XX Commonwealth Games Omnibus Research Report

5. Intentions & Behaviour

Overall interest in the Games

5.1 In the survey waves leading up to the Games respondents were asked a question to gauge their overall level of interest and anticipated involvement in the forthcoming event. While the answer options provided varied to reflect the timing of each survey wave (e.g. whether or not tickets could yet be purchased), across all of the survey waves an answer option was included to record the proportions of the population with 'no interest at all' in the Games (Figure 5.1).

5.2 In Scotland, across the survey waves around a fifth to a quarter of the population indicated that they had 'no interest at all' in the Games (23% in June 2014).

5.3 In England and Wales, the proportion of the population stating that they had 'no interest at all' was also fairly consistent across the survey waves with around two in five providing this response (43% in June 2014).

Figure 5.1. 'No interest at all' in the Commonwealth Games

*Not asked in England/ Wales
Base: All respondents -England/ Wales (Oct 12 960; Nov 13 944; Jun 14 948); Scotland (Oct 12 1007; Mar 13 1002; Oct 13 1,010; Jun 14 995); Glasgow (Oct 12 111; Mar 13 124; Oct 13 115; Jun 14 125)

Tickets: purchase intention & behaviour

5.4 The study also recorded details regarding ticket purchase intentions and actual purchasing behaviour, with the wording of the questions varied to reflect changes in ticket availability over the period from October 2012 to the Games. Figure 5.2 illustrates the following results relating intentions to purchase and actual purchasing:

• October 2012 and March 2013 - asked before the ticket application window opened - the proportion of the population who stated that they were definitely or probably going to purchase tickets is shown.
• October 2013 - asked towards the end of the initial ticket application window - illustrates the proportion of the population who had already applied to purchase tickets or still intended to do so.
• April and June 2014 - asked after tickets were issued following the initial, main ticket release but when further releases were due to take place - illustrates the total proportion of the population who had already bought tickets or expected to do so if/when more tickets became available.

Figure 5.2. Buying tickets for Commonwealth Games

Base: All respondents -Scotland (Oct 12 1007; Mar 13 1018; Oct 13 1,010; Jun 14 995); Glasgow (Oct 12 111; Mar 13 124; Oct 13 115; Apr 14 82; Jun 14 125); England/ Wales (Oct 12 960; Oct 13 944; Apr 14 996; Jun 14 948)

5.5 This comparison suggests that by June 2014 a quarter of Glasgow residents, 14% of the overall adult population in Scotland and 2% of people living in England and Wales had purchased or intended to purchase a ticket for a Commonwealth Games event.

5.6 Interestingly, in October 2012 a similar proportion of Glaswegians indicated that they would probably or definitely purchase tickets as did so in June 2014. However across Scotland, England and Wales as a whole, in October 2012 a larger proportion of the population stated that they would probably or definitely purchase tickets than was recorded closer to the Games.

5.7 A question was included in the July 2014 wave to measure intentions to visit the Glasgow and Clyde Valley area during the Games and to determine the events/ activities people intended to undertake (see Figure 5.3).

Figure 5.3. Planned visits to Glasgow & Clyde Valley (July 2014)

Base: All respondents Jul 14 only - Scotland (1003); Glasgow (102)

5.8 Around two in ten of the population in Scotland indicated an intention to visit the Glasgow and Clyde Valley area to undertake one or more of the activities shown in Figure 5.3. Live sporting events were amongst the activities most frequently mentioned, along with shopping for leisure and work/college/ university (8%, 8% and 7% respectively).

5.9 As would be expected, residents of Glasgow were more likely to indicate an intention to visit the Glasgow and Clyde Valley for the purpose of undertaking one or more of the activities shown in Figure 5.3. Visiting for work or education purposes featured more prominently amongst this sample (20%), with live sporting events (15%) and shopping for leisure (13%) the next most frequently mentioned activities.

Reasons for not attending a ticketed event

5.10 In the survey waves up to October 2013, those who did not intend to go to a ticketed Commonwealth Games event were asked to provide their reasons for not attending.

5.11 As shown in Table 5.1 (below), amongst residents of Scotland, across all of the surveys the most frequently provided reasons for not planning to attend were a preference to watch on television, a general lack of interest in sport, a perception that tickets would be too expensive and a lack of spare time. These were also the most frequently mentioned reasons amongst Glaswegians.

