Chantel Muller, Anita Lennox
Abstract
The eSports market is expected to generate $1.87 billion in global revenue for 2023 and was recognised as an official Olympic-level sport in the same year. This market will likely expand even further given the rapid growth of physical eSports, which includes, among others, virtual cycling, dancing and taekwondo – electronic sports requiring physical bodily movement from the user to play a virtual game. Despite this imminent success, there is a dearth of research investigating this topic, specifically consumers’ perceptions and behaviour. As a departure point, this study was the first to clarify the concept of physical eSports, provide insights into South African consumers’ perceptions and validated a perceptual framework to predict adoption intentions. A descriptive research design and cross-sectional approach were followed, where a purposive non-probability sample was targeted. Data were collected via a computer-administered survey and the reported sample comprised 474 general South African adult consumers aged 18 to 56. Statistical analyses, executed using SPSS and AMOS V28, included descriptive statistics, significant tests, reliability and validity analyses and confirmatory factor analysis via a structural equation model. Academics, physical eSports software and equipment developers, resellers and marketing professionals can use this tool to understand consumers’ perceptions and possibly predict future adoption behaviour based on awareness, permanence, facilitating conditions, attitude and participation intentions. Subsequent implications and recommendations were provided.