Sportovia Journal

 

About the Journal | Aims and Scope

Sportovia Journal (SJ) is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access academic journal published by SRA Academic Publishing, with academic support from the University of Bucharest, Romania. Dedicated to advancing scientific knowledge in sport management, sport business, sport economics, sport policy, and innovation, the journal provides an international academic platform for the publication and dissemination of original research, empirical studies, systematic reviews, methodological contributions, and theoretical and conceptual studies.

Supported by the academic expertise and scholarly environment of the University of Bucharest, Sportovia Journal seeks to strengthen its international academic orientation and encourage collaboration among researchers from different countries and institutions. This academic association contributes to the journal's commitment to scientific quality, interdisciplinary research, and the international dissemination of scholarly knowledge in sport management, business, economics, policy, and innovation.

As a scholarly publication of SRA Academic Publishing, SJ is committed to promoting scientific integrity, editorial independence, research transparency, and responsible academic publishing. The journal welcomes contributions from researchers, academics, sport management scholars, economists, business professionals, sport administrators, and policymakers whose work addresses contemporary managerial, economic, organizational, and policy-related issues in sport.

 

Aims and Scope

Sportovia Journal aims to publish scientifically rigorous, original, and methodologically sound research that contributes to theoretical knowledge, professional practice, and evidence-informed decision-making in sport management, sport business, sport economics, sport policy, innovation, and related disciplines.

The journal's scope encompasses the following research areas:

• Sport Management: Strategic management of sport organizations, organizational behavior, leadership, human resource management, organizational performance, professional sport management, sport club administration, and management of public and private sport institutions.
• Sport Business and Entrepreneurship: Sport business models, entrepreneurship, commercial sport enterprises, business development, corporate governance, sport industry competitiveness, investment strategies, and entrepreneurial innovation in sport.
• Sport Economics and Finance: Economics of professional and amateur sport, sport markets, financial management, revenue generation, investment analysis, economic impact assessment, financial sustainability, sport labor markets, and public and private financing of sport.
• Sport Marketing and Consumer Behavior: Sport marketing strategies, sponsorship, branding, fan engagement, spectator behavior, sport consumption, digital marketing, customer experience, merchandising, and commercial partnerships.
• Sport Policy and Governance: National and international sport policies, public sport administration, institutional governance, regulatory frameworks, policy development, public funding, accountability, governance effectiveness, and sport development strategies.
• Innovation and Digital Transformation in Sport: Innovation management, digital sport business models, artificial intelligence in sport management, sport analytics, digital platforms, technological entrepreneurship, smart sport facilities, and data-driven organizational decision-making.
• Sport Tourism and Event Management: Sport tourism development, sport event planning, international sporting events, destination competitiveness, event marketing, economic and social impacts of sport events, and sustainable event management.
• Sustainability and Social Responsibility in Sport: Sustainable sport management, environmental management of sport facilities, corporate social responsibility, ESG practices, community engagement, social inclusion, accessibility, and sustainable development in the sport industry.
• International Sport Business and Global Markets: Globalization of sport, international sport markets, cross-border investments, international sponsorship, global sport organizations, international competitiveness, and comparative sport management systems.
• Sport Law, Ethics, and Institutional Management: Legal and ethical issues in sport organizations, institutional compliance, governance ethics, contractual relationships, integrity in sport management, and regulatory challenges affecting sport business.
• Sport Facilities and Operations Management: Sport facility planning, infrastructure management, operational efficiency, service quality, resource allocation, facility utilization, risk management, and investment in sport infrastructure.
• Quantitative and Interdisciplinary Studies: Sport economics modeling, econometrics, sport business analytics, organizational performance measurement, financial forecasting, data-driven decision-making, and interdisciplinary approaches to managerial and economic problems in sport.

SJ particularly encourages interdisciplinary research that integrates perspectives from sport management, economics, business, public policy, technology, and social sciences. Studies examining emerging challenges in the sport industry, organizational transformations, innovative business practices, digitalization, governance, and sustainable sport development are welcomed.

