This study aimed to identify the strengths and weaknesses of former athletes working in private companies in Japan. It focused on how their athletic experiences are connected to their work strengths and weaknesses and how the former athletes utilize them as employees. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 athletes and nine supervisors and colleagues, and the data was analyzed using thematic analysis. As a result, four main themes were obtained: “interpersonal relationships”, “mental toughness and stamina”, “executive ability” and “basic business skills”. One of the main themes “executive ability” which is understood to encompass the capacity to undertake tasks, establish objectives, and accomplish goals and plans was frequently cited by former athletes. Conversely, ten former athletes experienced deficiencies in the theme “basic business skills”, which include etiquette and proficiency in digital technologies. These weaknesses were largely absent from their athletic training and development, yet they were able to acquire these through subsequent work experience. The study also suggested that supervisors and colleagues valued some skills that the former athlete didn’t recognize as strengths and document creation may remain a weakness even with years of experience. The findings of this study would offer insights not only to support athletes in their future endeavors but also to inform the companies that will employ them.

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Sport and physical activity are widely recognised as having social impacts such as improving physical health, mental health and social capital, and community cohesion. In Japan, the designated manager system has been introduced for many public sports facilities. This study attempts to quantify the social impact of activities at these facilities. Some logic models of social impact were created based on interviews with stakeholders, and a scale to measure the social impact was developed as a common understanding on this basis. In order to confirm the reliability and validity of the developed evaluation scale, a questionnaire survey was given to the users of four public sports facilities. Data was collected from 316 users, and exploratory factor analysis and a one–way ANOVA was conducted on the results obtained. The current study developed a scale to measure the social impact for everyday sports and physical activities as a common understanding with stakeholders.

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This study examines the mediating role of social capital (SC) between the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools and subjective well-being (SWB) among Chinese university students majoring in physical education. Drawing on a theoretical framework that distinguishes bonding and bridging SC, the study tested whether AI use in sports-related contexts influences SWB through different SC typologies. A questionnaire survey was conducted with 428 students from five universities representing diverse economic and regional contexts. Factor analysis (KMO = 0.90, α > 0.70) identified five dimensions of SC—trust and attachment, social participation, neighborhood exchange, trust in strangers, and community anxiety. Cluster analysis yielded three SC types: “low bonding,” “high bonding,” and “bridging.” Mediation analyses revealed that AI use affected SWB entirely through bonding SC. Specifically, AI experience increased low bonding SC (which negatively predicted SWB) and decreased high bonding SC (which positively predicted SWB), resulting in two opposite but both negative indirect effects. Bridging SC showed no significant mediating effect. These findings indicate that AI exposure does not automatically enhance happiness; rather, its benefits depend on the quality and density of interpersonal trust networks. In the context of Chinese collectivist sports education, where hierarchical and closed bonding structures are prevalent, strong interpersonal ties are essential for transforming AI-related experiences into subjective well-being. The study highlights that social capital, particularly bonding ties, functions as an invisible infrastructure that supports human resilience and adaptive happiness in the AI era. The implications suggest that AI implementation in education and sports industries must be accompanied by institutional designs that sustain mutual trust, reciprocity, and collaborative learning environments.

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This study focused on an interactive online viewing service that allows participants to communicate with each other. Drawing on social presence, social identity theory, self-categorization theory, and brand community research, the study aimed to clarify the influence of fan community ID with team support intentions. Fan community ID is the sense of camaraderie that sports fans form with other fans and is thought to be influenced by the presence of fans online (Nakazawa and Yoshida, 2015). Therefore, social presence (recognizing others in communication media as “real” people) was considered as an antecedent factor of fan community ID. Furthermore, because group membership, or the recognition of belonging to a fan community, is thought to have a positive influence on team support intentions, merchandise purchase intentions and gifting intentions were set as outcome factors of fan community ID. Analysis of the hypothesized model using data collected from users of an interactive viewing service for Japanese professional baseball games indicated a positive influence from social presence on fan community ID and a positive influence from fan community ID on merchandise purchase intentions and gifting intentions.

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This study examines the impact of collaborative strategies—specifically co–creation initiatives involving university students with athletic experience—on spectator dynamics and the spectator experience within a resource–constrained women’s field hockey team. In the 2024 season, the club implemented initiatives in collaboration with university students, including social media communication, organized cheering at the venue, and community engagement activities, and the outcomes were compared with data from the 2023 season. Quantitative analysis revealed an increase in younger spectators and first–time attendees through social media, along with an upward trend in overall spectator satisfaction. Furthermore, qualitative analysis of free-response comments showed a notable increase in keywords related to “shared experiences” at the venue, such as “cheering” and “explanation,” suggesting that student involvement facilitated a qualitative transformation in spectator engagement. However, the initiatives remained highly dependent on individual initiative, indicating the need to establish institutional continuity. This descriptive case study provides practical insights for minor sports clubs seeking to develop sustainable collaborative strategies by leveraging external human resources.

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This study aims to quantitatively examine changes in playing styles in the B.League by setting the 2021 Tokyo Olympics as a temporal reference point, rather than a direct causal trigger. The analysis compares the periods before (2016-2020) and after (2021-2024) the Olympics. Data from all regular-season games during this timeframe was collected, and key performance indicators—such as points per possession (PPP), three-point shooting percentage, rebound rates, and assist-to-turnover ratio (ATO) —were adjusted based on the number of possessions. These metrics were then analyzed to assess changes over time and their relationship with win percentage. The results showed significant post- Olympic increases in scoring efficiency, three-point success rates, and game tempo (possessions per game). There was a strengthened correlation between offensive rebounds and winning percentage. Furthermore, the relationship between turnovers and win rates exhibited a notable structural shift. These findings suggest that the B.League has evolved toward a tactical emphasis on speed and efficiency, which is in line with global basketball trends. By positioning the Tokyo Olympics as a chronological benchmark, this study offers a comprehensive view of tactical changes in the B.League and provides valuable insights for team strategy development, player training, and future sports business initiatives.

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This study aimed to clarify the process and characteristics of nutrition support provided solely through a messaging application for two female endurance athletes with anemia and menstrual irregularities. Two long-distance runners living in dormitories received continuous nutrition support for approximately five months from a registered and certified Sports Dietitian by the Japan Sports Association. The support was conducted exclusively via LINE, a social networking service that allows text and image exchange. Message frequency and content were analyzed descriptively based on the framework of the Sports Nutrition Management Process. The number of messages peaked during the initial week, corresponding to the assessment phase, and subsequently showed no marked fluctuations over time. Initially, most messages were related to risk management, such as anemia and menstrual issues, but over time, the focus gradually shifted toward health maintenance, disease prevention, and ultimately performance enhancement. These findings suggest that even when conducted solely through messaging, nutrition support can progress in accordance with the athlete’s condition and management goals. Messaging-based nutrition support may serve as an effective alternative for continuous, individualized care when face-to-face interaction is difficult, particularly in an athletic or remote setting.

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