Reinventing Sports Businesses in the Digital Realm: Exploring Transformative Indicators in the Era of Virtualization

Purpose: This study aims to explore how sports businesses can be reimagined in the digital era by identifying key transformative indicators shaped by virtualization.Methodology: The research is mixed-methods (qualitative and quantitative). The statistical population of the qualitative section included all IT specialists in the sports industry and university professors with expertise in sports management and digitalization from executive and academic fields. Purposive sampling was used to select the research sample. The sample size continued until theoretical saturation (۱۵ people) was reached. In the initial stage, the data of this research were collected through semi-structured interviews with the selected samples. To ensure validity, various methods, such as tracking data over time (audit tracking) and consolidating findings through repeated assessments of data and patterns, were used. After the coding processes and identification of main themes and indicators, a questionnaire was developed to validate the extracted components. For qualitative data, content analysis was used, and in the quantitative phase, second-order confirmatory factor analysis was conducted using SPSS version ۲۵ and Smart PLS version ۳.Findings: Based on the findings, the foundations for developing digital business included business virtualization contexts and assumptions about the digital workplace; digital business processes included the efficiency of the virtual business system and virtualization processes; and digital business functions encompassed the development of digital business and the sustainability of the digital work environment. Also, the results of the validity and reliability analyses and the confirmatory factor analysis of the research components indicated appropriate validity for all items of the questionnaire obtained from the qualitative section. The examination of the indicators in the final research model also indicated the model’s high validity. According to other results, the desired model had appropriate fit indicators. This research provides a scientific and practical basis for policymakers and managers in the sports industry to better focus on advancing the virtualization and digitalization of sports businesses in their decision-making processes.Originality: This study advances a holistic framework for understanding the virtualization of sports businesses. Unlike prior work, it integrates technological, economic, and social dimensions, introducing new indicators for innovation and sustainable value creation.

کلیدواژه ها:

Digital Era ، Digital transformation ، Sports business ، Sport Industry Evolution ، Transformative Indicators ، Virtualization