The inclusion of esports in the Olympics presents new opportunities and challenges for event operations. While enhancing industry recognition and attracting policy support and capital investment, it also faces issues with traditional sports concepts and insufficient standardization of event rules. This study focuses on a SWOT analysis of esports event operations to identify competitive advantages and potential risks, aiming to provide strategic insights for sustainable development. This study employs the SWOT analysis model, integrating literature analysis, case studies, and data statistics to evaluate the internal and external environments of esports event operations. Data sources include industry reports, typical event cases (e.g., the Asian Games esports project), and policy texts. The analysis identifies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to propose strategic combinations. The core strengths of esports event operations are a young audience base, capital-intensive investment, and digital platform advantages (e.g., live streaming and fan economy). Weaknesses include an imperfect rule system, low recognition of traditional sports culture, and insufficient professional training for athletes. Opportunities arise from policy support, cross-industry cooperation (e.g., sponsorships from new energy vehicle brands), and technological advancements (e.g., AI referee systems). Threats include public opinion disputes, intensified industry competition, and ecological protection policies. Based on these findings, the study proposes SO (using Olympic resources to promote event internationalization), ST (enhancing transparency to mitigate public opinion risks), WO (improving rule standardization and talent development), and WT (establishing industry alliances to resist external shocks) strategies. The entry of esports into the Olympics opens a new dimension for event operations, requiring dynamic strategic adjustments to balance opportunities and challenges. The study recommends prioritizing the SO strategy to integrate the Olympic brand with esports culture, strengthening commercial value and social responsibility. The WO strategy should focus on addressing rule and talent gaps to promote industry standardization. Future research exploring the integration of esports and traditional sports offers insights for the digital transformation of the global sports ecosystem.
Yang et al. (Thu,) studied this question.