Examining Objective and Self-Reported Evidence of Trickle-Down Effects: A Quasi-Experimental Longitudinal Approach

Evidence of trickle-down effects generated from sports spectatorship often relies on cross-sectional designs, mega-events, and self-reported data, primarily targeting active individuals. Addressing these gaps, this study aimed to: (1) to explore how attendance at multiple smaller-scale sports events inspires inactive young spectators to engage in physical activity (PA) over a 6-month period; and (2) compare objective PA measurements from smart fitness tracking devices (SFTDs) with self-reported measures of PA. Using a quasi-experimental longitudinal design, 64 participants in Taiwan were assessed across six time points. Findings confirmed the inspirational effect of sports event attendance, influenced by event-specific and external factors. Objective data showed significant differences from self-reports, highlighting the value of fitness trackers in capturing PA. The results suggest that spectating can effectively inspire sedentary youth to increase sports participation. Promoting sports participation through event strategies should incorporate both event-related and external factors to maximize impact on reducing physical inactivity. This study provides novel longitudinal and methodologically rigorous evidence of the inspirational effect within non-mega-sport event contexts, thereby addressing gaps in the trickle-down effects literature.