This study examined the moderating effects of gender and life cycle characteristics in the relationship between desired self-image and sport participation behavior. Multigroup comparisons revealed that the moderating effects of gender and life cycle were most salient in groups with the interaction effect. Specifically, the group difference between young-male and non-young-male adults was significant, marginally significant, or noticeable in the relationships between lifestyle pursuance and personal involvement, between social self-presentation and personal involvement, between social self-presentation and money expenditure, and between personal involvement and money expenditure. Although some of the parameter comparisons between female and male groups and between young and mature groups were not statistically significant, they were quantitatively noticeable and practically meaningful. Findings of this study also shed a light on the importance of demographic characteristics in defining the boundary conditions of theoretical frameworks, especially in the context of sport consumption, which oftentimes involves a quite diverse consumer population.