Mega-Event Appraisals, Support, and Engagement Intentions Beyond Host Regions: Pre-Event Evidence from Two Non-Host Cities

Using survey data collected in 2020 before Beijing 2022, this study examined associations among event involvement, perceived benefits and costs, hosting support, and engagement intentions among 2021 residents of Shanghai and Shenyang, two cities that did not host Beijing 2022 competitions. Ordered-categorical, weighted least squares mean- and variance-adjusted structural equation modeling and multi-group comparisons were applied. Event involvement was positively associated with local-instrumental benefits (β = 0.624) and symbolic-social benefits (β = 0.546) and negatively associated with perceived costs (β = −0.284). Symbolic-social benefits were associated with greater hosting support (β = 0.359), perceived costs with lower support (β = −0.120), and support with engagement intentions (β = 0.416). Event involvement (β = 0.406) and winter-sport involvement (β = 0.214) also had direct associations with engagement intentions. The local-instrumental-benefit association was small (β = 0.060) and sample-sensitive. False-discovery-rate-adjusted indirect associations involving support were significant for symbolic-social benefits (β = 0.149) and costs (β = −0.050). City differences were selective. The findings distinguish overall hosting support from intended engagement, while the cross-sectional design and single-item support measure limit causal interpretation.