Case study research is an important method to investigate social phenomena, which has attracted increasing attention in marketing research, but its implementation still faces challenges, mainly from misunderstandings of definition and methodological rigor. Early studies regarded case studies as unique events that could not produce universal laws, and confused them with ethnography, field research and teaching case development, leading to the criticism of being descriptive, qualitative and lacking rigor. In recent decades, with the application of grounded theory, optimization of qualitative data analysis and multi-perspective triangulation, the scientificity and rigor of case study research have been significantly improved (Eisenhardt, 1989).A case study is defined as an empirical study that deeply investigates contemporary phenomena in real contexts, especially when the boundary between phenomena and contexts is blurred (Yin, 2017). On the one hand, it adopts inductive logic to build theory, collecting qualitative data through interviews, document analysis and observation to derive new hypotheses; on the other hand, it is good at answering “how” and “why” questions, focusing on complex problems that are difficult to define and observe, and presenting vivid research scenarios. Compared with experiments and questionnaire surveys, case studies have higher applicability in natural environments with less variable control.Case studies are divided into single-case and multiple-case designs, as well as comparative and embedded case studies. Single-case studies are selected for their extremity, revelatory nature or subversion to existing theories (Eisenhardt and Graebner, 2007; Yin, 2017), supporting in-depth exploration (Mao and Chen, 2017), but have limited generalizability. Multiple-case studies follow the principle of replication, and the conclusions are more universal and robust (Yin, 2017). Comparative studies select contrasting cases, while embedded studies set sub-cases in the main case for multi-level analysis.The core advantage of case study is the inductive exploration of real and interesting questions, and high-quality case studies are recognized as the most valuable research (Bluhm et al., 2011; Eisenhardt et al., 2016; Gibbert et al., 2008; Gibbert and Ruigrok, 2010). This feature of ‘telling stories scientifically” has important value for sport marketing with complex practical topics.With global economic development and rising quality of life, the value and economic functions of sport have been increasingly recognized (Zhang et al., 2016). The sport industry is becoming a mainstream sector with growth potential, and areas like professional sport operations, event marketing, venue management, fitness club promotions, and digital sports evolve rapidly. Coupled with globalization and technological advancement, the complexity and uniqueness of sport marketing stand out, and many practical problems cannot be fully explained by universal marketing models, providing opportunities for case study research. Drawing on Mao and Chen (2017), three types of research questions are suitable for case study research in sport marketing.Case study research is first and foremost suitable for exploring new research questions where established theories are lacking or theoretical gaps exist. This category represents the main area where case study research in sport marketing is concentrated. The goal is theory building (Eisenhardt, 1989) based on inductive logic to explain “how” and “why” questions. Researchers do not predefine relationships between constructs and theory; instead, hypotheses emerge from multi-source qualitative data. For instance, Kellett and Russell (2009) conducted a case study on skateboarding clusters, offering insights for the extreme sport industry. Tripodi et al. (2009) examined sponsors’ exploitation strategies and ambush marketing during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Recent case studies have examined the sustainability of major events (Jiang et al., 2026), legacy utilization (Park et al., 2020), smart sport venues (Wang and Li, 2025), smart sport communities (Chen et al., 2025), and digital sport digital marketing (Wang et al., 2025).Case study research is also well-suited for exploring complex sport marketing and operation problems, building process theories, or investigating questions with hard-to-measure constructs. This methodological approach enables researchers to delve deeply into marketing operations as they unfold over time. For instance, the analytical framework from the Bradford studies has been applied to analyze decision-making processes surrounding potential mergers between university athletic associations. Questionnaire surveys cannot capture stakeholder behavioral patterns in such contexts. Similar studies have analyzed strategic failures in developing community sports (Morrison and Misener, 2022), examined the EU's role in global sport regulations (García and Meier, 2017), and conducted longitudinal analysis of strategic decision-making in professional clubs (Marthinus et al., 2025), revealing dynamic mechanisms of developing strategies. These case studies are highly suitable when newly proposed constructs lack valid measurement scales.A third area where case study research excels is in addressing research questions that require in-depth investigation of extreme phenomena. For example, research on elite sport systems has often neglected small countries, leading to an analysis of extreme contexts like Greenland (Storm et al., 2023). A longitudinal single-case study on the Essendon Football Club focused on doping scandals (Halabi and O'Connell, 2021), providing rare empirical insights into sport operations during crises. Kellison (2021) examined a stadium development project in suburban Atlanta, exploring public attention. Extreme competitive pressure's impact on athlete performance has been studied through analysis of the Norwegian ski jumping team during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics (Kristiansen et al., 2023), offering insights into athlete psychological support and organizational communication. Such studies feature small sample sizes and limited reproducibility, but in-depth case analysis fosters resonance and understanding of