The journal also supports comparative and cross-country research that contributes to understanding sport management systems, institutional differences, economic structures, governance models, and business practices across geographical regions.

 

Peer Review and Publication Policy

All research manuscripts submitted to Sportovia Journal undergo a double-blind peer-review process, in which the identities of authors and reviewers are concealed from one another. Manuscripts are evaluated by qualified reviewers with expertise in the relevant subject areas.

Editorial decisions are based on scientific merit, methodological rigor, originality, relevance to the journal's scope, and adherence to research and publication ethics.

The journal follows an open-access publishing model to facilitate the accessibility, visibility, and dissemination of scholarly research. Published articles are made available online to researchers, professionals, policymakers, sport administrators, and the wider academic community.

Sportovia Journal operates on a continuous publication model and accepts manuscript submissions throughout the year. Following the completion of peer review, editorial acceptance, and production, articles are published online as they become ready, without waiting for the completion of a traditional issue. Where applicable, accepted articles may also be made available through an Early View publication stage.

The journal promotes responsible publishing practices in accordance with internationally recognized principles of publication ethics, including those established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

 

Academic Mission and International Orientation

Published by SRA Academic Publishing, with academic support from the University of Bucharest, Romania, Sportovia Journal seeks to contribute to the international exchange of scientific knowledge in sport management, business, economics, policy, and innovation.

The journal's academic orientation is strengthened by its association with the University of Bucharest, an established European higher education institution with a multidisciplinary academic environment. This relationship is intended to encourage scholarly cooperation, international research engagement, and the exchange of academic expertise.

Sportovia Journal provides an accessible publication platform for sport management scholars, economists, researchers, business professionals, sport administrators, educators, and policymakers. The journal encourages contributions from different countries and academic traditions, supporting scholarly dialogue and collaboration across disciplinary and geographical boundaries.

Particular attention is given to research addressing transformations in the sport industry, international sport markets, technological innovation, financial and organizational management, sustainable sport business practices, and the changing institutional and regulatory environment of contemporary sport systems.

Through its commitment to rigorous peer review, ethical publishing practices, open access, and interdisciplinary scholarship, Sportovia Journal aims to establish itself as a reliable international academic publication contributing to sport management, sport business, sport economics, sport policy, and innovation research.

 

Publisher and Journal Information

Publisher: SRA Academic Publishing & Mekin Academy

Academic Support: University of Bucharest, Romania

Journal Title: Sportovia Journal

Abbreviation: SJ

Subject Areas: Sport Management, Business, Economics, Policy, Innovation

Publication Model: Continuous Publication

Access Model: Open Access

Peer-Review Model: Double-Blind Peer Review

Language of Publication: English

International Orientation: International and Interdisciplinary

Publication Ethics: COPE-Aligned Editorial and Publication Practices

   

Author Guidelines and Publication Policies

 

1. Aim and Scope

Sportovia Journal (SJ) is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access academic journal published by SRA Academic Publishing, with academic support from the University of Bucharest, Romania.

The journal publishes scientific manuscripts from disciplines directly or indirectly related to sport management, sport business, sport economics, sport policy, and innovation. SJ welcomes original research articles, review articles, case studies, methodological papers, short communications, and interdisciplinary studies addressing contemporary managerial, economic, organizational, and policy-related challenges in the sport industry.

The journal covers strategic sport management, sport business administration, sport economics and finance, sport marketing, sponsorship, consumer behavior, entrepreneurship, sport governance, public sport policy, sport tourism, event management, digital transformation, technological innovation, sustainability, and related fields.

SJ particularly encourages research examining the economic development of the sport industry, financial sustainability of sport organizations, governance effectiveness, international sport markets, artificial intelligence applications in sport management, digital sport business models, sustainable sport development, and the changing relationships between sport organizations, commercial enterprises, public institutions, and society.

The journal also welcomes comparative and cross-country studies that contribute to understanding sport management systems, institutional differences, economic performance, governance structures, international competitiveness, and developments in global sport markets.

