The Impact of the Sports Industry on Sustainable Economic Development A Systematic Review
Keywords:
Sports industry; Digital transformation; Sports entrepreneurship; SDG 11; Economic growthAbstract
Objective: This study systematically reviewed the impact of the sports industry on sustainable economic development, with a particular focus on economic growth, employment generation, and structural transformation across regions.
Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Articles were retrieved from the Scopus database using the keywords government, sport, industry, and impact. A total of 190 records were initially identified. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria (English language, open access, empirical studies, and relevance to economic impact), 7 studies were included in the final synthesis. Bibliometric mapping using VOSviewer was performed to identify dominant research themes and keyword networks.
Results: The findings indicate a consistent positive association between the sports industry and economic development. Quantitative studies reported statistically significant effects, including a measurable contribution to regional economic growth (β ≈ 0.010, p < 0.10) and strong effects of digital economy integration on industry development (p ≤ 0.01). Panel regression analyses demonstrated that technological advancement and digitalization significantly enhanced operational efficiency and reduced costs in sports-related sectors. Thematic synthesis revealed five dominant dimensions: (1) integration with the health sector, (2) funding and sponsorship models, (3) digital transformation, (4) regional heterogeneity, and (5) industrial clustering. Additionally, large-scale survey data (n = 1040 individuals; n = 626 organizations) highlighted the role of financial resilience and policy support in sustaining the industry during economic disruptions.
Conclusion: The sports industry plays a strategic role in advancing sustainable economic development through income generation, job creation, and innovation. Its alignment with SDG 11 underscores its importance in building resilient, inclusive, and economically sustainable societies, while emphasizing the need for stronger governance and policy frameworks.
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