On the “Productive” Value of Competition Systems

Training and competition constitute the core categorical framework of sports training science. Conventional theory views training as the primary pathway for enhancing competitive capacity, while competition is regarded as the stage for demonstrating training outcomes. However, evidence from competition-integrated training methodologies and research on technology spillovers in professional football leagues reveals that competition itself functions as a generator of competitive capacity. This paper takes the reconstruction of the “training-competition” dual relationship as its theoretical starting point, draws on the firm-market continuum paradigm from new institutional economics, and conducts exploratory research from an economic perspective. First, based on the differences in mechanisms of competitive capacity enhancement, it establishes a “training plan-competition situation” continuum model for sports events, positioning sports from competitive to antagonistic along a unified spectrum, and analyzes the differences in capacity enhancement pathways between competitive and antagonistic sports. Second, it demonstrates the market-oriented construction mechanism of competition systems for high-level antagonistic team sports, and deconstructs the institutional characteristics of competition systems at different levels under professionalization. Finally, taking Chinese football as an example, it proposes path suggestions for the revitalization and development of China’s three major ball sports from six dimensions: amateur competition, youth development, professional leagues, national team training, athlete mobility, and regional competition networks.