Identifying and Analyzing the Challenges of the Startups in the Field of Sports Businesses with a Thematic Analysis Approach

The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze the challenges of the startups in the field of sports businesses with a Thematic analysis method.

The research method was qualitative and based on the content analysis approach. Experts and owners of startups and sports businesses were considered as the statistical population of this study. The sampling method was purposive. The research tool was an interview that was conducted with 13 people. Interviews with experts and professors indicated the validity of the research tool (interview). Intra-subject agreement method was used to measure reliability. Data from this study were analyzed using QSR Nvivo software.

Result of data analysis 6 sub-themes (financial and credit, legal and legal, business and marketing, organizational and administrative, hardware and software and lack of proper training) in the form of 3 main themes (lack of financial support for business and the work, the existence of strict rules and regulations and the lack of manpower) in relation to the challenges of startups in the field of sports businesses were presented in the form of a model.

Therefore, stakeholders and activists in the field of sports businesses can, while recognizing the challenges and problems of forming sports startups, provide the basis for the development of this emerging phenomenon in the field of sports.