The impact of the digital economy on the green transformation of the sports industry: the moderating role of marketization of data factors

Background: In the era of rapid digital technology advancement, the digital economy is profoundly reshaping industrial operation models, providing new momentum and development pathways for the green transformation of the sports industry. Objective: This study investigates how the digital economy facilitates structural optimization and explores the underlying mechanisms through which it drives the green and high-quality transformation of the sports industry. Methods: Using provincial-level panel data from China spanning 2015-2023, this study employs fixed-effects panel models and moderation effect models to empirically examine the relationship between the digital economy and the green transformation of the sports industry, while testing its internal mechanisms. Results: The empirical findings demonstrate that the digital economy exerts a significant positive effect on the green transformation of the sports industry. This conclusion remains robust after addressing potential endogeneity concerns and conducting multiple robustness checks. Furthermore, the marketization of data factors significantly strengthens the positive impact of the digital economy on the sports industry's green transformation. In terms of regional heterogeneity, the promotional effect of the digital economy is notably more pronounced in eastern regions than in central and western regions. Discussion: The results highlight that the digital economy acts as a key driver of the green transformation of the sports industry. Promoting the marketization of data factors can further amplify this effect. Policy implications include improving data property rights and trading systems, strengthening digital infrastructure and governance capabilities, and implementing differentiated regional strategies to achieve coordinated and sustainable upgrading of the sports industry.