Contemporary Trends in the Digital Transformation of Sports Organizations as Business Entities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51738/kpolisa.2026.2r.mkmvgAbstract
Digital transformation is one of the defining processes of contemporary society, affecting nearly every
sphere of economic, social, and legal life, including sport. Sport increasingly operates as part of the digital
economy and is developing into a professional and commercial activity in which technological innovation,
information technologies, and legal mechanisms play a decisive role. In sport, digital transformation entails
not merely the deployment of information technologies within existing processes, but also fundamental
changes to business models, organizational structures, and methods of value creation in the digital
environment. This paper analyzes contemporary trends in the digital transformation of sports organizations
as business entities, with particular emphasis on the legal framework of the Republic of Serbia and its
alignment with European and international standards. The research employs a qualitative methodological
approach, combining descriptive-analytical, normative, and comparative legal methods with case studies
of digital transformation in Serbian sports organizations. Particular attention is devoted to the legal and
organizational aspects of digital operations, including digital registries, electronic contracts, datamanagement systems, digital platforms for competition administration and audience engagement, and
the use of analytics in sports management. The analysis demonstrates that digital transformation promotes
professionalization, efficiency, and transparency within the sports system, while simultaneously raising challenges concerning data protection, cybersecurity, copyright, and ethics. The findings indicate that successful digital transformation of the sports sector requires an integrated approach linking technological
development, legal regulation, and organizational modernization, together with an active role for the state and sports institutions in aligning domestic practice with international standards.
Downloads
References
Digital Services Act (DSA). Accessed March 2, 2026, at https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32022R2065
Bernstein, J. (2018). Smart contract integration in professional sports management: The imminence of athlete representation. DePaul Journal of Sports Law, 14, 88–105. Accessed October 9, 2025, at https://via.library.depaul.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1153&context=jslcp
Bjelajac, Ž., Filipović, A., & Stošić, L. (2022). Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD) as a Consequence of the Expansion of Information Technologies. International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 10(3), 155–165.
Bjelajac, Ž., Filipović, A., & Stošić, L. (2023). Can AI be Evil: The Criminal Capacities of ANI. International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 11(3), 519– 531.
Court of Arbitration for Sport. (n.d.). E-filing of submissions. Accessed October 14, 2025, at https://www.tascas.org/en/e-filing/e-filing
Dašić, G. (2023). Digital transformation in the sports industry. SPORTICOPEDIA – Sports Media and Business, (1), 309–318. Accessed October 8, 2025, at https://www.ceeol.com/search/articledetail?id=1215088
Directive 2000/31/EC (E-Commerce Directive). Accessed March 5, 2026, at https://eurlex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2000/31/oj/eng
Ebert, C., & Duarte, C. H. C. (2018). Digital transformation. IEEE Software, 35(4), 16–21. Accessed October 8, 2025, at https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Carlos-Henrique-Duarte-2/publication/326241618_Digital_Transformation/links/5b4d14f3aca27217ff9b05e4/Digital-Transformation.pdf
FIFA. (2025, February 17). FIFA launches digital platform detailing players who have changed association. Inside FIFA. Accessed October 11, 2025, at https://inside.fifa.com/news/digital-platform-launcheddetailing-players-changed-association
Kraus, S., Jones, P., Kailer, N., Weinmann, A., Chaparro-Banegas, N., & Roig-Tierno, N. (2021). Digital transformation: An overview of the current state of the art of research. SAGE Open, 11(3).
Accessed October 9, 2025, at https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/21582440211047576
Kastratović, E., & Dragić, M. (2025). The role of artificial intelligence in improving management in sports. Proceedings of the Ninth National Scientific and Professional Conference “Business Trends 2025,” Kruševac, 89–96. Accessed January 11, 2026, at https://visokaposlovnaskola.edu.rs/wpcontent/uploads/2025/12/ZBORNIK-RADOVA-TUP-2025.pdf
Kastratović, M. (2025). Arbitration in sports dispute resolution: The role and importance of international sports arbitration. Kultura polisa [Electronic source] = The Culture of Polis, 22(2), 26–41. Novi Sad. Accessed January 27, 2026, at https://kpolisa.com/index.php/kp/issue/view/69/68
Kastratović, M. (2025). Bankruptcy proceedings in professional sports: Legal and economic aspects of the case of Parma Football Club. Proceedings of the Ninth National Scientific and Professional Conference “Business Trends 2025,” Kruševac, 321–330. Accessed January 12, 2026, at https://visokaposlovnaskola.edu.rs/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/ZBORNIK-RADOVA-TUP-2025.pdf
Kastratović, M., & Todorović, E. (2025). Economic and legal aspects of contemporary sport: Challenges and prospects. International Scientific Conference “Law, Economics and Management in Contemporary Conditions – LEMiMA 2025” (9th, 2025, Belgrade), 183–197. Accessed January 7, 2026, at https://www.fpsp.edu.rs/sites/default/files/2025-12/LEMiMA%202025.pdf
Lozic, J., & Cikovic, K. F. (2024). Digital optimization: Core concept of digital transformation. Economic and Social Development: Book of Proceedings, 75–86.
Matić, T., & Matić, S. (2020). Artificial intelligence and (technological digital) arbitration. Proceedings of the Faculty of Law, University of Mostar, 1(XXVIII), 52–85.
Papaloukas, M. (2009, March 11). Policy, European sports law and lex sportiva. Presented at the 14th World I.A.S.L. Congress, November 27–29, 2008. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1357783 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1357783
Pavićević, A., & Kastratović, M. A. (2025). Efficiency of logistics management through engineering communications. International Journal of Economics and Law, 15(43), 81–92. Accessed October 10, 2025, at https://www.economicsandlaw.org/en/home
Sarker, I. H. (2021). Data science and analytics: An overview from data-driven smart computing, decisionmaking and applications perspective. SN Computer Science, 2(5), 377. Accessed October 10, 2025, at https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42979-021-00765-8
Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 27, 2016, on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation).
Digital Markets Act (DMA). Accessed March 4, 2026, at https://digital-marketsact.ec.europa.eu/legislation_en
Vasić, M. (2025). The legal-regulatory gap in data protection between the European Union and the United States of America: Challenges and implications. Law – Theory and Practice, 42(2), 143–161. https://doi.org/10.5937/ptp2502143V
Vasić, M., & Bulatović, P. (2023). Digital transformation of the Business Registers Agency in the function of the modern digital society. Law – Theory and Practice, 40(Suppl.), 99–113. https://doi.org/10.5937/ptp2300099V
Vasić Garić, M. (2026). The legal framework of digital transformation and the role of the chief digital officer in corporate governance. VI International Scientific Conference “Bridging Disciplines for Scientific Progress,” March 12–13, 2026, Marseille, France, 33–39. ISBN 978-92-44514-93-1. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19068482
Law on Archival Material and Archival Activities (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 6/2020). Digital Assets Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 153/2020).
Law on Electronic Commerce (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, Nos. 41/2009, 95/2013, and 52/2019).
Law on Electronic Documents, Electronic Identification and Trust Services in Electronic Business (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, Nos. 94/2017 and 52/2021).
Information Security Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 91/2025).
Sports Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 10/2016).
Competition Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, Nos. 51/2009 and 95/2013).
Personal Data Protection Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 87/2018).
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Milica Kastratovic, Milica Vasić Garić
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