Table 5.1. Reasons for not attending

	Scotland			Glasgow			England/ Wales
	Oct 12	Mar 13	Oct 13	Oct 12*	Mar 13*	Oct 13*	Oct 12	Oct 13
Prefer to watch on TV	32%	40%	34%	31%	51%	21%	27%	27%
Not interested in sport	31%	29%	25%	45%	31%	27%	34%	31%
Tickets will be too expensive	16%	16%	16%	18%	11%	13%	15%	12%
Not enough spare time	9%	12%	10%	9%	4%	17%	9%	6%
Too far to travel	10%	9%	9%	-	1%	2%	21%	21%
220. Difficult to get to the events	7%	6%	5%	7%	2%	3%	4%	4%
229. Too difficult to travel to Glasgow	-	6%	3%	-	1%	2%	-	2%
238. Ticket availability/ too hard to get tickets	4%	4%	8%	7%	1%	4%	2%	2%
247. Difficult with small children	3%	4%	2%	1%	4%	3%	2%	2%

Please note that multiple responses were possible.
*Caution, small sample
Base: All respondents -Scotland (Oct 12 840; Mar 13 811; Oct 13 878); Glasgow (Oct 12 89; Mar 13 96; Oct 13 86); England/ Wales (Oct 12 933; Oct 13 893);

5.12 In England and Wales, a lack of interest in sport and preference to watch the Games on TV were also the most frequently provided reasons for not attending. Glasgow being 'too far to travel' was also provided as a reason for not attending by around a fifth of this sample.

Other forms of Games participation

5.13 The survey waves up to June 2014 recorded the proportions of the population who did not intend to attend the Games but instead watch them on television.

5.14 As shown in Figure 5.4, this proportion increased in Scotland from 44% in October 2012 to 58% in June 2014. However in England/Wales, the proportion remained fairly constant throughout the period with around half of the population planning to watch the Games of television but not attend in person.

Figure 5.4. No plans to go to the games but intend to watch on television

*Not asked in England/ Wales
Base: All respondents -England/ Wales (Oct 12 960; Oct 13 944; Jun 14 948); Scotland (Oct 12 1007; Mar 13 1002; Oct 13 1,010; Jun 14 996); Glasgow (Oct 12 111; Mar 13 124; Oct 13 115; Jun 14 125)

5.15 In the July 14 wave, a question was included to determine intentions to watch the Games ceremonies/ events on TV and where this would take place. Amongst both the national sample and Glasgow residents, intention to watch the Games on TV at home was highest, with around seven in ten intending to do so amongst each sample.

5.16 Overall interest in watching the Games was highest amongst residents of Glasgow, with 92% indicating an intention to watch the Games at all. Intention to watch the Games at a pub was higher amongst this sample than the national average (14% and 5% respectively).

Figure 5.5. Watching the Games on TV/ screens

Base: All respondents - Scotland (Jul 14 1003); Glasgow (Jul 14 102)
Note: more than one response possible, therefore, percentages may equal more than 100%.

5.17 During the October 2013, April 2014 and June 2014 survey waves, survey respondents were also asked about their involvement or planned involvement in other activities relating to the Games including watching the Queen's Baton Relay and volunteering at the Games.

5.18 As shown in Figure 5.6 in both April and June 2014 around one in ten residents of Scotland had watched or intended to watch the Queen's Baton Relay in their area. Across all of the survey waves, around 1 in 20 Glasgow residents indicated that they had volunteered or planned to be involved in volunteering at the Games.

Figure 5.6. Intention to watch the Queen's Baton Relay

Figure 5.7. Intention to Volunteer at Commonwealth Games

Base: All respondents - England/ Wales (Oct 13 944; Apr 14 996, Jun 14 948); Scotland (Oct 13 1,010; Apr 14 977, Jun 14 995); Glasgow (Oct 13 115; Apr 14 82*, Jun 14 125)
*Caution, small sample

5.19 As shown in Tables 5.2 overleaf, residents of Glasgow were more likely than the adult population of Scotland as a whole to have made/ intended to make changes to their plans during the Games (38% and 24% respectively).

5.20 Across both samples, the same proportions indicated that they had or would be making trips to Glasgow that they would not otherwise have taken as indicated that they would cancel/ postpone a trip to Glasgow while the Games were taking place (7% each amongst the Scottish sample and 10% each amongst Glasgow residents).

Table 5.2. Changes made to normal routine/ travel plans

	Scotland	Glasgow
Any changes made	24%	38%
Cancelled/ postponed Glasgow trip	7%	10%
Cancelled/ postponed Scotland trip (outside Glasgow)	1%	4%
Trip taken elsewhere in Scotland instead of Glasgow	2%	1%
Trip taken outside of Scotland instead of Glasgow	1%	-
Trip to Glasgow would not have taken otherwise	7%	10%
Took time off work	2%	5%
Worked from home	2%	5%

Base: All respondents - Scotland (Jul 14 1003); Glasgow (Jul 14 102)