SPECIFICS OF THE RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS DEVELOPMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE US SPORTS SERVICES MARKET

Abstract

The US sports services market is one of the largest and most dynamic in the world, having a significant impact on global trends in sports and physical culture. The high concentration of income in the leading professional leagues creates an imbalance between mass and spectator disciplines and niche sports, in particular rhythmic gymnastics. In this context, there is a need to study the specifics of the rhythmic gymnastics’ organizations and clubs, identify key problems and barriers to their development, as well as providing recommendations for increasing the competitiveness of this sport in the US sports services market. The aim of the study is to analyse the current state and trends in the development of the sports services market in the United States, identify the features of the activities of sports organizations and clubs specializing in rhythmic gymnastics, identify key barriers to its development, and develop recommen- dations for improving the competitive position of rhythmic gymnastics in the context of a commercialized sports industry. The study employed the following methods: analysis of statistics and reports of leading international organizations, content analysis of academic publications and strategic documents in the field of sports management, as well as systemic generalization for drawing conclusions and providing recommendations. It was found that the US sports industry in 2018–2024 demonstrates stable positive dynamics, despite the crisis phenomena of 2020, maintaining leadership in the global market. The peculiarities of rhythmic gymnastics clubs, which com- bine educational-recreational and commercial models, but are inferior in financial stability and marketing capabilities to professional leagues, are identified. The key problems of the development of rhythmic gymnastics in the USA are determined: insufficient institutional support, low media presence, cultural specifics of demand, and competition with mass sports. This gave grounds for providing a set of recommendations: digitalization of the media dimension, partnership with business, internationalization of activities, integration into the system of educational programmes, and diversification of funding sources.The study proves that increasing the competitiveness of rhythmic gymnastics in the USA is possible if digital technologies, partner-ship business models, as well as educational and cultural integration are combined. This will contribute not only to the commercial growth of the discipline, but also to the establishment of its unique cultural image in the global sports space.