these issues.Theoretical contribution stands as a core prerequisite for high-quality case study research (Pratt, 2008). As a methodological approach centered on theory development, case study research within sport marketing generates substantive scholarly value across theory building, theory testing, and theory transformation. A primary theoretical contribution lies in inductive theory building, a function widely recognized as central to the methodological value of qualitative case inquiry (Colquitt and Zapata-Phelan, 2011). This pathway focuses on addressing critical theoretical gaps and constructing novel theoretical frameworks to explain phenomena that existing marketing and management theories fail to adequately interpret. For novel formats and emerging trends in the sport industry that existing theories cannot adequately explain, case study research can identify key variables, clarify pathways of influence, and inductively derive new constructs and relationships among them through exploratory analysis. Final research outputs are typically formalized as testable theoretical propositions or distinct new conceptual constructs (Fisher and Aguinis, 2017). For instance, Pegoraro (2010) conducted an exploratory case study on athletes' social media use on Twitter and proposed an initial classification framework for athletes' social media communication, representing one of the early foundational contributions to research on athlete social media. Schulenkorf (2012) developed the Sport for Development and Peace Project Framework based on a comparative case analysis of multiple sport-for-development projects in the Asia–Pacific region, providing testable theoretical propositions for subsequent research on sport for social development. More recently, Banucha and Bielawa (2025) conducted an in-depth case study of top Polish basketball clubs and proposed the new construct of “goal alignment,” which suggests that aligning athletes' individual goals with team goals can significantly improve commitment and performance.Beyond novel theory construction, case study research also advances sport marketing scholarship through rigorous theory testing and incremental extension of existing theoretical frameworks (Colquitt and Zapata-Phelan, 2011). In this capacity, researchers design case studies, collect empirical data, and conduct systematic analysis based on established theories or conceptual models that offer partial explanatory power for target phenomena. Core objectives include validating construct relationships, testing the applicability of classic management theories in sport settings, expanding the theoretical application boundaries of existing theories, refining theoretical dimensions to enhance contextual fit for sport marketing dynamics, and reducing cross-context theoretical incompatibility. For instance, Mason et al. (2006) conducted a case study on marketing and communications associated with corruption issues that emerged during the IOC's Olympic bidding process, introducing classic principal-agent theory into research on the marketing and operation of non-profit international sport organizations and extending the application boundary of this theory in sport. Batuev and Robinson (2017) performed a cross-case study on the evolution of freestyle sports including snowboarding, skateboarding, and rock climbing, and constructed an analytical framework based primarily on neo-institutional theory supplemented by resource dependence theory, providing important theoretical insights for understanding the promotion and institutionalization of emerging sports. Miller (2026) used LeBron James's “The Decision” event as a teaching case to guide students in applying stakeholder theory to analyze how this decision would affect James's brand value, revealing the applicability of stakeholder theory in the context of athlete personal brand management.A final key contribution of case study research in sport marketing is embodied in theory transformation, which centers on bridging the translational gap between abstract theory and industry practice. Unlike research focused purely on theoretical construction, theoretical propositions derived from case study research originate from real-world sport marketing and operational contexts. This not only provides targeted guidance for decision-making in operating sport enterprises but also makes theoretical outcomes more easily accepted by industry practice. This stream of research places less emphasis on pure theory building and more on providing actionable guidance from a decision-making, consultation and marketing implications perspective. For example, in the field of elite athlete development, Berg et al. (2018) conducted a historical case study of the 1968 US Olympic delegation, analyzed the development pathways of elite athletes in different historical periods, and offered decision-making references for sport organizations to formulate long-term athlete development and promotional strategies. In the field of sport policy implementation, MacPherson and Moss (2025) performed a case study on the development and implementation of the Safe Sport Framework by Gymnastics Canada, translating the latest research findings into actionable practices and providing a referential model for sport managers. Baker and Gardner (2026) examined the complex decision-making dilemmas faced by USA Fencing in developing its national competition schedules and revealed how sport event managers should balance the demands of different stakeholders under such circumstances.From the perspective of theoretical contributions, whether providing new perspectives (Graebner, 2009), filling research gaps (Smith, 2014), resolving contradictions (Haveman, 1992), extending theoretical boundaries (Backhouse et al., 2006), or gaining new insights (Siggelkow, 2007), the case study's potential has been widely recognized. Of course, theoretical contributions require specific methods and strategies in case study design, including literature review, problem formulation, research design, theoretical sampling, data collection, data analysis, and writing (Eisenhardt, 2016).At present, no unified universal standard governs the design framework for case study research, though the process can generally be structured into a coherent, sequential