Factors And Challenges Affecting The Maintenance And Enhancement Of Athletes' Brand Positions: A Study With A Metasynthesis Approach

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Candidate of Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Guilan, Guilan, Iran.

2 Associate Professor of Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Guilan, Guilan, Iran

Abstract

The aim of this research was to identify and analyze the factors and challenges affecting the maintenance and enhancement of professional athletes' personal brands during the brand maturity stage. This qualitative study was conducted using sandelowski and barroso's (2007) meta-synthesis method. Data were systematically collected from 30 selected scholarly articles published between 2014 and 2024 through a systematic search of reputable persian and english databases. The data were analyzed using thematic coding. Based on the analysis, the factors influencing the sustainability of a personal brand were identified and categorized into six main themes and 21 sub-themes, including performance stability and professional skill development, personal brand management, personal branding strategy, communications and marketing, personality and behavior, and support team. Similarly, the challenges and obstacles to brand maintenance were classified into six main themes and 15 sub-themes, such as psychological challenges in brand sustainability management, behavioral and communication challenges, brand image management in social media, brand positioning stability in professional competition, financial threats, and environmental challenges. The personal brand of a professional athlete is a multi-dimensional and dynamic concept, and its maintenance and enhancement during the maturity stage require a strategic approach, expert support, crisis management, and active engagement with the social and media environment. The findings of this research can serve as a basis by professional decision-making for athletes, sports managers, brand consultants, and policymakers

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Journal of New Studies in Sport Management

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 25 June 2026

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