhance viewer satisfaction. Satisfaction significantly predicted continuous viewing intention.ConclusionThese results support the applicability of the EDT to Olympic sports content consumption while offering strategic implications for promoting sustained engagement among younger generations in newly introduced Olympic sports.