Game Plan for the Planet: A Systematic Look at Sustainable Development in Sports Organizations

This systematic literature review identified and explored key sustainable development practices in professional sports organizations. The review begins by presenting the broader context, emphasizing the growing relevance of sustainability initiatives within the sports industry. It shows how professional sports organizations, as influential entities with large fan bases and extensive operational reach, are uniquely positioned to contribute to environmental, social, and economic sustainability. The PRISMA protocol was used to systematically identify, filter, and analyze the most relevant articles that met predefined criteria. The analysis focused on factors such as year of publication, journal type, geographical distribution, and keywords, along with their co‐occurrences (using VOSviewer). This multi‐faceted approach allowed the understanding of the current state of research and practice in the field. The undertaken analysis revealed notable patterns, emerging trends, and, most importantly, examples of possible best practices implemented by sports organizations. These practices ranged from sustainable infrastructure design to community engagement initiatives, reflecting a growing recognition of the need to integrate sustainability into sports management at various levels. The findings highlight the existing gaps in the research that could guide further advancements in this field. It also emphasizes the necessity of further studies to expand understanding, refine best practices, and facilitate the broader implementation of sustainable development initiatives across diverse sporting contexts.