DRIVING MECHANISMS FOR THE HIGH-QUALITY DEVELOPMENT OF CHINA’S SPORTS INDUSTRY IN THE NEW ERA

Abstract

Results and contributions: The study finds a significant spatial clustering effect in the development of China's sports industry, particularly in regions with higher technological similarity. Furthermore, a critical income threshold (¥15,263.7) was identified, above which investment becomes markedly more productive.

Purpose: This study aims to build a comprehensive analytical framework rooted in endogenous growth theory and industrial linkage theory to explore the key forces driving the high-quality development of China's sports industry and to analyze how capital input, labor, and technological progress contribute to regional output under different income conditions.

Gap: Through the use of spatial econometric and threshold models to analyze provincial panel data from 2005 to 2025, this study more precisely identifies the spatial clustering effect and the critical income threshold in the sports industry's development, offering a new perspective on the driving factors at different stages of development.

Relevance: Given the sports industry's increasingly vital role in China's national economic upgrading, addressing its structural limitations in scale, efficiency, and regional balance is crucial.

Impact: By offering targeted policy recommendations, such as strengthening cross-regional innovation networks and tailoring strategies to local development stages, this study contributes significantly to promoting the structural optimization and sustainable development of the sports industry.

Methodology: The study first constructed a comprehensive analytical framework and collected provincial panel data from China for the period 2005 to 2025. Subsequently, spatial econometric models were employed to examine spatial clustering effects, and a threshold model was used to identify the critical income threshold, allowing for a quantitative analysis of the influence of capital, labor, and technological progress on regional output.