 

2. Article Types

SJ accepts the following manuscript categories:

• Original Research Articles: Empirical studies employing quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, experimental, econometric, or computational research approaches in sport management, sport economics, sport business, sport policy, innovation, and related disciplines.
• Review Articles: Systematic literature reviews, narrative reviews, bibliometric analyses, scoping reviews, and meta-analyses that critically examine existing research and identify theoretical, methodological, or empirical developments in sport management, sport business, economics, and policy studies.
• Case Studies: In-depth investigations of sport organizations, professional sport clubs, sport governing bodies, commercial sport enterprises, sport events, public sport institutions, sport policies, or innovation practices with clear theoretical or practical contributions.
• Short Communications / Brief Reports: Concise studies presenting preliminary findings, emerging research results, or focused investigations of relevant managerial, economic, organizational, and policy-related issues in sport.
• Technical / Methodological Papers: Studies introducing or evaluating analytical methods, sport management frameworks, financial models, organizational performance measures, research instruments, forecasting tools, artificial intelligence applications, or innovative approaches to sport business and management research.
• Theoretical and Conceptual Papers: Manuscripts developing management theories, conceptual frameworks, analytical models, or new perspectives that advance scholarly understanding of sport organizations, sport markets, governance systems, business practices, and innovation processes.
• Letters to the Editor: Scholarly comments, methodological discussions, or critical responses to articles previously published in the journal.

 

3. Ethical Standards

Ethical approval must be obtained for studies involving human participants or animals when required by applicable institutional and national regulations.

Informed consent must be obtained from research participants when applicable, particularly in studies involving athletes, spectators, sport consumers, coaches, sport administrators, employees, surveys, interviews, experiments, or the collection of personal information.

Authors must comply with the ethical principles and publication standards established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

All potential conflicts of interest, including financial, professional, institutional, commercial, sponsorship-related, and organizational relationships, must be disclosed.

Manuscripts must represent original scholarly work and must not be under consideration for publication in another journal.

Plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, inappropriate authorship practices, manipulation of research findings, and other forms of research misconduct are prohibited.

Authors must ensure the accuracy, transparency, and reproducibility of sport management, business, economic, and policy analyses. Data sources, research instruments, statistical methods, econometric specifications, and analytical procedures should be clearly documented.

The use of artificial intelligence tools in manuscript preparation must be disclosed where required by the journal's publication policies. Authors remain responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of submitted content.

 

4. Manuscript Preparation and Formatting

Manuscripts must be submitted in English.

Use Times New Roman, 12 pt.

Article titles should not exceed 15 words.

References must follow the APA 7th edition citation style.

Manuscripts should be written in clear academic English and demonstrate appropriate theoretical grounding, methodological rigor, analytical consistency, and scholarly contribution.

The standard manuscript structure is:

1. Title
2. Abstract (up to 250 words) and Keywords (4–6)
3. Introduction
4. Literature Review and Theoretical Framework (where applicable)
5. Research Methodology
6. Results / Findings
7. Discussion
8. Conclusion and Implications
9. Limitations and Future Research Directions (where applicable)
10. Acknowledgments (if any)
11. Funding and Conflict of Interest Statements
12. References

The manuscript structure may be adapted to the nature of the research, particularly for theoretical papers, conceptual studies, literature reviews, sport economics investigations, comparative sport policy analyses, and qualitative research.

For empirical sport management, business, and economic studies, authors are encouraged to provide sufficient information regarding data sources, sample selection, variable definitions, measurement instruments, model specifications, analytical procedures, robustness checks, and limitations of the research approach.

 

5. Figures, Tables, and Supplementary Files

Figures, diagrams, conceptual models, sport business charts, organizational frameworks, and graphical illustrations must be submitted in high-resolution JPG or PNG format.

Tables must be provided in an editable format and should not be submitted as images.

All figures and tables must be numbered consecutively, appropriately titled, and referenced in the manuscript.

Statistical results, economic indicators, financial performance measures, organizational models, governance frameworks, and analytical findings should be presented clearly and consistently.

