Identifying the Opportunities Arising from the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sport context: A Thematic Analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the opportunities arising from the COVID-19 pandemic in sport context. This research has been a qualitative exploratory study that has been done using a thematic analysis method. The statistical population of the study included experts in the field of sports management and futurology, and according to the nature of the research, 12 experts were interviewed as a statistical sample through snowball sampling until reaching the theoretical saturation. The tool used in the research was a semi-structured interview. The thematic analysis of the data by Braun and Clarke’s (2006) method led to the extraction of 76 codes, 12 sub-themes and six main themes. The findings showed that E-learning, Virtual Sports, New Culture, Social Responsibility, Science, Technology and Innovation, and New Entrepreneurship are among the explored opportunities that have been introduced to the sports field due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the research findings, despite the challenges posed by the prevalence of COVID-19 for the field of sports, it is possible to take advantage of the existing opportunities to strengthen and develop some aspects of sports, and thus cope with some of the threats and challenges posed by Corona.