Research on the impact mechanism of environmental perception of stadium landscapes on sustainable spectatorship willingness from the perspective of embodied cognition: based on the experience model of “body–environment” interaction

Introduction The post-event utilization efficiency of stadiums and the sustained participation of spectators are core issues constraining the high-quality development of the competition and performance industry. In the era of the experience economy, spectators’ decision-making behavior is increasingly influenced by the interaction between environment and psychology. However, existing research has mostly focused on single dimensions such as service quality or customer satisfaction, lacking a theoretical framework that can systematically explain the complete path of “physical environment–psychological experience–behavioral intention”. From the perspective of embodied cognition, this study introduces the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) theoretical framework, aiming to construct and test an integrated model to reveal the internal mechanism by which Environmental Perception of Stadium Landscapes affects Willingness to Continue Watching Games through multidimensional Spectator Experience. Methods Based on questionnaire survey data from spectators of the Chinese Football Association Super League, this research empirically tests the impact of Environmental Perception of Stadium Landscapes and Spectator Experience on Willingness to Continue Watching Games using structural equation modeling and other methods. Results The study finds that: (1) Environmental Perception of Stadium Landscapes has a significant positive direct impact on Willingness to Continue Watching Games; simultaneously, it also has a significant positive indirect impact on Willingness to Continue Watching Games through Spectator Experience. (2) Environmental Perception of Stadium Landscapes has a significant positive impact on Spectator Experience. (3) Spectator Experience has a significant positive impact on Willingness to Continue Watching Games. (4) In addition to direct effects, environmental perception indirectly impacts Willingness to Continue Watching Games through Spectator Experience. Discussion This provides empirical evidence and theoretical reference for addressing the post-event operational challenges of stadiums in China in the future. It also points out the direction for the high-quality development of brand-oriented operations of stadiums in China in the future.