For quantitative studies, tables reporting regression results, structural equation models, hypothesis tests, financial analyses, organizational performance indicators, and other statistical findings should include relevant information such as coefficients, standard errors, significance levels, sample sizes, and model diagnostics, where applicable.

Supplementary materials, including datasets, questionnaires, interview protocols, research instruments, analytical codes, financial models, and additional methodological documentation, may be submitted separately.

Authors are encouraged to provide information supporting the transparency and reproducibility of empirical findings, subject to applicable confidentiality, data protection, and intellectual property requirements.

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce copyrighted figures, tables, datasets, photographs, or other materials.

 

6. Peer-Review Process

All research submissions undergo a double-blind peer-review process.

At least two independent reviewers with relevant academic expertise evaluate each manuscript.

The editor may assign additional reviewers when necessary.

Manuscripts are evaluated according to originality, theoretical contribution, methodological quality, analytical rigor, relevance to the journal's scope, and clarity of presentation.

For empirical sport management, business, economics, and policy research, particular attention is given to the appropriateness of research design, reliability of data, validity of measurement instruments, suitability of statistical or qualitative analytical methods, interpretation of findings, and consistency between evidence and conclusions.

Authors may be requested to revise their manuscripts in response to reviewer comments.

Final publication decisions are made by the editorial team based on reviewer evaluations and the journal's editorial standards.

The peer-review process is conducted independently, with editorial decisions based on academic quality and publication ethics.

 

7. Open Access Policy

SJ is a fully open-access academic journal.

All published articles are freely accessible to readers without subscription fees.

Authors retain copyright to their published work, subject to the terms of the applicable publication license.

Articles are published under an appropriate open-access license specified by the journal.

The journal supports the dissemination, accessibility, and responsible reuse of scholarly research.

Through its open-access policy, Sportovia Journal seeks to facilitate the international exchange of knowledge in sport management, sport business, economics, policy, and innovation among researchers, academic institutions, sport organizations, industry professionals, policymakers, and the wider public.

 

8. Early View and Continuous Publication

Sportovia Journal operates on a continuous publication model.

Manuscripts may be submitted throughout the year.

Following peer review, editorial acceptance, and completion of the production process, articles are published online as they become ready.

Where applicable, accepted articles may be made available through an Early View (online-first) publication stage.

Articles assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) can be formally cited using their published bibliographic information.

Continuous publication allows accepted research to become accessible without waiting for the completion of a traditional journal issue.

This publication model supports the timely dissemination of research addressing sport industry developments, changes in sport governance, emerging business practices, economic and policy challenges, and technological innovation in sport organizations.

 

9. Submission Process

Manuscripts must be submitted through the journal's online submission system.

A corresponding author must be designated and must provide complete contact information, including institutional affiliation and email address.

The corresponding author is responsible for communication with the editorial office throughout submission, peer review, revision, and publication.

Authors must ensure that the manuscript complies with the journal's formatting, ethical, and submission requirements.

Submitted manuscripts should include all necessary declarations concerning authorship, ethical approval, funding, conflicts of interest, and data availability, where applicable.

Manuscripts must be prepared for double-blind peer review, with identifying author information removed from the anonymized manuscript file.

Authors should ensure that acknowledgments, institutional references, file metadata, and other identifying information do not compromise the anonymity of the review process.

For empirical research, authors should clearly identify data sources, research periods, analytical methods, and relevant limitations.

The editorial office may return submissions that do not comply with the journal's author guidelines for technical revision before initiating peer review.

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

Sportovia Journal (SJ) is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access academic journal published by SRA Academic Publishing, with academic support from the University of Bucharest, Romania.

The journal is committed to maintaining high standards of ethical publishing and follows the principles and guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). SJ promotes scientific integrity, editorial independence, research transparency, academic accountability, and responsible scholarly communication throughout the publication process.

All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial ethical compliance assessment. The journal does not tolerate research or publication misconduct and applies appropriate editorial procedures when potential ethical violations are identified.

