Sport Economics, Marketing and Tourism
Mehdi Salimi; Amir Hossein Labbaf
Abstract
Objective: The present study aimed to propose a comprehensive model of identity marketing in professional sports.Methodology: A mixed-methods design (qualitative–quantitative) was employed. In the qualitative phase, based on grounded theory (Glaser’s approach), data were collected through ...
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Objective: The present study aimed to propose a comprehensive model of identity marketing in professional sports.Methodology: A mixed-methods design (qualitative–quantitative) was employed. In the qualitative phase, based on grounded theory (Glaser’s approach), data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 17 university professors, experts, and sports marketing managers selected via theoretical sampling, and analyzed through open and selective coding. In the quantitative phase, the resulting model was validated and prioritized using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and a researcher-made pairwise comparison questionnaire, with the participation of 12 experts in sports marketing selected through purposive and criterion-based sampling.Results: The qualitative findings led to the identification of 84 final concepts organized into several theoretical categories that explained the key dimensions of identity marketing from the participants’ perspectives. These categories included audience-brand identity formation, brand–audience interaction in the digital context, brand identity construction, and contextual enablers of identity marketing. The quantitative analyses confirmed and prioritized these categories in the final model, with audience-brand identity formation identified as the most significant factor in identity marketing in professional sports.Conclusion: The proposed model demonstrates that identity marketing in professional sports goes beyond traditional approaches and requires a deep understanding of the psychological, social, and symbolic connections between the brand and its audience. Focusing on strengthening audience identity, increasing digital engagement, and constructing a strong and coherent brand identity can lead to sustainable audience connections, greater loyalty, and active participation.
Innovation and Technology in Sport
Mehdi Salimi; Mosayeb Mirhosseini; Amir Hossein Labbaf
Abstract
Objective: This study analyzes the effects of blockchain technology on the future of Iran's sports industry.Methodology: This research is applied and uses a mixed-methods (qualitative-quantitative) approach. In the qualitative phase, thematic analysis and the Glaser approach were used to extract concepts ...
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Objective: This study analyzes the effects of blockchain technology on the future of Iran's sports industry.Methodology: This research is applied and uses a mixed-methods (qualitative-quantitative) approach. In the qualitative phase, thematic analysis and the Glaser approach were used to extract concepts and patterns, and the data were analyzed through open and axial coding. In the quantitative phase, the structural equation model was analyzed using SmartPLS version 4 software. The statistical population in the qualitative phase consisted of 23 experts and specialists who were selected using purposive and snowball sampling methods. In the quantitative phase, 272 stakeholders from sports clubs responded to the questionnaire, and the reliability and validity of the proposed models were evaluated using various methods.Results: In the qualitative phase, eight main categories were identified from the analysis of interviews, including facilitation of communications, cost reduction, innovation in revenue generation, data transparency and security, and enhancement of fan experience. In the quantitative phase, the structural model was confirmed using structural equation modeling, and the factor loading coefficients indicated that the model has a good fit. This research confirmed the effects of blockchain in improving contract management, developing trust, and exploiting economic benefits in Iran's sports industry.Conclusion: Blockchain can create fundamental and sustainable transformations in Iran's sports industry. This research shows that the convergence of blockchain and sports, especially in the financial, managerial, and fan interaction areas, will lead to the formation of a new era full of development and innovation opportunities in this industry.
