From snow to screens: resident support for Olympic esports games in a former winter Olympic games host city

Resident support for Olympic events has faced considerable challenges in recent years. The Olympic esports games (OEG) may be viewed as the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) strategic response to these challenges, aiming to engage younger audiences and adapt to the digitalization of sport. Drawing on Social Exchange Theory and Legitimacy Theory, this study investigates support for the OEG in Innsbruck (Austria) – a former winter Olympic games (WOG) host city – addressing how demographics, trust in institutions and attitudes toward WOG relate to support of this event format. An on-site survey (n = 645) was conducted in Innsbruck between November and December 2024. To analyze resident support for hosting the OEG, regression models with binary outcomes were estimated. Independent variables included sociodemographic characteristics, interest in esports, whether esports should be Olympic, tourism-income, trust in government/IOC and support for WOG. Marginal effects were calculated to facilitate the interpretation of key independent variables. Interest in esports was the most consistent predictor of support for hosting the OEG. Age and tourism-related income were also associated with higher levels of support, while women expressed slightly lower support than men. The findings suggest that the OEG might support the IOC in engaging younger, esports-affine audiences and exploring new, more flexible event formats. Support is shaped by demographics and perceptions of esports legitimacy, highlighting the importance of inclusive communication and culturally sensitive designs. As empirical research on Olympic esports remains limited, further studies are needed to deepen the understanding of this emerging field.