Given its disciplinary focus on sport management, sport business, sport economics, sport policy, and innovation, Sportovia Journal places particular emphasis on the reliability of empirical evidence, transparency of organizational and financial data, accuracy of statistical and economic analyses, protection of research participants, and responsible interpretation of findings concerning sport organizations, institutions, markets, and stakeholders.

 

1. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors

Authors must ensure that their submissions are original, properly referenced, and free from plagiarism.

All research data, sport industry indicators, organizational and financial information, statistical analyses, economic estimates, and findings presented in manuscripts must be accurate, reliable, and verifiable.

Research involving human participants, including athletes, coaches, spectators, sport consumers, sport administrators, employees, volunteers, and other stakeholders, must comply with applicable ethical requirements. Ethical approval and informed consent must be obtained where required, particularly in studies involving surveys, interviews, experiments, consumer behavior investigations, organizational research, and the collection of personal information.

Research involving children, adolescent athletes, or other potentially vulnerable participants must comply with applicable safeguarding requirements, including parental or guardian consent and participant assent where required.

All listed authors must have made a substantial scholarly contribution to the research and must approve the final version of the manuscript.

Any financial, institutional, professional, commercial, sponsorship-related, or personal conflicts of interest must be clearly disclosed.

Manuscripts must not be submitted to multiple journals simultaneously or previously published in substantially the same form without appropriate disclosure.

Authors must provide supporting research data, methodological documentation, statistical codes, analytical models, measurement instruments, or other relevant research materials when reasonably requested by the editor, subject to confidentiality, privacy, intellectual property, and legal restrictions.

Sources of financial support, research funding, institutional grants, commercial sponsorship, and other relevant contributions must be acknowledged.

Authors conducting empirical research in sport management, sport economics, sport business, or sport policy must clearly identify data sources, research periods, sampling procedures, variable definitions, measurement instruments, analytical methods, and methodological limitations.

The selective reporting or intentional omission of statistical results, model specifications, relevant observations, or robustness checks in ways that materially misrepresent research findings is prohibited.

The use of artificial intelligence tools in research or manuscript preparation must be disclosed in accordance with the journal's policies. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of their work.

 

2. Ethical Responsibilities of Editors

Editors must evaluate all submissions fairly, objectively, independently, and confidentially.

Editorial decisions must be based on scientific merit, originality, methodological rigor, relevance, and scholarly contribution, without discrimination based on authors' nationality, institutional affiliation, gender, ethnicity, or other personal characteristics.

Editors must ensure that manuscripts are assigned to qualified reviewers with appropriate expertise in sport management, sport economics, sport business, sport policy, innovation, or other relevant research fields and that the double-blind peer-review process is properly implemented.

Editors must identify and manage potential conflicts of interest that could compromise editorial independence, including relationships with sport organizations, governing bodies, sponsors, commercial enterprises, or research institutions.

Unpublished manuscripts, confidential organizational information, proprietary datasets, financial records, and research findings must not be used for personal or professional advantage.

Editors must ensure that empirical studies are assessed with appropriate attention to data quality, methodological transparency, statistical validity, ethical treatment of research participants, and the consistency of conclusions with the evidence presented.

When ethical misconduct is suspected, editors must initiate an appropriate assessment and, where necessary, request explanations or supporting documentation from the parties involved.

Editorial decisions concerning suspected misconduct must follow fair procedures and relevant COPE guidance.

The publisher, SRA Academic Publishing, and institutions providing academic support must respect the editorial independence of the journal. Decisions regarding manuscript acceptance, revision, or rejection remain the responsibility of the authorized editorial team.

 

3. Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers must conduct evaluations with confidentiality, impartiality, objectivity, and scientific integrity.

Reviewers must decline review invitations when conflicts of interest could compromise their independence or when they lack the necessary subject expertise.

Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents.

Information, unpublished findings, financial data, organizational records, research ideas, proprietary datasets, or confidential information concerning sport institutions obtained during the review process must not be used for personal or professional advantage.

Review comments must be constructive, evidence-based, clear, and respectful in academic tone.

Reviewers should identify significant methodological weaknesses, unsupported conclusions, inadequate referencing, and potential ethical concerns.

