How mass sports events satisfy the “needs for a better life”: evidence from Chinese marathon runners’ psychological perceptions and support

Introduction Promoting well-being and quality of life through sports participation is a growing focus of research and policy worldwide. Mass sports events, such as marathons, serve as significant platforms for this purpose, yet the specific psychological mechanisms through which they foster participant support and well-being require deeper empirical exploration. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this research conceptualizes how marathon events satisfy participants’ psychological needs and examines the relationship between need satisfaction and supportive attitudes. Methods A survey was conducted with 321 marathon participants in China. Exploratory factor analysis (using Principal Axis Factoring with Promax rotation) was first employed to validate the dimensional structure of need satisfaction perception. Subsequently, structural equation modeling, incorporating demographic variables as controls, was used to test the associations between the identified need dimensions and event support. Results Exploratory factor analysis validated a three-dimensional structure of need satisfaction perception: (1) achievement-oriented, (2) city-support-oriented, and (3) social-bonding-oriented. Results from structural equation modeling indicated that all three dimensions were significantly and positively associated with event support, though with varying strengths. Achievement-oriented psychological needs perception showed the strongest association ( β = 0.276, p < 0.001), followed by city-support-oriented ( β = 0.194, p < 0.01) and social-bonding-oriented ( β = 0.179, p < 0.01) perceptions. The model explained 21.6% of the variance in event support. Discussion These findings provide a micro-psychological lens for understanding how sports events contribute to subjective well-being, offering empirical evidence that links the macro concept of “needs for a better life” with established psychological theory. The study offers practical insights for event organizers and city managers seeking to design experiences that address participants’ multi-faceted psychological needs, thereby enhancing engagement and fostering sustained public support.