Business Model Adaptation in Spanish Sports Clubs According to the Perceived Context: Impact on the Social Cause Performance

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has generated an uncertain and changing context that has greatly affected the development and sustainability of all sports organizations. In this hostile context, adaptation of the business model (BMA) can be a strategic alternative for sports clubs. A change in value proposition, change in target market, and change in value delivery are some of the aspects considered in this study in relation to the social performance variable. It is well-known that sports clubs have a marked social function, therefore analyzing their social cause performance is of great importance in modern society. However, there are still few studies that have analyzed BMA in relation to this type of variable in sports clubs. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to find out what perceptions of the environment can influence the BMA, and to investigate what influence the BMA has on the social performance of this type of entity. To this end, 145 Spanish sports clubs were analyzed during a period of limitations and restrictions arising from COVID-19. The results show that there are differences in BMA according to the perceived impact of the crisis and the perception of risk. In addition, BMA predicts the social performance of sports clubs, and this study provides new information for academics and professionals. Practical implications and management proposals were developed based on the results, and conclusions drawn.