Designing and Developing Strategies for the Development of Public Sports Culture in Khuzestan Province (Social Marketing Approach)

This study took a mixed (qualitative-quantitative) approach. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were done with 17 experts, using content analysis. The sampling was done purposefully using snowball method, with the criterion of having executive and operational records or scientific and research records in the fields of marketing and public sports. In the quantitative phase, a researcher-made questionnaire on the 5-factor Likert rating scale was distributed among teachers, coaches, and managers who were knowledgeable and active in the field of public sports in the province to confirm the factors identified in the qualitative part of the design and validation. Finally, 341 questionnaires were collected in person and electronically. In order to analyze the data, structural equations using the partial least squares method were used. The results of the qualitative phase included the identification of five main factors (optimization of places, compatibility with beliefs, economic and social requirements, institutions with interests and roles, and public participation) in the development of public sports culture. In the quantitative part, all factor values of the items were greater than 0.4, which indicated the appropriateness of this criterion. Moreover, the t value obtained for all the items is more than 1.96, which indicates the significant impact of all the items at the confidence level of 0.95 on the development of public sports in province. According to the political and geographical conditions of the province, it is suggested that the sports and urban authorities specifically pay attention to the issue of developing the culture of public sports through the development of sports infrastructure, appropriate culture, and the cooperation of the interested institutions. This way, they would provide the infrastructure for a healthy society and the growth of citizens in sports in cultural and social dimensions.