Research Network of Publications on Sports and Economics

In recent years, sports have transcended being just an entertainment industry and have started to have a significant impact on the global economy. This transformation, along with the increase in the economic effects of sports, demonstrates the rapid rise in research conducted in the field of sports economics. The aim of this study is to examine the research network of publications related to sports and economics available in the Web of Science (WoS) database. In the study, bibliometric analysis is conducted using tools such as VOSviewer, Bibliometrix R and Sankey diagrams to identify authors, international collaborations, citation trends and thematic developments. The data was obtained from the WoS database in November 2024 and a total of 739 publications between 1971 and 2024 were analyzed. The first study on this topic was conducted in 1971 and since then, research in the field of sports economics has shown significant development. The findings reveal that sports economics research is increasingly becoming more interdisciplinary. It has been observed that studies in this field interact with various areas such as tourism, management and digital technology. The study highlights a noticeable shift toward new topics, such as virtual reality, digital fan engagement and sustainability. The integration of sports economics with communication technologies, particularly through metaverse platforms, presents new opportunities and challenges. The way data obtained from metaverse environments can be integrated into sports-related economic analyses stands out as a promising direction for future research. Future research could focus more on sports economics in developing countries. This study provides a comprehensive review by mapping the relationship between sports and economics over a span of several decades and offers an important reference for interdisciplinary research in this field.