As a crucial component of national cultural soft power, sport intangible cultural heritage (SICH) requires a balance between preservation and utilization. However, modernization challenges, including insufficient succession and commercial erosion, hinder its sustainable development. Utilizing statistical data on national and provincial SICH items in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) and applying the GeoDetector, the study uncovers the inequality in spatial distribution and explores its underlying drivers. Our findings highlight a shift in distributional logic: while historical geography lays the foundation, contemporary policy support serves as the critical engine for the present-day vitality and aggregation of SICH. This study not only elucidates the spatial patterns of SICH but also highlights the necessity of integrating cultural distinctiveness into tourism models. It provides a strategic reference for policymakers to enhance the succession of ethnic sports and foster the integrated development of the YRD region.
Ye et al. (2026) studied this question.