Implementation of Marketing Tools in Trends of Digitalization of Sports and Fitness Industry

Abstract

The article stipulates that for the physical education, fitness and sports industry, the use of marketing is quite acceptable, but requires verification, synthesis and adaptation of tools to the specifics of the industry. The development of sports marketing in some literary sources is studied through the selection of sports phenomena: social, economic and political, and a vivid example of market synthesis of the aspects outlined above is the fitness market, which began to grow actively in Ukraine, starting in 2005. It is also determined that for this industry the trainer is a system-forming element, since it is the trainers who are in the plane of permanent interaction with the client, and the "trainer-client" tandem, which is crucial for the successful operation of institutions in this industry. It is substantiated that the use of marketing methods in the form of self-marketing is extremely effective and relevant for a coach, while coaching activity requires possession of a set of diverse knowledge and skills, including: marketing and SMM-management, administration, financial service, pricing, economic analysis (at least - determination of the break-even point), at least minimal knowledge of anatomy, physiology, elements of rehabilitation, psychology, quality time management skills. It is determined that the actual phenomenon of today is the digital component, which is effectively implemented in the sports industry with the help of marketing tools and is developing extremely rapidly. An overview of the most relevant trends in the combination of marketing and digitalization of the sports and fitness industry was carried out: OTT (Over the Top) Content; AI (artificial intelligence), VR (Virtual reality), AR (augmented reality) and MR (mixed reality, Wearables, eSports, Dark Social, Sustainability, Women in sports, Children in sports, Seniors in Sport in combination with the Internet, social networks, databases + "fast" Internet, Sales (Place), Product, Product life cycle, Trend=Target audience, Marketing analysis, Socio-ethical marketing, Market segmentation, Target marketing, Maslow's needs. It was determined that the considered digital products and technologies and marketing tools organically combine and effectively strengthen the development of the industry, while the trend towards individualization actualizes the need for indepth research of the marketing object – an individual or a certain group of people.