The Sports Value Model – Canvas was developed to assist entrepreneurs and sports organizations in structuring businesses and creating value.

Feevale University professor Marcelo Curth with Ítalo José de Medeiros Dantas, a doctoral student in the Graduate Program in Cultural Processes and Manifestations, and Anelise Becker, a master’s student in Administration, developed the Sports Value Model – Canvas, a business model designed for the specificities of the sports sector. The proposal was published in the book Educação Física em Pernambuco – Saberes, Práticas e Desafios (Physical Education in Pernambuco: Knowledge, Practices, and Challenges), a publication by the Regional Council of Physical Education of Pernambuco (CREF-PE). The three researchers authored the chapter presenting the model. The method was developed by integrating knowledge from entrepreneurship, marketing, and strategic management, aiming to provide a tool related to the structuring and development of sports-related businesses and initiatives. Unlike generic business modeling systems, this proposal considers characteristics specific to this context, such as the audience experience, relationship building, adaptability, and the need to integrate strategy and operations.

According to Curth, a key contribution lies in transforming the various decisions required to launch a business into an integrated, easily visualized framework. “Sports entrepreneurs often identify an opportunity and have great ideas but struggle to turn it into a structured business proposal. The Sports Value Model Canvas aims to streamline precisely this process. The model offers an integrated view of the problem to be solved, the target audience for value creation, the proposed solution, the delivery method, and the necessary resources, partners, revenue streams, costs, and performance indicators. In doing so, we facilitate the business proposal process and help entrepreneurs understand how their decisions link to value creation,” he explains.

Application across sports organizations of various sizes

A key feature of the Sports Value Model – Canvas is its versatility, allowing it to be used by entrepreneurs and sports organizations with diverse structures and levels of complexity. Clubs, gyms, sports projects, startups, service providers, and other sports-related organizations can use the tool both to structure new ventures and to analyze and refine existing models.

The model covers everything from the core problem, solution, value proposition, and positioning to aspects such as market segments, delivery formats, user experience, and relationship management. The framework also incorporates key

activities and resources, supply sources, partnerships, revenue streams or social value generation, cost structures, and performance metrics.

According to Curth, this framework expands the tool's applicability across the diverse realities of the sports market. "Creating value in sports requires more than just a good idea. It involves understanding the audience, crafting a relevant value proposition, delivering a consistent experience, and developing a structure that makes the business viable. We therefore devised a model suitable for organizations of various sizes, one that helps managers align strategy, the market, the user experience, and operations. Our goal is to provide a practical tool to support decision-making, structure new ventures, and foster innovation within the sports industry," he adds. The development of this model is also linked to the professor's role as leader of the Thematic Working Group (GTT) on Entrepreneurship and Business Modeling at the Brazilian Association of Sports Management (ABRAGESP). This work aims to bridge the gap between academic research and the practical needs of the sports ecosystem, particularly regarding entrepreneurship, innovation, management, and the development of new business models. The book is available at this link.