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This study examines the international literature on sports events published between 1981 and 2024 within the framework of specific parameters.

The data were analyzed using quantitative and bibliometric analyses. Studies related to sports events were scanned through the Scopus database, and 1,072 studies were evaluated.

It has been revealed that the highest number of studies related to sports events were published in 2021, with Tichaawa, T.M. being the author with the most publications. Griffith University conducted the most studies on this topic, and the United States had the highest number of publications. Additionally, the findings indicate that the number of studies on sports events is increasing, with more studies being conducted in business and social sciences. Regarding keyword usage frequency, the studies focus on destination image, economic impact, and sustainability. Clustering analysis results show that the studies are divided into four clusters, focusing on sports, tourism, and tourism development.

Due to methodological limitations, the results of bibliometric analysis generally focus on metrics related to articles, sources, and authors. Another limitation is the examination of studies in the context of tourism that are published in the international literature and accessible only through the Scopus database in English. An additional limitation is that the publications analyzed in this study are specifically on sports events. This study aims to fill a gap in the field by examining sports event studies in the international literature, thereby providing researchers with a holistic perspective. It is considered significant as it will offer a different viewpoint on bibliometric studies related to sports events and sports tourism in the international literature, both in terms of the parameters used in the study and the study’s focus.

It is believed to be important because it is the first bibliometric study explicitly conducted on sports events.

The purpose of this study is to use structural equation modeling to examine the interaction between the variables of corporate image, credibility, trust and satisfaction in the context of a virtual sporting event. The aim is to determine whether these variables have significant relationships with each other and which of them has the greatest influence on the prediction of participants' satisfaction.

A structured questionnaire was used, based on previously validated scales. The survey was administered using the LimeSurvey platform. The sample consisted of a total of 588 participants of the Medellín virtual marathon.

The results of the study reveal significant findings regarding the relationships between the variables of corporate image, credibility, trust, and satisfaction in virtual sporting events. In particular, it is highlighted that trust emerges as the most influential factor in participants' satisfaction, which offers an insightful understanding of the importance of this variable in the user experience in virtual sporting events.

This study emphasizes the importance of brand analysis in the sports environment, stressing that the actions undertaken by managers should highlight both the corporate image and the connections with users, given their fundamental role in customer satisfaction. Likewise, the study of these variables within the sports context provides new knowledge and fills existing gaps within the academy. Limitations include the sample and the lack of consideration of all brand variables.

The need to cultivate a strong and well-managed image to build trust with participants is emphasized for organizers of virtual sporting events. It is crucial to work on establishing long-term credibility, especially in the relatively new context of virtual racing. Maintaining, and building the virtual career offering is essential to strengthening relationships, demonstrating a robust corporate image. In addition, since trust and credibility have a significant impact on participant satisfaction in this type of event, managers must communicate the assurance that virtual careers offer an experience free of uncertainty and risk, which is particularly attractive to a new customer base interested in this format.

This article presents an original contribution by investigating the relationships between corporate image, credibility, trust, and satisfaction in the context of virtual sporting events. It employs a structural equation model to assess the significance and predictive capacity of these variables. Notably, the study identifies trust as the most influential factor in predicting participant satisfaction. These findings offer valuable insights into the relative importance of brand variables in shaping user satisfaction within the virtual sporting event domain. By shedding light on these dynamics, the research aids event managers in making informed resource allocation decisions, contributing to a nuanced understanding of brand impact in this context.

This study examines how the World Para Snow Sports Championship 2021 was leveraged to create para sport outcomes. The purpose of this study is to add to the knowledge of how different organisations can create positive para sport legacies from elite para sport events.

This qualitative case study used interviews with representatives from key stakeholders and archival materials as main sources. An event leverage model was used to better understand the context, structures, and resources relevant to the development of para sport outcomes.

The main findings show how a variety of organisations set goals and implemented strategies to create para sport legacies. While the short-term increase in para sport participation remained rather limited, the new infrastructure, new para sport policies, and increased awareness of para sport were the main para sport legacy outcomes.

