The Structural Obstacles of a Metaverse-Sports Fusion and Paths to Alleviate Them

The metaverse, being a significant direction in the digital industry's global development in recent years, naturally aligns with and intertwines with the realm of sports. However, within the logical structure of the fusion of the metaverse and sports, data and digital technology, as the crucial elements that drive this fusion, are restricted by the constraints of existing social governance structures. This leads to challenges such as the commercialization dilemma of metaverse sports data components and the technical governance hurdles faced by “metaverse sports technology.” To ensure a stable, enduring, and healthy fusion of the metaverse and sports, two primary strategies are proposed:(a) safeguarding the commercial value of metaverse sports data elements, clearly defining the rules for distributing the interests of metaverse sports data elements among different legal entities, and developing a mechanism for trading metaverse sports data elements that centers around categorization, classification, rights registration, and intermediaries.(b) rooting in a spirit of community respect, striking a balance between economic and value considerations during the fusion process of the metaverse and sports, strengthening the formation of a consensus on values, enhancing the dual-governance system of “technology + law” for metaverse sports technology, establishing a tri-governance model of “government + market +community,” and refining standardized systems for the application of technology.