Social Media Engagement and Subjective Well-Being among Sport Consumers: The Mediating Roles of Perceived Value and Passion

Bomin Paek, Hoyoon Jung

The rise of social media has transformed digital marketing strategies for sport teams while drawing growing attention to the psychological benefits of sport services, such as value co-creation, passion, and well-being. This study examined the relationships among social media engagement, perceived value, perceived passion, and subjective well-being. Using a sample of 350 sport social media users, we conducted confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Results indicated that sport consumers’ social media engagement was associated with their perceived value and passion, both of which in turn influenced their well-being. Perceived value mediated the relationship both between social media engagement and well-being, whereas perceived passion mediated the relationship between perceived value and well-being among sport social media users. This empirical study offers significant contributions to the design and optimization of social media strategies for enhancing sport consumers’ positive psychological experiences. 

Keywords: social media, perceived value, passion, well-being, subjective well-being, regulatory engagement theory

APA Citation: Paek, B., & Jung, H. (2026). Social media engagement and subjective well-being among sport consumers: The mediating roles of perceived value and passion. International Journal of Sport Management, 27(1), 32-58.

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