Moscow, Russian Federation
JEL L83 Sports • Gambling • Restaurants • Recreation • Tourism
JEL Z21 Industry Studies
VAK Russia 5.2.6
VAK Russia 5.8.5
UDC 31
UDC 796.062
CSCSTI 77.00
CSCSTI 20.00
Russian Classification of Professions by Education 09.00.00
Russian Classification of Professions by Education 39.00.00
Russian Library and Bibliographic Classification 75
BISAC COM032000 Information Technology
BISAC COM060170 Web / Content Management Systems
BISAC BIO016000 Sports
Relevance. The digital transformation of sports organizations is an important area of state policy and management in the field of physical culture and sports. Despite the growing number of technological solutions, there is a lack of systematic research on the actual problems, typical approaches, and evolution of digitalization practices in various types of Russian sports organizations. Aim. To identify common patterns, problem areas, and typical technological solutions for the digital transformation of Russian sports organizations based on a systematic analysis of practice-oriented projects from 2021 to 2026. Methods. The study is based on a secondary analysis of seven case studies detailed in the graduate theses of students enrolled in the Master of Sports Management and Master of Sports Administration programs at the Russian International Olympic University. The research employs thematic analysis, problem typologization (process-related, communication, motivational, infrastructural), cross-case comparison, and content analysis of key terms (163 semantic units grouped into 58 categories). Results. Manual record-keeping and paper-based document flow dominate as the primary problems (36.6% of all problem-related mentions, 6 out of 7 cases). The portfolio of proposed solutions is invariant: CRM systems, websites with personal accounts, and government information systems. An evolution in digital transformation priorities is observed: from basic process automation (2021–2022) to service personalization, ensuring transparency, fairness, and user trust (2025–2026). The level of digital maturity of the organizations remains initial; quantitative effect assessments (labor savings, NPS) are present in only three out of seven cases. Conclusions. The proposed typology of problems and the invariant portfolio of solutions can be used for diagnosing digital maturity and planning digital changes in various types of sports organizations. Digital transformation in the Russian sports sector is evolving from process automation toward using digital tools as a means to enhance the legitimacy of management decisions.
digital transformation, sports organizations, cross-case analysis, content analysis, CRM, digital maturity, sports management
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