For empirical studies, reviewers are expected to assess the appropriateness of research design, statistical and qualitative methods, reliability of data sources, validity of measurement instruments, robustness of findings, and consistency between analytical results and conclusions.

For research involving athletes, sport consumers, spectators, employees, or other participants, reviewers should consider whether appropriate ethical approval, informed consent, confidentiality measures, and data protection procedures have been reported.

Reviewers must inform the editor if they identify suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, data manipulation, misleading statistical reporting, unauthorized use of confidential organizational information, or other forms of research misconduct.

Reviewers must not use the peer-review process to promote their own publications, require unnecessary citations, or influence research conclusions for personal, institutional, commercial, or professional benefit.

 

4. Types of Ethical Misconduct

The following practices are considered violations of research and publication ethics:

Plagiarism: Presenting another person's ideas, words, findings, sport management models, analytical frameworks, datasets, or intellectual contributions without appropriate acknowledgment.

Data Fabrication or Falsification: Inventing, manipulating, selectively altering, or misrepresenting research data, organizational records, sport industry indicators, financial information, statistical results, or empirical findings.

Duplicate Publication: Publishing substantially the same research findings in multiple publications without appropriate disclosure or justification.

Simultaneous Submission: Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal at the same time.

Inappropriate Authorship: Including individuals who have not made qualifying scholarly contributions or excluding individuals who meet authorship criteria.

Research Ethics Violations: Conducting research involving human participants without required ethical approval, informed consent, or appropriate protection of confidential information. This includes failure to comply with applicable safeguarding requirements in research involving minors or vulnerable participants.

Citation Manipulation: Adding unnecessary or inappropriate references to artificially increase citation counts or influence bibliometric indicators.

Peer-Review Manipulation: Providing false reviewer identities, interfering with independent evaluations, or attempting to influence the review process improperly.

Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest: Failing to disclose financial, institutional, sponsorship-related, commercial, professional, or personal relationships that may influence the research or its interpretation.

Misrepresentation of Research Findings: Deliberately presenting misleading interpretations, unsupported conclusions, distorted statistical analyses, or selective empirical results that materially affect the interpretation of sport management, business, economic, or policy research.

Statistical and Analytical Manipulation: Intentionally modifying model specifications, excluding relevant observations, misreporting statistical coefficients, selectively presenting significance levels, or manipulating analytical procedures to support predetermined conclusions.

Misuse of Confidential or Proprietary Data: Using restricted financial information, confidential sport organization records, athlete or employee information, commercial sponsorship agreements, institutional datasets, or commercially sensitive information without appropriate authorization.

Misrepresentation of Data Sources: Providing inaccurate descriptions of data origins, collection procedures, observation periods, participant recruitment, sampling methods, or analytical datasets in ways that compromise research transparency or reproducibility.

Unauthorized Use of Personal or Organizational Information: Collecting, disclosing, or publishing identifiable participant information, confidential institutional records, or commercially sensitive sport business data without appropriate legal or ethical authorization.

When misconduct is confirmed, the journal may reject the manuscript, request corrections, notify relevant institutions, or retract a published article, depending on the nature and severity of the violation and applicable COPE guidance.

 

5. Transparency and Correction Policy

Sportovia Journal follows COPE-recommended procedures when significant concerns or errors are identified after publication.

Depending on the circumstances, the journal may issue:

Corrections: To address errors that affect the accuracy or interpretation of published research without invalidating its principal findings. These may include errors in sport industry data, organizational performance indicators, financial calculations, statistical estimates, tables, figures, or methodological descriptions.

Retractions: When published findings are unreliable due to serious errors, research misconduct, substantial data irregularities, or other significant ethical violations.

Editorial Notices: Including expressions of concern or other notices when readers need to be informed about unresolved issues affecting a published article.

All post-publication actions are evaluated according to the available evidence, the seriousness of the identified concerns, and the need to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.

The journal aims to ensure that corrections, retractions, and editorial notices are clearly identified, publicly accessible, and appropriately linked to the original publication.

