Abstract:
Since 1998, digital sports events in China have witnessed a development trajectory from scratch, from small-scale to large-scale, and from weak to strong. We employed literature research method and logical analysis to comb through the evolutionary context and characteristics as well as the realistic predicaments of domestic digital sports events, and puts forward future development directions in the light of successful extraterritorial practices. The study concludes that the development of domestic digital sports events has undergone a budding stage dominated by eSports, an exploration stage of digital transformation of sports, and an expansion stage of integration and innovation of diverse events. It presents evolutionary characteristics such as the gradual scale-up of event type and number, the increasing event recognition and value, simultaneous upgrading of event purposes and demands, and the dynamic follow-up of event technologies and concepts. However, at present, it still faces predicaments such as insufficient application of technological innovation that leads to weakened sustainability of events, the lag of policies and systems that restricts event adaptability, the limited size of the audience that hampers event influence, and unclear content positioning that limits event attractiveness. Drawing upon the case experiences of representative international digital sports events, it is proposed that future advancement of China’s digital sports events should be propelled by technological innovation as the core driver and using a technology-driven event development model, with institutional development as an important means to create a sustainable development environment for digital sports events, the lift of recognition as a key point to hold digital sports events for all to participate in and event expansion as a strategic direction to unleash the multiple functions of these events.