The operations of sports organizations must be managed to create value in the long run. This explicit management will support their efficiency, competitiveness, and sustainability. The key concept measured in this study was the popularity of sports. This concept is a pivotal element in influencing the acquisition of financial contributions for sports organizations (from the state and sponsors) as well as in attracting new members. We conducted an online questionnaire in 2021 focusing on the concept of the perceived popularity of sports in Slovakia. The number of observations was 338, out of the total population of Slovak citizens over the age of 15. We also applied other methods, including content analysis, induction, deduction, comparison, and synthesis analyses. The analysis of the data led to the following findings: in this context, the two most popular sports were hockey and European football; the greatest propensity for fan self-identification was observed for European football, hockey, and basketball; men who indicated a preference for cycling were significantly larger fans of the sport than women; European football and motorsports were almost exclusively preferred by men; skiing, volleyball, and tennis were preferred by women; and basketball was preferred by the youngest respondents. This study aimed to propose recommendations for approaching sustainability, assuming that increasing popularity represents an opportunity to increase a sport organizations’ membership base.

Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues is a peer-reviewed journal which publishes original research papers and case studies

Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues is a peer-reviewed journal which publishes original research papers and case studies

Stopping competitions and the training process was a shock that sports organizations had to deal with. Financial problems forced them to rethink the situation. In Slovakia, this became critical. This is why we started to research this issue to provide an answer to the research question: What are the actual consequences of government measures on the sports industry? A survey was conducted including two questionnaires made available between the pandemic waves. The first questionnaire was designed for athletes and sports professionals (N = 1040). The second addressed sports organizations (N = 626). Questionnaires were accessible via sports organizations’ portals. The ban on organizing mass sports events affected this industry. More than 80% of respondents had an experience of having to cancel a competition or training activity. This had an impact on their income as well as their future activities. We cooperate with government institutions and sports associations in Slovakia, so the results were provided to government officials. However, due to political changes accompanied by changes in the ministries responsible for the sports industry in Slovakia, it is relevant to summarize the research results in their present form. In this way they can serve as background for future sports policies.