Globalization or Glocalization? The Emerging Scholarship on Sport Match-Fixing in Light of Asian Context

Abstract

This article aims to contribute to the body of knowledge in sport social science and to serve as a basis for refining the recent Asian scholarship related to sports corruption in general and match-fixing studies in particular. The main goal of this study is to synthesize the relevant evidence by reviewing the literature on documentary materials and conducting interviews with academics, media journalists, baseball coaches, and former professional baseball players. First, the results indicate that the emerging theoretical/conceptual and methodological frameworks of Asian match-fixing studies have been identified. Second, the relevant actors’ roles in their embedded structures entail that match-fixing can be better understood from different perspectives, which shape corrupted contexts. Third, this study concludes by providing the implications of its examination of the nuances of match-fixing; it articulates how Asian match-fixing cases shed light on the relevant conceptual implications and practical applications regarding the effect of different cultures and the associated social network relationships.