Where corrections affect quantitative analyses, sport organization performance measures, financial estimates, economic impact assessments, policy evaluations, or statistical results, authors may be required to provide revised calculations, updated tables, supporting datasets, or additional methodological explanations.

The journal is committed to maintaining an accurate, transparent, and reliable scholarly record in sport management, sport business, sport economics, sport policy, and innovation.

Editor-in-Chief

Dr. Jateen Raoof Mahmood - Iraq

 

Associate Editors

Prof. Dr. Gregor Hovemann - Leipzig University, Germany

Prof. Dr. Paul Downward - Loughborough University, United Kingdom

Prof. Dr. Patrizia Zagnoli - University of Florence, Italy

Prof. Dr. Jerónimo García-Fernández - University of Seville, Spain

 

Section Editors

Sport Management and Governance: Dr. Borja García - Loughborough University, United Kingdom

Sport Economics and Finance: Prof. Dr. Nicholas M. Watanabe - University of South Carolina, USA

Sport Marketing and Consumer Behavior: Prof. Dr. Matthew Katz - University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA

Sport Business and Innovation: Prof. Dr. Patrizia Zagnoli - University of Florence, Italy

Sport Policy and Law: Dr. Serhat Yılmaz - Loughborough University, United Kingdom

Digital Sport Marketing: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Halil Erdem Akoğlu - Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, Türkiye

Sport Sustainability and Social Responsibility: Prof. Dr. Pamela Wicker - Bielefeld University, Germany

 

International Editorial Board

Prof. Dr. Pamela Wicker - Bielefeld University, Germany

Prof. Dr. Gregor Hovemann - Leipzig University, Germany

Prof. Dr. Paul Downward - Loughborough University, United Kingdom

Dr. Borja García - Loughborough University, United Kingdom

Dr. Serhat Yılmaz - Loughborough University, United Kingdom

Prof. Dr. Patrizia Zagnoli - University of Florence, Italy

Prof. Dr. Jerónimo García-Fernández - University of Seville, Spain

Prof. Dr. Nicholas M. Watanabe - University of South Carolina, USA

Prof. Dr. Matthew Katz - University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Katie Sveinson - University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA

Prof. Dr. Lee Young Hoon - Sogang University, South Korea

Prof. Dr. Lim Choonghoon - Seoul National University, South Korea

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Halil Erdem Akoğlu - Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, Türkiye

Prof. Dr. Velittin Balcı - Ankara University, Türkiye

 

The Editorial Board of Sportovia Journal (SJ) brings together scholars with academic expertise and research experience across the fields of sport management, sport business, sport economics, sport policy, and innovation. Published by SRA Academic Publishing, with academic support from the University of Bucharest, Romania, the journal promotes international scholarly collaboration and interdisciplinary research addressing the managerial, economic, organizational, and policy dimensions of sport.

The primary mission of the Editorial Board is to maintain high standards of scientific quality, methodological rigor, research integrity, ethical publishing, and originality in all published works. Particular attention is given to the reliability of empirical evidence, the validity of managerial and economic analyses, the evaluation of sport policies and governance systems, and the contribution of published research to academic knowledge and evidence-informed decision-making in sport organizations and institutions.

 

The Editorial Board is responsible for:

• Conducting the initial academic and editorial assessment of submitted manuscripts.
• Selecting qualified reviewers and overseeing the double-blind peer-review process.
• Ensuring scientific objectivity, transparency, editorial independence, and fairness in publication decisions.
• Evaluating manuscripts based on originality, theoretical contribution, methodological rigor, analytical validity, and relevance to the journal's scope.
• Promoting compliance with internationally recognized research and publication ethics, including the principles established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
• Supporting the development and implementation of the journal's editorial policies, academic standards, and international publication strategy.
• Encouraging interdisciplinary research, international academic cooperation, and scholarly contributions addressing contemporary managerial, economic, technological, and policy-related challenges in sport.

