University of Guilan Journal of Sport Management and Development 2322-4800 14 4 2025 12 22 Identifying Drivers and Uncertainties of Iranian Professional Sport Clubs: Aanalysis of the Cross-Effect Matrix Identifying Drivers and Uncertainties of Iranian Professional Sport Clubs: Aanalysis of the Cross-Effect Matrix 1 24 8526 10.22124/jsmd.2023.24092.2785 FA Zahra Sohrabi Postdoctoral student,, Department of Sports Management, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Mohaghegh Ardabili University, Ardabil, Iran. Mehrdad Moharramzadeh Professor of Sports Management, Department of Sports Management, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Mohaghegh Ardabili University, Ardabil, Iran. Rasool Nazari Associate Professor of Sport Management, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Isfahan, Iran Journal Article 2023 03 16 <strong>Objective</strong><strong>:</strong> The aim of this study was to identify critical drivers and uncertainties of Iranian professional clubs through cross-matrix analysis. <strong>Methodology</strong><strong>:</strong> The research method was an interpretive paradigm, the statistical population was all professionals in the field of professional sports, the participants in the research process were selected from among academic and experimental individuals in a completely purposeful manner using the snowball sampling method. The research analysis was conducted by analyzing the content of 20 in-depth interviews, the number of open codes was aggregated and categorized into 114 indicators, the indicators were shared in the form of a list of closed questions between 10 experts using the Delphi technique, and after three rounds of interviews, Delphi, and reaching group agreement, 20 factors affecting clubs were identified; then the extracted factors were evaluated by analyzing the interaction effects and using MicMac software. <strong>Results</strong><strong>:</strong> The results indicated the identification of 20 key and strategic factors. What can be understood from the scatter diagram of the variables affecting the future formation of professional clubs in Iran is the extremely unstable state of the system. However, several factors are shown near this area, which indicates their ability to influence the entire system. Media, legal and legal infrastructure, improving the knowledge of managers and human resources, and appropriate structures and infrastructures are included in the category of input and influential variables. <strong>Conclusion</strong><strong>:</strong> The drivers affecting professional sports clubs in Iran include individual, managerial, legal, economic, cultural, social, physical, and political-environmental drivers, and the most important uncertainty includes technology and climatic conditions. <strong>Objective</strong><strong>:</strong> The aim of this study was to identify critical drivers and uncertainties of Iranian professional clubs through cross-matrix analysis. <strong>Methodology</strong><strong>:</strong> The research method was an interpretive paradigm, the statistical population was all professionals in the field of professional sports, the participants in the research process were selected from among academic and experimental individuals in a completely purposeful manner using the snowball sampling method. The research analysis was conducted by analyzing the content of 20 in-depth interviews, the number of open codes was aggregated and categorized into 114 indicators, the indicators were shared in the form of a list of closed questions between 10 experts using the Delphi technique, and after three rounds of interviews, Delphi, and reaching group agreement, 20 factors affecting clubs were identified; then the extracted factors were evaluated by analyzing the interaction effects and using MicMac software. <strong>Results</strong><strong>:</strong> The results indicated the identification of 20 key and strategic factors. What can be understood from the scatter diagram of the variables affecting the future formation of professional clubs in Iran is the extremely unstable state of the system. However, several factors are shown near this area, which indicates their ability to influence the entire system. Media, legal and legal infrastructure, improving the knowledge of managers and human resources, and appropriate structures and infrastructures are included in the category of input and influential variables. <strong>Conclusion</strong><strong>:</strong> The drivers affecting professional sports clubs in Iran include individual, managerial, legal, economic, cultural, social, physical, and political-environmental drivers, and the most important uncertainty includes technology and climatic conditions. https://jsmd.guilan.ac.ir/article_8526_a38e5ad1dcbb4e9963c42500980f4823.pdf