Marketing Challenges of Sports Clubs through Virtual Space: A Qualitative Approach Based on Content Analysis

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Professor, Departmentof Sport Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

2 Ph.D, Department Sport ManagementUniversity of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Sport Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

10.30473/arsm.2025.68438.3782

Abstract

The present study was conducted with the aim of identifying the marketing challenges of sports clubs through virtual space. This research was fundamental in terms of its purpose and qualitative in terms of the type of data. The statistical population of this research was made up of sports management professors, marketing professors, activists in the field of virtual space marketing, and managers and owners of sports clubs in Iran. Sampling continued until the research constructs reached the level of data saturation with the snowball approach, and this was achieved after interviewing 18 people. To collect data in this study, in-depth semi-structured interview tool was used. After collecting the data, first the participants in this study and their demographic characteristics were described, and then the data coding and its different stages were presented based on the traditional content analysis approach. The results of the research showed that the challenges identified for marketing sports clubs through virtual space were categorized into 10 categories and 39 concepts, which categories include weak knowledge, weak technology, creating nuisance, inappropriate content, low security, low audience trust, weak control, The reputation of the brand was high number of routes and high cost. Based on the results of the research, it can be said that the use of virtual space in the marketing of sports clubs can become a competitive advantage, but in this way, they face various challenges that need to be solved or managed in the best possible way to get better results.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 02 July 2023
  • Revise Date: 01 March 2024
  • Accept Date: 27 March 2025

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