We examine participant satisfaction in the context of extreme sporting events, where participants seek intense sensations but want to feel in control over the risky challenges. We combine two streams of literature scarcely related by previous studies, addressing both event-related and psychological attributes of extreme individuals. Because of the complex set of inter-relationships in which the investigated phenomena unfold, complexity theory tenets can provide a more accurate understanding of what generates extreme sport participants’ satisfaction toward a sporting event. Applying this perspective, the present research determines the possible combinations that build strong participant satisfaction in the context of extreme sporting events. Through qualitative comparative analysis (QCA), we identify more possible “recipes” that contribute to high levels of satisfaction. Results suggest that attributes related to the event (trust, image, attitude) and attributes related to the psychology of extreme sport participants (sensation-seeking, perceived control) contribute jointly in all “recipes”. Furthermore, satisfaction can emerge for events despite low attitude if their image is strong and participants feel in control of the challenges.
