Identifying Development Strategies for Sports Entrepreneurship Opportunities at Macro, Middle and Micro Levels

The purpose of this study is to identify and explain the development solutions for entrepreneurial opportunities in sports at macro, middle, and micro levels. The research method is exploratory-sequential with an applied-developmental objective, which involved semi-structured interviews to reach theoretical saturation and consensus in the qualitative section: 40 40 academic experts, entrepreneurs and managers of sports organizations through purposive theoretical sampling. In the quantitative section, 164 sports entrepreneurs and postgraduate students in sports management were selected through random sampling. The research tools were semi-structured interviews and a researcher-made questionnaire on a 5-point Likert scale to determine the variables and fit the model. Data analysis was performed using partial least squares with Smart PLS (3) statistical software. The mentioned model was identified at three macro levels: with 5 variables (economic, cultural, social, political, and legal), middle level with 8 variables (locational and regional, business environment, competitive, media, educational, support, management, and technological infrastructure), and micro level with 3 variables (individual, interpersonal, and behavioral-psychological). The relationships between these structures and the mentioned variables were found to be positive and significant (T ≥ 2.58) with a strong fit of the research model (GOF = 0.616). The emergence of any new phenomenon in society and the changes it can create in economic, social, and cultural structures require attention and investigation because without proper planning society may not be able to benefit from its advantages. Therefore, entrepreneurial opportunities and development strategies for those opportunities require planning and attention from those responsible for sports and entrepreneurship.