Document Type : Practical article
Authors
1 Assistant Professor Department of Motor Behavior and Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
2 PhD Student in Sport Management, Department of Motor Behavior and Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
3 Prof., Department of Motor Behavior and Sport Management, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
4 Division of Engineering Management and Decision Sciences, College of Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
Abstract
Introduction
Urban branding has emerged as a critical dimension of a city's identity, playing an increasingly significant role in shaping public perception, attracting tourism, and fostering economic development. In this context, women's participation in sport has gained attention as an effective tool and a key aspect of social and cultural development in societies. Female athletes, by overcoming traditional barriers and challenging gender stereotypes, have become symbols of empowerment—symbols that can elevate a city’s status at both national and international levels. Moreover, media plays a pivotal role in this dynamic process. The quantity and quality of media coverage of women's sporting events significantly influence public perception, enhance the visibility of female athletes, and ultimately contribute to shaping urban branding narratives. Despite its crucial potential, the role of women's participation in sport and its impact on city branding has often been overlooked in research. Additionally, the mediating effect of media coverage in this process—a key and decisive factor—has rarely been addressed in existing studies. Women's sport, with its vast potential to attract audiences and create a positive, dynamic image of a city, can play a vital role in strengthening urban identity and enhancing city branding. However, the lack of comprehensive and focused research in this area has created a significant and noticeable gap in the existing literature. This gap underscores the urgent need for a precise, thorough, and targeted study. The primary objective of this research is to bridge this knowledge gap and provide practical strategies for optimally leveraging the potential of women's sport to enhance urban branding.
Method
The current research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-survey in terms of data collection method. This cross-sectional study utilizes both field and library research approaches for data gathering. The study population includes female athletes, sport coaches, sport managers, and municipal officials in Tehran. Convenience sampling was employed for participant selection. Following Hair et al.'s (2019) recommendation of requiring 5 to 15 respondents per item for structural equation modeling, a total of 342 valid questionnaires were collected. Standardized questionnaires were used to measure research variables, with all items rated on a five-point Likert scale. The face and content validity of the questionnaires were verified by eight sport management faculty members. Reliability was assessed through Cronbach's alpha, with all constructs demonstrating values above 0.7, indicating acceptable reliability. Data analysis was conducted at two levels: descriptive (using SPSS version 25) and inferential (employing structural equation modeling in Smart PLS version 3, along with bootstrapping to examine mediating effects).
Findings
The statistical analysis revealed compelling evidence for the pivotal role of women’s sport participation in shaping a city's brand identity. The direct path coefficient (β = 0.547, p < 0.001) indicates a strong, positive, and statistically significant relationship between female sport participation and urban branding. This supports the first hypothesis and suggests that when women are visibly and actively engaged in sport, it contributes meaningfully to the way a city is perceived—both internally by its residents and externally by tourists, investors, and media audiences. Furthermore, the data show that women’s participation in sport significantly predicts the level of media coverage devoted to women’s sporting events (β = 0.465, p < 0.001). This confirms the second hypothesis and highlights a reinforcing feedback loop: as more women participate, media outlets respond with increased coverage, particularly when public interest and policy support align. The third key result indicates that media coverage itself has a direct and statistically significant influence on urban branding (β = 0.201, p < 0.05). Although this effect is more moderate compared to direct participation, it confirms the hypothesis that media serve as a vital mechanism for amplifying the symbolic and social impact of women’s sport on urban image. The quality, tone, and frequency of this coverage shape how cities are perceived—particularly regarding their support for gender equity, social inclusion, and cultural vitality. Crucially, the mediating role of media coverage in the relationship between women’s sport participation and city branding was statistically validated. The Sobel test yielded a significant statistic (β = 3.943, p < 0.001), and the Variance Accounted For (VAF) index showed that 15% of the total effect is channeled through media representation. This partial mediation implies that while direct participation is important, its full branding potential is only realized when achievements are communicated to the public through effective, strategic media coverage.
Conclusion
This study aimed to examine the role of women's sport participation and its media representation in the urban branding process of Tehran. By addressing a gap in the literature—particularly regarding the role of women's sport in shaping city identity and image—it offers innovative findings. Structural equation modeling revealed that women's sport participation has a direct and significant impact on urban branding (β = 0.547, p < 0.001), while media coverage strengthens this relationship as a mediating variable (VAF = 15%). These findings align with theoretical frameworks of city branding (Kavaratzis, 2004; Anholt, 2007) and literature on sport's role in enhancing city image (Chalip et al., 2017; Pan, 2019), while expanding them by emphasizing the capacity of female athletes to represent diverse, inclusive, and dynamic urban identities. The research clearly demonstrates that women's sport participation, mediated by strategic and purposeful media coverage, has a positive and significant impact on city branding. The findings indicate that merely increasing women's sport participation without effective media representation cannot improve a city's brand image and identity. Instead, media coverage plays a key catalytic role—amplifying the influence of women's participation in public perception and, consequently, urban branding—by highlighting their achievements and inspiring narratives.This study demonstrated that women’s participation in sports significantly contributes to urban branding, but only when accompanied by strategic and targeted media representation. Media coverage plays a catalytic role by amplifying female athletes' achievements and inspiring narratives, thereby shaping a dynamic and inclusive urban identity. Accordingly, it is recommended that policymakers invest in women's sports infrastructure, develop specialized media strategies, and strengthen intersectoral collaboration between municipalities, sports organizations, and media outlets to fully harness the potential of women's sports in sustainable urban development. Future research should expand the geographical scope and explore additional mediating variables—such as governmental policies and digital platforms—to enrich the findings and offer a more comprehensive model of the role of women’s sports in city branding.
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