From TV Screens to Trackside Travels : Popular culture’s influence on travel motivation to sports events: A case study of Netflix and Formula 1

This master thesis aims to investigate how popular culture affect travel motivations to sports events. This is accomplished through a case study of Formula 1 (F1) and the Netflix Series ’Formula 1: Drive to Survive’ (DTS). While the series have introduced many fans to F1, its effect on travel motivation directly to an event without any previous relationship to the sport remains unknown. This is of interest to stakeholders as marketing revenue from the F1 organisation make up part of the funding for F1 teams. Additionally, the thesis investigates differences between how F1 was discovered among participants as well as gender and varying perceptions of the sport. The theoretical framework of the thesis is based on the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1991) as well as the McCabe et al. (2016) traveling decision process, with additional theory used to add sports and popular culture into the model. The study used a mixed methods approach with a pragmatic ontology. Asequential quant-qual approach was utilised. Survey respondents were recruited via online forums, and snowball sampling was used for the focus groups. Results highlight that discovery of F1 through DTS renders interests in the characters of the sport, which indirectly affect travel motivation. Furthermore, anticipation is seen as key when following F1, which DTS helps create. When it comes to traveling to a race, largely information driven decisions are taken, where focus group respondents take a rather pragmatic stance to visiting a race.The study concludes that popular culture indirectly affect travel motivation to sports events. Findings may have practical implications for F1 organisers as increased viewership and visitor number to races increase economic resources of the sport. Furthermore, other sports may utilise similar strategies to gain a follower base and indirectly, more visitors. Additionally, it highlights the need for holistic destination marketing when hosting F1 races. From a theoretical standpoint, this thesis intersects the fields tourism, sports events and popular culture, paving the way for further studies in the field. Within an F1 context, a study focusing more on women followers and the new Netflix series ’F1: the Academy’ is suggested as future research.