Date of Award

Summer 2025

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Department

School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management

First Advisor

Yongjin Hwang

Abstract

As live-streaming platforms have fueled esports’ rapid growth, they have also diversified content from competitive matches to casual gameplay, creating a complex audience landscape. To capture this diversity, the present study applied means-end chain (MEC) theory to: (1) examine how esports audiences cognitively associate different content attributes with their expected consequences and underlying personal values; (2) segment esports audiences based on these unique MEC structures; and (3) compare consumption frequency of both watching and playing esports across the identified segments.

The current study adopted exploratory sequential mixed methods to achieve the study’s objectives. In Study One, in-depth interviews with 22 participants identified key MEC components—attributes, consequences, and values. These insights informed Study Two, which analyzed 974 survey responses from esports live-streaming viewers to quantitatively assess significant MEC patterns (i.e., linkages of attributes-consequencesvalues) using converted weight matrices. Subsequently, 45 weights were then used as input variables for latent profile analysis to segment the esports audience. Lastly, to validate behavioral differences across segments, uses and gratifications theory was integrated, and group differences in esports consumption frequency were examined using one-way MANCOVA, controlling for gender.

The analysis identified five key content attributes (competitive, interactive, skillbased gaming, humorous, and informative), six consequences (entertainment, knowledge acquisition, vicarious experience, skill appreciation, identity exploration, and socializing opportunities), and seven personal values (relaxation, pragmatism, self-reflection, social acceptance, competence, personal growth, and benevolence) at market level. Based on the strength and configuration of MEC linkages, four distinct consumer segments were revealed, including Goal-Oriented Learners, Casual Fun Seekers, Exploratory Enthusiasts, and Deeply Engaged Idealists. Notably, segments with stronger and more numerous MEC are likely to exhibit higher frequencies of both esports viewing and gameplay, indicating that audiences with more enriched MEC tend to be more actively engaged consumers.

This study contributes theoretically by extending MEC theory with esportsspecific constructs and integrating uses and gratifications theory. It also offers a novel segmentation approach that captures the multi-dimensional nature of esports consumption. Practically, the findings provide actionable insights for content creators, platform managers, game publishers, league organizers, and sponsors to tailor strategies that align with diverse audience motivations and values.

Rights

© 2025, Deokkyung Ock

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