The motivations for and barriers to academic conference attendance: Insights from an international sport management conference

Abstract Although research exploring the motivations for and barriers to conference attendance is growing, studies in the context of international sport management remain limited. Therefore, this study aims to understand the motivations for and barriers to these conferences. An online survey was delivered through the mailing list of four major sport management associations. A valid response for data analysis was 135 (valid ratio 65.22%). The motivators and barriers were measured using a previously developed scale comprising 26 items. Scale validity and reliability were tested using confirmatory factor analysis and deemed acceptable for both scales. By conducting a t-test and a one-way analysis of variance, the results revealed significant differences in motivation and barriers, varying by occupation, attendance preferences, participants’ residence, and most attended conference. These findings may provide useful empirical evidence to attract more participants from various regions.