The main contribution of this study is empirical knowledge on how different organisations can leverage a para sport event to create legacies for para sport. Future research can examine the perspectives of additional groups, such as other athletes, spectators, and people with disabilities.

For organisations involved in para sport, this study shows the opportunities and challenges of using a sport event to recruit new para sport participants.

While there are some studies on the legacy outcomes of the Paralympic Games, this study focuses on a different para sport event and adopts the leverage perspective.

This study explores the motives and objectives of sports sponsorship in China, taking into account the sports, social and cultural contexts. It also adopts a comparative approach to examine the sponsorship of elite and grassroots sports events in China.

This study adopts a qualitative approach, employing semi-structured interviews with representatives of nine companies sponsoring elite and/or grassroots sports events in Western China. The data were analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis.

In China, sponsors are frequently driven to sponsor elite sport events by a sense of obligation and responsibility to the country, whereas their motives to sponsor grassroots sport events is primarily influenced by sincerity and goodwill. Chinese companies consider brand awareness, exposure and the relationship with the government and authorities as key factors for sponsorship, and use sponsorship to achieve market-related objectives.

Companies’ sponsorship motives and objectives have received significant attention in the literature, but mainly in Western countries. In the context of China, this study identifies how sponsors utilize social networks to shape their motives and objectives. It also reveals certain patterns common with the current literature, as well as specificities such as how the roles of the government and authorities are linked to the contingent economic and social context of the country. Furthermore, the differences between elite and grassroots sports events sponsorship are explained.

Sustainability is a major global concern, and research has suggested a bidirectional relationship between participatory sport events and the natural environment. Against this background, we examined the influence of runners’ environmental consciousness on their perceptions of the quality of green initiatives and their supportive intention at a running event.

We collected questionnaire responses from 496 runners at an event held in Taiwan, and we used partial least squares structural equation modeling for our measurement and structural models.

Our findings revealed that environmental consciousness had a positive relationship with green perceived quality, and that green perceived quality, in turn, positively affected supportive intention. Green perceived quality also mediated the relationship between environmental consciousness and supportive intention, and running frequency moderated the relationship between environmental consciousness and supportive intention.

Stakeholders should promote the environmental consciousness of event participants and implement sustainable initiatives to enhance participants’ supportive intention towards participatory sport events.

This study contributes to the literature by examining the role of environmental consciousness, green perceived quality and supportive intention in the context of a running event. The findings highlight the importance of environmental sustainability in participatory sport events and provide valuable insights for event organizers and stakeholders in designing and implementing sustainable initiatives.

This study examines the relationships among residents' event impact perceptions, attitude towards events, attitude towards sponsors and sponsor-related behavioural intentions (i.e. purchase intention and word-of-mouth).

Focusing on the Naha Marathon in Okinawa, Japan, as a research context, data were collected from residents of Okinawa who were familiar with the Naha Marathon and its sponsors (N = 322). Structural equation modelling was employed to test the hypotheses, developed based on theories of social exchange, image transfer and planned behaviour.

The findings revealed that residents’ perceptions of social event impacts, rather than economic and environmental impacts, were associated with attitudes towards the event. Such an effect was indirectly associated with purchase intentions and word-of-mouth intentions via attitude towards the sponsors.

The current research contributes to the literature on sport sponsorship, especially in participation-based sports, by exploring how event sponsors can enjoy fruitful returns on investment. The findings can extend our understanding by highlighting the importance of positive community engagement for sponsors. Sponsors who aim to enhance consumer behaviour should prioritize strategies aligning with the positive social impacts of events.

Sport events’ contribution to the destinations’ local economy implies in-depth knowledge of the economic benefits generated by non-resident spectators (NRS). Thus, this study aims to answer: What is the profile and shaping factors of the consumption patterns of the several types of NRS in international surf tourism events?

