Impacts of digital technologies and social media platforms on advocating environmental sustainability in sports sector

The sports industry wields a direct and significant impact on the natural environment, with human activities having wrought considerable damage and contributed to climate change over the years. The urgency of addressing climate change has become undeniable, and the responsibility rests with sports enthusiasts to mitigate its harmful effects. Central to this endeavor is the dissemination of awareness about sustainable practices within the sports sector. Accordingly, two research questions are posed: What key aspects do sports organizations prioritize concerning climate change? And what role do digital technologies play in promoting sustainability in the context of climate change? The Sports for Climate Action (S4CA) framework outlines the fundamental principles and goals necessary for achieving ecological sustainability through sports. As a case study, this paper presents a comprehensive analysis of 22,647 tweets collected over two years, contributed by 14,354 unique-verified Twitter users. The resulting content and statistical analyses underscore the pivotal role of pro-environmental practices in the quest for sustainability within the realm of sports. Twitter users actively share information about athletes, sports events, leagues, products, and business classifications, all within the context of sports ecology. Notably, these discussions emphasize the integration of digital technologies such as artificial intelligence techniques, blockchain, and the Internet of Things, as the means to construct intelligent solutions for sports management practices.