Call for papers

Rationale

This English text is a translation; the French call for papers is the reference version.

Sport is no longer just a physical activity or a spectacle. It has become an economic sector in its own right, a vehicle for image and a lever for territorial development (Gibson, 1998; Chalip, 2006).

Major sporting events, infrastructure, sport tourism and the leisure economy generate impacts that extend far beyond the stadium. Research on mega-events shows that their legacy is measured as much in terms of image, infrastructure and skills as in direct economic returns (Preuss, 2007; Müller, 2015). Morocco is living through an exceptional period in this respect. After hosting the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, the Kingdom is preparing the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which it co-hosts with Spain and Portugal. These events accelerate the modernisation of infrastructure, strengthen the attractiveness of host cities and place sport at the heart of marketing and territorial development strategies (Kotler, Haider and Rein, 1993).

At the same time, artificial intelligence is profoundly transforming the entire sport ecosystem. Data analytics optimises athlete performance and injury prevention. Algorithmic targeting, generative AI and digital platforms are renewing sport marketing, the fan experience and the value of sport brands (Funk, 2017; Huang and Rust, 2021). Connected stadiums, dynamic ticketing and predictive management tools are reshaping how events are organised, confirming that AI creates value when it is integrated into organisational processes (Davenport and Ronanki, 2018).

These innovations open up new opportunities, particularly for entrepreneurship (Ratten, 2011), but they also raise questions. How can territories leverage sport and AI to strengthen their attractiveness and economic development? To what extent does sport innovation benefit all local stakeholders? What skills do sport organisations need to develop? How can performance and personalisation be reconciled with respect for personal data, ethics and inclusion (Martin, 2019)?

Agadir and the Souss-Massa region offer an ideal setting for these discussions. A major tourist destination with large-scale sports facilities and strong potential for water, nature and outdoor sports, the region illustrates the close links between sport, tourism and local development.

This international conference, organised by the Institut des Métiers du Sport of Ibn Zohr University, is intended as a forum for multidisciplinary exchange. It will bring together researchers, doctoral students, sport and marketing professionals, institutional actors and public decision-makers. Contributions may come from management sciences, marketing, economics, sport sciences, sociology, law, spatial planning and data science. Theoretical and empirical approaches as well as professional case studies are welcome.

References

• Chalip, L. (2006). Towards social leverage of sport events. Journal of Sport & Tourism, 11(2), 109–127.
• Davenport, T. H., & Ronanki, R. (2018). Artificial intelligence for the real world. Harvard Business Review, 96(1), 108–116.
• Funk, D. C. (2017). Introducing a Sport Experience Design (SX) framework for sport consumer behaviour research. Sport Management Review, 20(2), 145–158.
• Gibson, H. J. (1998). Sport tourism: A critical analysis of research. Sport Management Review, 1(1), 45–76.
• Huang, M.-H., & Rust, R. T. (2021). A strategic framework for artificial intelligence in marketing. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 49(1), 30–50.
• Kotler, P., Haider, D. H., & Rein, I. (1993). Marketing places: Attracting investment, industry, and tourism to cities, states, and nations. Free Press.
• Martin, K. (2019). Ethical implications and accountability of algorithms. Journal of Business Ethics, 160(4), 835–850.
• Müller, M. (2015). What makes an event a mega-event? Definitions and sizes. Leisure Studies, 34(6), 627–642.
• Preuss, H. (2007). The conceptualisation and measurement of mega sport event legacies. Journal of Sport & Tourism, 12(3–4), 207–228.
• Ratten, V. (2011). Sport-based entrepreneurship: Towards a new theory of entrepreneurship and sport management. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 7(1), 57–69.