Mapping the intersection of corporate social responsibility, sustainability and value creation in sports: Trends and Themes

Abstract

This research presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the intersection between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sports, highlighting the evolving intellectual and conceptual structure of this dynamic research domain. Through co-occurrence keyword mapping, the study reveals major thematic clusters: foundational CSR and sustainability, financial performance and ESG disclosure, reporting standards and legitimacy, and a recently emerging cluster focused on sports sponsorship, health, and cause-related marketing. Citation and co-authorship analyses identify key scholars, influential journals, and the global collaborative networks driving the field, with the United States and United Kingdom leading research output and institutional partnerships expanding across continents. Thematic maps and trend topic analyses show CSR's central role in sport management research, accompanied by rising scholarly attention toward sustainability, stakeholder engagement, and social impact, especially post-2020. Factorial and coupling analyses further depict tightly knit research communities converging around both strategic business outcomes and community-oriented sporting initiatives. Collectively, the findings underscore how CSR within sports is transitioning from a philanthropic add-on to a strategic lever for branding, stakeholder engagement, and societal value creation. Areas for future research include deeper exploration of sustainability frameworks, cross-sector partnerships, and ethical governance in sport organizations