Sports have always been a source of enjoyment for many people
However, they also play a larger role in fostering community and belonging, which can benefit both individuals and society. Despite being recognized for their positive effects, there is limited evidence to support the link between watching sports and well-being. To address this gap, a team of researchers conducted a multi-method research study and found that watching sports activates the brain’s reward circuits, leading to improved well-being. This was especially true for popular sports like baseball. The research findings offer valuable insights for public health policies and individual well-being enhancement.
The enjoyment and relaxation of watching sports, especially in large groups, goes beyond just being entertained. It creates a feeling of community and belonging among the audience, which not only brings individual satisfaction but also has positive effects on society such as improved health, increased productivity, and decreased crime. Despite being known for its beneficial impacts, current studies on the link between watching sports and well-being have limited evidence.
To address this gap, a team of researchers led by Associate Professor Shintaro Sato from the Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, JJapan recently conducted a groundbreaking study on the connection between sports viewing and well-being in the general population. Prof. Sato, Assistant Professor Keita Kinoshita from Nanyang Technological University, and Dr. Kento Nakagawa from the Faculty of Human Sciences at Waseda University used a multi-method approach, which included secondary data analysis, self-reports, and neuroimaging measures. The team aimed to address the challenge of the subjective nature of well-being research measurements by focusing on both subjective and objective measures of well-being.
According to Prof. Sato, the research was published online on 22 March 2024 in Sports Management Review.
One study involved analyzing large-scale publicly available data on the impact of watching sports on 20,000 Japanese residents. The findings confirmed the consistent trend of increased reported well-being associated with regular sports viewing. However, this study was limited in its ability to provide deeper insight into the relationship between sports consumption and well-being.
The second study was an online survey aimed at exploring the connection between sports viewing and well-being.The study, which included 208 participants and involved watching different types of sports, found that well-being was affected differently depending on the sport. Popular sports like baseball had a greater impact on improving well-being compared to less popular sports like golf. The third study used neuroimaging techniques to analyze changes in brain activity after watching sports. Using multimodal MRI neuroimaging measurement procedures, the researchers were able to measure brain activity.The activity of fourteen healthy Japanese participants was studied as they watched sports clips. The results showed that watching sports activated the brain’s reward circuits, indicating feelings of happiness or pleasure. Another important discovery came from the analysis of brain structure images, which revealed that people who watched sports more often had greater gray matter volume in areas linked to reward circuits. This suggests that regular sports viewing may lead to changes in brain structures over time. Both subjective and objective measures of well-being were analyzed as well.The study found that regularly watching sports, especially popular ones like baseball or soccer, can have a positive impact on individuals’ well-being. Prof. Sato commented that engaging in sports viewing can induce structural changes in the brain’s reward system, leading to long-term benefits. This research has implications for sports management literature, as it expands beyond just sports fans to consider the general population, regardless of their relationship to sports.Research in sports consumption can make valuable contributions to sports management practices and public health policy.
