Year: 2016 Volume: 24 Issue: d

Abstract: This study (1) develops a structure of host city image, (2) verifies the antecedents and consequences of host city image, and (3) predicts spectators’ positive word-of-mouth (WOM) intention towards the host city through structural equation modeling. With the cooperation of the local city government, questionnaires were distributed to spectators of the 2014 Tour de France Saitama Criterium in Japan. Convenience sampling was utilized, and 274 usable questionnaires were obtained. First, the results produced a city image scale comprised of six factors and 21 items with reliability and validity. This scale incorporates the sports image into the city image to enable a comparison between the sports image and other city images, which is original to this paper. Second, the results indicated that affect toward the event (ATE) was an antecedent variable to city image, image fit, and WOM intention as a consequent variable. Third, the theoretical model could predict positive WOM intention towards the host city with a 23% explanatory rate. These results provide evidence about the role of ATE, city image, and image fit, which is an important new contribution, as few studies have focused on city image or image fit.