Consuming team sports: individual versus collective flow experiences and well-being

This research investigated the connection between the individual and collective flow and their influence on well-being during team sports consumption. To facilitate a holistic understanding of well-being, hedonia and eudaimonia were included. Semi-structured interviews with basketball and football players (N = 20) were conducted. Content analysis, theory-and empirics-driven, was employed to identify themes and uncover relationships. The results showed a connection between individual and collective flow, indicating an interplay between these two types of flow. Moreover, a relationship between flow and well-being was identified. The results also showed that collective flow often involved individual flow, leading to hedonia and eudaimonia. Hence, the collective flow experience led to even greater well-being of basketball and football players. This paper highlights the positive effects resulting from team sports consumption on well-being.