Identifying and Modeling the Dimensions of the Development of Sport Entertainment Businesses in Social Networks

Background and Purpose
In contemporary industrial societies, sports and healthy recreation have emerged as essential components for maintaining public health, fostering physical and mental growth, and enhancing overall quality of life. These activities also play a crucial role in safeguarding aging populations by promoting active lifestyles and preventing chronic diseases. Recreational sports, which are defined as sports products aimed primarily at enjoyment, vitality, and leisure enrichment, have gained considerable prominence in recent years (Tatary et al., 2019). This rise coincides with the proliferation of virtual social networks, which have transformed the way individuals engage with sports and leisure activities.
Virtual social networks function as online communities where users with shared interests connect, communicate, and collaborate. These platforms provide sports organizations with a competitive advantage by enabling cost-effective and time-efficient customer engagement and marketing strategies (Oktavia et al., 2020). The interactive nature of social media facilitates direct communication between sports businesses and their audiences, fostering deeper relationships and enhancing customer loyalty.
Research by Nisar et al. (2018) underscores the power of social media as a marketing tool capable of attracting spectators and expanding the reach of sports organizations. Similarly, Ratten (2020) highlights the critical need for innovation management strategies within sports enterprises, emphasizing that technology is an intrinsic driver of contemporary sports business success. Despite these opportunities, countries like Iran face unique challenges, including restricted access to certain platforms and socio-cultural barriers that limit the full exploitation of social networks for sports marketing. Nevertheless, platforms such as Instagram remain viable and popular channels for sports entertainment businesses in Iran.
Given this context, the present study seeks to address a critical research question: What factors influence the development of sports entertainment businesses on social networks? Understanding these factors is vital for sports managers, marketers, and policymakers aiming to leverage digital platforms for sustainable business growth and enhanced customer engagement.
 
Methodology
This research adopts an applied correlational design, employing structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze the relationships between variables influencing the development of sports entertainment businesses on social networks. The statistical population comprises experts and practitioners actively involved in sports entertainment businesses within social networks.
Using Cochran’s formula for unknown populations, a sample size of 384 participants was determined and selected through random sampling to ensure representativeness and generalizability. Data collection was conducted via electronic and face-to-face questionnaires, designed to capture comprehensive information on the variables of interest.
The questionnaire underwent rigorous validation by a panel of eleven professors specializing in sports management, marketing, and social media, ensuring content validity. Reliability analysis was conducted using Cronbach’s alpha, yielding a coefficient of 0.801, indicating good internal consistency of the instrument.
Data analysis involved both descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Descriptive statistics provided an overview of the sample characteristics and variable distributions, while SEM was applied to test the hypothesized model and examine the strength and significance of relationships among latent constructs.
 
Results
The second-order structural model developed for sports entertainment business development demonstrated acceptable fit indices, confirming the robustness and validity of the proposed framework. The key factors identified as significantly influencing business development included communication channels, culture and lifestyle, financial and economic factors, and entrepreneurship.
Communication channels exhibited the strongest influence, with a standardized path coefficient (β) of 0.851. This underscores the critical role of effective communication strategies, including the use of diverse social media platforms, content dissemination, and customer interaction, in fostering business growth.
Culture and lifestyle factors followed closely, with a coefficient of 0.817. This reflects the importance of aligning sports entertainment offerings with the cultural norms, values, and lifestyles of target audiences to ensure relevance and acceptance.
Financial and economic factors also played a substantial role (β = 0.771), highlighting the impact of economic conditions, investment availability, and financial management on the viability and expansion of sports entertainment businesses.
Entrepreneurship, with a coefficient of 0.727, was identified as a vital driver, emphasizing the need for innovative, proactive, and risk-taking approaches among sports business managers to capitalize on emerging opportunities within social networks.
The model fit indices further validated the structural model: Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) was 0.91, Comparative Fit Index (CFI) was 0.93, Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index (AGFI) was 0.89, Normed Fit Index (NFI) was 0.90, and Incremental Fit Index (IFI) was 0.92. Residual measures such as Root Mean Square Residual (RMR) and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) were 0.047 and 0.096, respectively, indicating an adequate fit between the model and observed data.
 
Discussion
The findings reveal significant positive relationships between sports entertainment business development and components such as customer needs assessment, value proposition, marketing strategies, creativity, and innovation. These results align with Ratten’s (2020) assertion that innovation management is indispensable in the sports sector, particularly in the digital age where technological advancements continuously reshape consumer behaviors.
In the Iranian context, the study highlights a prevalent neglect of customer-centric approaches, with many sports businesses relying on outdated marketing methods that fail to engage modern audiences effectively. This gap underscores the urgency for sports business managers to balance competitive innovation with deep customer insights, branding efforts, and creative service delivery to succeed in the dynamic environment of social networks.
Moreover, the prominence of communication channels as the most influential factor confirms the necessity for sports enterprises to adopt multi-channel communication strategies that leverage the interactive and viral potential of social media. Engaging content, timely responses, and personalized interactions foster stronger customer relationships and brand loyalty.
Cultural and lifestyle alignment emerged as another critical factor, indicating that sports entertainment businesses must tailor their offerings to resonate with the socio-cultural context of their audiences. This cultural sensitivity enhances acceptance and participation, contributing to sustainable business growth. Financial and economic considerations remain foundational, as the availability of resources, effective budgeting, and strategic investment underpin the capacity to innovate and expand. Entrepreneurship complements these factors by driving the agility and creativity required to navigate the competitive landscape of sports entertainment on social networks.
 
Conclusion
This study contributes to the understanding of the multifaceted factors influencing the development of sports entertainment businesses on social networks. It underscores the imperative for sports business managers to adopt customer-centric, innovative, and culturally attuned strategies supported by robust financial management and entrepreneurial spirit. To capitalize on the opportunities presented by social networks, sports enterprises must prioritize the development of effective communication channels, align their offerings with cultural and lifestyle preferences, secure adequate financial resources, and foster an entrepreneurial mindset. These elements collectively enhance customer engagement, brand differentiation, and competitive advantage.
Future research should explore longitudinal impacts of these factors and examine the role of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality in transforming sports entertainment business models.