Examining the psychological factors associated with involvement in fantasy sports: An analysis of participants’ motivations and constraints

This study examined how fantasy sport participants’ motives and constraints influence their attitudes toward fantasy sports participation. Furthermore, the study attempted to develop a reliable and valid model through which researchers can measure fantasy sports participation-related motivations and constraints. The proposed model for motivations consisted of 21 items with seven dimensions (i.e., economic, social interaction, escape, fantasy, achievement, knowledge, and pass time) and the model for constraints consisted of 15 items with five dimensions (i.e., time, accessibility, lack of interest, lack of partners, and lack of knowledge) for fantasy sports participants. The Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) method with a convenience sample of 161 participants was employed to analyze the conceptual framework and psychometric property of the scale. Motivations for fantasy sports participants were positively and significantly related to and constraints for fantasy sports participants were negatively and significantly related to their attitude toward fantasy sports participation. These results and future implications for practical and theoretical research are also discussed.