Strategic ownership configurations to foster intangible cultural heritage in Japanese football events

This research challenges top-down and purely economic evaluations of sports events, advocating for culturally sensitive governance that fosters local engagement and authenticity. It extends the RBV to multi-actor, culturally embedded ecosystems and proposes adaptable principles: promoting hybrid ownership, embedding cultural narratives, and engaging diverse stakeholders. Sporting events, when aligned with community values, serve as platforms for intergenerational cultural transmission and community development.