Apart We Ride Together: The Motivations behind Users of Mixed-Reality Sports

Westmattelmann D, Grotenhermen J-G, Sprenger M, Rand W, Schewe G

Abstract
A new form of sports platforms transfers traditional sports like cycling into a virtual world and lets users socialize, exercise or compete with each other. Despite the increasing public attention, there is no research on motivational factors of this advanced mixed-reality technology allowing virtual-mediated physical interaction. Therefore, we proposed a research model and tested it using structural equation modelling combined with qualitative interviews to investigate the platform’s usage. Our results reveal that utilitarian benefits relate to the task-purposes of health consciousness and training, while hedonic benefits relate to training, customizing and socializing. Hedonic benefits are more strongly related to use intention than utilitarian, but subgroup-specific differences are observed. Privacy concerns constitute a risk for all users to continued use of these platforms, while cheating is relevant only for competitive users. Use intention positively relates to actual use behavior in the form of usage time, number of races and followed users.

Keywords
User Motivation; Mixed-reality; Virtual Sport; Task factors; Social network