A total of 263 questionnaires applied to the NRS of an international surf event were collected and analysed. The identification of the NRS profile and the predictive factors of their total expenditure were performed through the correlation of factors and multiple linear regression, respectively.

Mostly, the event attracted generation Y NRS, with a high level of education and regular sport practice. The results showed differences among the NRS: the “casuals” included more women than men; the “extensioners” integrated the NRS whose surfing practice is higher; the “event visitors”/”time switchers” mostly integrated the domestic tourism flows; the “casuals” and “extensioners” spent the most at the destination, and those whose intention to recommend/revisit the destination, respectively, was higher; and the shaping factor that most influenced the increase in NRS expenditure was the overnight stay, added by older age, higher education level and foreign origin.

Regardless of the initial motivation that led to the trip to the destination, the results verified that the event’s attributes are capable of contributing to the recommendation/visitation of the destination. Consequently, the study of economic benefits (tangible and intangible) provided by sport events in destinations should be guided by an integrative analysis of NRS.

The purpose of this study is to draw a scientific map of the Grand Tours cycling as part of the growing research field in this field at the global level. This study also identifies the components of scientific production in this field along with their collaboration patterns.

With the aim of achieving a comprehensive and deep understanding of the studies related to the Grand Tour, this research aims to address the existing gaps and provide a comprehensive summary of these scholarly works. To achieve this goal, the authors used a systematic and scientometric combination method, analyzing studies from the past half century (1970–2022).

The research findings reveal that scientific studies related to cycling events exhibit a geographical concentration within the continent of Europe, surpassing other continents. Notably, Spain, the USA, the UK and Italy emerge as pioneers in this field of inquiry. The main themes identified in these studies encompass cycling, the Tour de France, performance, professional roa cycling, heart rate, endurance, doping and power output.

This research, along with other systematic studies, contributes to the existing literature in this field by providing both quantitative and qualitative data. Additionally, the study serves as a foundation for identifying active and influential countries, institutions and authors in this domain. Such insights are highly effective in establishing scientific focal points in this field.

This study, in conjunction with the introduction of key figures in mega cycling event research, sheds light on the thematic areas explored within these studies. Notably, it is the sole study that has illuminated hidden facets of this field using scientometric and systematic methods.

This first chapter is the introduction to the book. The purpose of this book is to address and better understand why China tightly embraces modern sport in contemporary times. Some view this as an indicator of glocalisation and a result of Western industrial civilization putting pressure on China to showcase their strengths as a nation. Some important considerations to explore are China's mediated ability to play and compete with the west. Sport is also seen as a channel of observing global political and economic challenges, especially those in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the intense tensions between communities, which certainly inspires further academic development. Given China's recently remarkable achievements in sport, it is high time to show the world more inside stories of sport development across the nation. The contributors of this collection bring foundational Chinese context to each chapter as they examine changing sport cultures at different scales.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate how Qatar Airways’ sponsorship of FC Barcelona affects Qatar’s sports diplomacy and brand awareness. It focuses on the sponsorship’s demand strategy and takes into account the opinions and attitudes of Spanish nationals toward Qatar and Qatar Airways.

To assess this, a survey of 434 Spanish nationals from 17 different regions from four zones (North, South, Center, and East) in Spain between November 3, 2022 and November 21, 2022 was conducted using a strata sampling method.

We argue that Qatar Airways’ sponsorship of FC Barcelona serves to improve Qatar’s recognition and national reputation in Spain. We also found that there is a need for consistent sponsorship and marketing efforts in sports diplomacy to better fulfill public diplomacy aims. Overall, this paper concludes that Qatar Airways’ sponsorship of FC Barcelona positively contributes to the country’s sports diplomacy despite significant challenges.

The major contribution of this study to the literature is the discussion of the role of sports sponsorships in the recognition of the sponsor, which was assessed through conducting a quantitative analysis of public opinion in the sponsored team’s host country.