Adaptive sports in global sports marketing: bibliometric analysis of scientific discourse
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35774/visnyk2025.04.163Keywords:
adaptive sport, sports marketing, inclusivity, social responsibility, PRISMA, bibliometric analysis, digital technologiesAbstract
Introduction. Sports marketing is increasingly developing as a scientific and practical field; however, academic discourse still lacks sufficient attention to socially significant aspects - particularly inclusion, adaptive sports, and marketing strategies in crisis and post-crisis conditions.
Purpose. To identify current scientific trends and gaps in the field of sports marketing with a focus on inclusivity, social initiatives, and the rehabilitative potential of sport.
Methods. To systematize the body of scientific publications, the PRISMA methodology (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) was applied, ensuring transparency and reproducibility in the selection of sources. The primary data source was the Scopus database for the period 1988–2025. Further analysis was conducted using bibliometric methods, visualization of terminological connections, and clustering in the VOSviewer software environment. The study included 1,139 publications.
Results. The analysis confirmed the growing interest in digital technologies, sponsorship, and branding in sports marketing; however, the topics of adaptive sport and social inclusion remain marginal. A lack of systematized research in the field of marketing of social initiatives was revealed, which restrains the development of practical models of socially oriented sport.
Conclusions. The results of the study can be used by researchers, representatives of sports organizations, and state institutions to develop strategies for social reintegration and inclusive marketing practices. The identified trends confirm the importance of a comprehensive approach that combines economic tools with the social mission of adaptive sports. The findings highlight the necessity of creating systemic communication strategies that would sustain long-term interest of society and business in the development of this segment. Further research should be directed toward interdisciplinary analysis in the context of social cohesion, branding, public communications, and the measurement of the emotional impact of marketing strategies.
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