Factors Affecting the Development of Sports Entrepreneurship (Case Study: Ardabil Province in Iran)

Entrepreneurship plays a crucial role in the economic and sustainable development of all countries. The current research aimed to identify the opportunities and threats of the external environment of sports entrepreneurship in Ardabil, Iran based on the PESTLE model by examining the past and existing processes. A mixed approach was used to collect and analyze the research data. The research tool consisted of interviews and strategic council meetings. Theoretical and snowball sampling methods were used to reach the theoretical saturation (15 Experts). For analyzing the collected data in the qualitative section, a logical inductive method was used. The findings revealed that strategic environmental components of entrepreneurship in Ardabil province included: Ecological factors, Cultural and Social Factors, Political factors, Legal and juridical factors, Economic Factors, & Technological factors. According to the findings, considering the extracted factors in the process of spot entrepreneurship management can pave the way for developing entrepreneurship in sport setting.