Author(s): PI-YUN, T., YUN-FENG, L., SHU-HAN, T., DONG FANG, J.D., Institution: ASIA EASTERN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY , Country: TAIWAN, Abstract-ID: 284

Introduction：
The 24-hour International Soochow Ultra Marathon event has garnered significant attention showcasing athletic excellence and participation of students and alumni. Understanding how students and alumni feel about the university is utmost important for the institution branding. Sporting events often transcend mere competition, hoping to offer rich opportunities to explore the interplay of values, attitudes, and brand perceptions among participants. This study aims to delve into the nuanced relationships between cognitive value, social value, attitude, and brand image within the context of the International Soochow Ultra Marathon.

Method：
A total of 420 questionnaires were distributed among university students, with 32 invalid responses and a total of 388 valid questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS 23.0 for basic descriptive analysis. For the validity and reliability of the questionnaire the study used Smart PLS, a statistical tool to perform the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Furthermore, to analyze the fitness of good and the relationship among the variables of cognitive value, social value, attitude and brand image.

Results：
This study a total of 168 males and 220 females participants which found positive relationship of cognitive value on attitude (β=.427***) and social value (β=.388***) and attitude on brand image was (β=.591***) in which attitude variance of latent variable was R2 = .614 which made up 61.4% meanwhile brand image R2 was .350 which made up 35 % of variance in the latent variable.

Discussion：
The findings of this study showed cognitive value as an intellectual or functional benefit derived from the event, service, or experience, this plays a pivotal role in shaping participants and spectators attitudes toward the event. Furthermore, social values connect to the benefits that is associated with social recognition, such as belonging, and the identity that individuals derive from participating in or the connections with the marathon. Positive attitudes is not only an indicative of satisfaction of the event but also serve as a bridge inducing the perceived brand image of Soochow University. By using SEM, this study seeks to discover the direct and indirect pathways through which these constructs interact, which provides insights for event organizers, marketers, and the university administrators. Ultimately, highlighting the strategic importance of leveraging sports events as platforms for enhancing the university brand image.