Title: Sports Events and Urban Development: An Economic Analysis Using PLS-SEM in the Context of Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Hai Anh
Volume: 9
Issue: 7
Pages: 179-187
Publication Date: 2025/07/28
Abstract:
This investigation examines the complex relationships amongst sports event scale, infrastructure development, communication strategies, sports tourism, city image, and economic urban development within Vietnam's emerging economy. Drawing upon Economic Multiplier Theory and Place Branding Theory, this study employs Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to analyse data from 450 respondents across three major Vietnamese cities. The research reveals that all hypothesised relationships demonstrate statistical significance, with sports tourism and city image functioning as critical mediators linking sports events to broader economic outcomes. Multi-group analysis comparing large-scale and small-scale events indicates significantly stronger impacts from major sporting competitions. The findings contribute novel theoretical insights into the mediating mechanisms through which sports events catalyse urban economic development in developing economies, whilst providing practical implications for Vietnamese urban planning and policy formulation. The study advances understanding of sports-led urban development by demonstrating the pivotal roles of sports tourism and city image as conduits for economic transformation in rapidly urbanising contexts.