workflow encompassing four core phases. The initial phase centers on problem formulation and data collection, during which researchers adopt an open, exploratory stance free from pre-determined assumptions. Facts and contextual details are gathered via a diverse range of data sources, including documents, archives, interviews, and observations. The entire process should be documented. Interviewing is the most common data collection method; questions should be open-ended to help generate research questions. This stage addresses how the case proceeds and why.Following the initial data collection phase, the research proceeds to a stage focused on analytical breakthroughs and rigorous data interpretation. Researchers systematically collect and analyze multi-source data to identify key elements. Data collection is saturated when further data gathering fails to yield new insights, analytical dimensions, or interpretive value. Core components of this analytical phase include narrative development, construct measurement, pattern identification, theory construction, and dialogue with existing literature. Recently, methods including econometric approaches, machine learning, and generative AI have been integrated into case study research. Regardless of method, high-quality case study research conveys value through vivid stories while forming a closed chain of evidence, building theory through iteration and comparison with existing literature.The subsequent phase focuses on the formal drafting and composition of the research manuscript, a step that directly reflects the researcher's scientific rigor and academic writing proficiency. Data findings and theoretical frameworks should be presented clearly through well-designed figures and tables, with logical conceptual models strongly recommended to visualize and clarify relationships between key theoretical constructs. When articulating core research propositions, researchers must conduct sufficient dialogue with existing literature to highlight theoretical contributions.The final phase of the process involves research verification and refinement. In this stage, researchers seek targeted feedback and solicit revision suggestions from key case informants and strengthen the discussion section to emphasize practical value. It is worth noting that alternative stage classifications exist within scholarly literature; for instance, some scholars have condensed the case study process into three overarching phases, including preparation, implementation, and dialogue (Chen and Liu, 2010). Researchers should develop comprehensive proposals including title, background, questions, theoretical foundation, design, methods, and references, particularly justifying case selection.To further elaborate the content of case study research, this study selects illustrative cases for concise analysis based on the combination of typicality and appropriateness. Anderski et al. (2024) analyzed athlete brands' role in international marketing of professional sports leagues, using the German Bundesliga's Asian market practices as a single case study. The research addressed two questions: athlete brands' current role and potential in international marketing, and their co-creation pathways toward league brand meaning. For case selection, the Bundesliga's uniqueness in terms of fan majority ownership, emphasis on local youth development, and high stadium attendance distinguishes its brand ecosystem, making it ideal for exploring athlete brands' role in marketing. The league's active expansion into the Asian market adds contextual relevance.The study employed semi-structured interviews with 17 stakeholders including Bundesliga executives, club managers, and broadcast media executives in Asian markets. Inductive thematic analysis across six phases integrated 40 codes through open coding. Following triangulation, theme refinement, and peer review, four themes emerged: athlete brands' international marketing role, league brand meaning co-creation pathways, brand co-creation prerequisites, and influence mechanisms within the brand ecosystem. Theoretically, it supplements understanding of athlete brands within sports brand ecosystems and refines co-creation pathways in cross-cultural contexts; methodologically, it demonstrates standardized application of interviews and thematic analysis; practically, it highlights risks of athlete brands in international marketing.Complementing this, our research team developed a case study protocol on the ATP Shanghai Masters 1000's localized development strategy in China. This longitudinal single case enables tracing the event's evolutionary trajectory over time. Following Yin's (2016) framework, we defined core parameters including research tasks, target groups, questions, and interviewee information. Supporting materials included checklist-based data collection, literature synthesis, and jointly refined interview questions, laying a foundation for subsequent data collection and analysis.As the lead article of this special issue on case-based research in sport marketing, this paper offers a foundational overview of case study methodology for diverse readers. Drawing on scholarly works and representative studies, it presents core definitions and classifications, reveals theoretical value and applicable characteristics, and provides intuitive explanations through typical examples.Admittedly, this paper lacks the detail required for a comprehensive step-by-step guide to rigorous case study research. Nevertheless, we hope this special issue stimulates innovative engagement with case study research in sport marketing and encourages more researchers to adopt this approach.We strongly encourage developing high-quality teaching cases tailored to sport marketing. The Harvard Case Library features rigorous sport-related cases, including Paris Saint-Germain: Building One of the World's Top Sports Brands, FC Barcelona: More Than a Club, More Than Data, Decathlon: Making Sports Accessible to All, Fantasy Sports: A Game of Skill or Chance, John Hancock Sports Sponsorship: 1993–2000 and Beyond, and Negotiating with Data: Analytics FC. These benchmark cases would greatly benefit sport marketing education and business decision-making.
Zhang et al. (Thu,) studied this question.