This study examined the effects of two sets of event staging factors ("technical" and "artistic") on the quality of experience (delight, perceived value, and intrinsically motivated fast thinking) of participants at a simulated tailgate experience. The experiment was conducted by distributing video depictions of four tailgate events to a sample of Texas A&M University students via the internet. Each video depiction represented one of the four conditions that resulted from crossing technical factors (excellent execution vs. poor execution) and artistic factors (provided vs. not provided). The set of technical factors included reliability, assurance, tangibles, empathy, and responsiveness. The set of artistic factors included use of a clear and pervasive theme, personalization, inclusion of multi-sensory elements, and absence of negative cues. Data were analyzed through linear modeling techniques. Results indicate that event participants experience higher prevalence of intrinsically motivated fast thinking, delight and perceived value when they attend an event that provides excellent technical factors as well as events that depict a presence of artistic factors. There was, however, no evidence of an interaction effect. Technical and artistic factors have separate, independent effects on intrinsically motivated fast thinking, delight or perceived value.