Board members represent a broad range of disciplines, including strategic sport management, sport business administration, sport economics, sport finance, sport marketing, sponsorship management, consumer behavior, sport entrepreneurship, organizational leadership, human resource management in sport, sport governance, public sport policy, international sport business, sport tourism, sport event management, sport facility management, innovation management, digital transformation, sport analytics, and sustainable sport development.

This disciplinary diversity supports SJ's interdisciplinary scope and enables the journal to evaluate research examining sport organization performance, financial sustainability, sport market dynamics, international competitiveness, institutional governance, technological innovation, public sport policies, and the economic and social development of the sport industry from different academic perspectives.

The Editorial Board encourages international scholarly collaboration and welcomes research contributions from different countries, institutions, and academic traditions. The academic support of the University of Bucharest contributes to the journal's international orientation and provides opportunities for scholarly exchange and cooperation within the European and wider international academic community.

Editorial Board members contribute to the continuous development of the journal's academic standards, peer-review practices, and publication policies. Their responsibilities include supporting the evaluation of scientifically rigorous research, maintaining ethical editorial procedures, and promoting the publication of studies with clear theoretical, methodological, or practical contributions to sport management, sport business, sport economics, sport policy, and innovation.

Through their commitment to academic integrity, independent editorial judgment, methodological quality, and responsible scholarly publishing, Editorial Board members support the scientific credibility, international visibility, and long-term academic development of Sportovia Journal.

Sportovia Journal (SJ) is committed to enhancing the international visibility, accessibility, and academic impact of scholarly research in sport management, sport business, sport economics, sport policy, and innovation. Published by SRA Academic Publishing, with academic support from the University of Bucharest, Romania, the journal seeks to promote the international dissemination of scientific knowledge and strengthen scholarly communication across sport management, business, economics, public policy, and related interdisciplinary fields.

In accordance with its academic mission, Sportovia Journal aims to increase the discoverability, accessibility, and citation potential of published articles through recognized national and international indexing, abstracting, and scholarly information services.

The journal is working toward meeting the eligibility requirements and preparing for potential inclusion in the following platforms:

• DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals)
• Google Scholar
• EBSCO
• Crossref / DOI Registration
• Ulrichsweb (Global Serials Directory)
• ROAD (Directory of Open Access Scholarly Resources)
• OpenAIRE
• Scilit
• BASE (Bielefeld Academic Search Engine)

Sportovia Journal seeks to align its editorial policies, peer-review procedures, publication ethics, open-access practices, and scholarly publishing standards with the quality and transparency requirements of international indexing and abstracting services.

Particular attention is given to maintaining consistent publication standards, providing accurate and comprehensive article metadata, ensuring transparent editorial procedures, assigning persistent digital identifiers where applicable, and supporting the long-term accessibility and preservation of published research.

The journal also aims to improve the international discoverability of research addressing sport organization management, sport business development, sport economics and finance, sport governance, public sport policies, international sport markets, technological innovation, digital transformation, and sustainable sport management practices.

Sportovia Journal particularly encourages the dissemination of interdisciplinary and comparative research examining the economic performance of sport organizations, financial sustainability, sport industry competitiveness, sport marketing, sponsorship, institutional governance, innovation management, and the development of sport policies across different national and international contexts.

The academic support of the University of Bucharest contributes to the journal's international scholarly orientation and its efforts to encourage academic cooperation, research exchange, and engagement with researchers from different countries and institutions.

 

Future Indexing Objectives

As Sportovia Journal develops its publication record and meets the relevant eligibility criteria, the editorial team intends to pursue evaluation for inclusion in major international citation databases, including:

• Scopus
• Web of Science Core Collection

The journal recognizes that inclusion in these databases requires compliance with established evaluation criteria, including editorial quality, peer-review integrity, publication consistency, international scholarly relevance, citation performance, and transparent publishing practices.

Sportovia Journal will provide updated information regarding confirmed indexing coverage, database inclusion, and DOI registration services through its official website.

Inclusion in any indexing or abstracting service will be announced only after formal confirmation from the relevant organization. The platforms listed above represent the journal's indexing objectives and should not be interpreted as confirmation of current indexing status.