<p>This study looks at how sports industry clusters have formed and grown in China between 2018 and 2023. By using detailed economic data including growth numbers, output levels, job creation, and where investments came from the research explores how the location of these clusters affects the sports economy overall. The results show that both the number of clusters and their economic output have gone up quite a bit during this time. Clusters increased from 25 to 45, and total output doubled from 50 to 100 billion CNY. There was a dip in 2020, mostly due to the pandemic, but growth picked up again after that. When broken down by region, the Yangtze River Delta had the highest concentration with 12 clusters, followed by the Beijing-Tianjin area with 10. Government money made up the biggest chunk of investment at 45%, with private investors close behind at 40%. One key finding is that there’s a strong connection between having more clusters and getting better economic results. Jobs kept growing steadily even when the overall economy faced challenges. These outcomes offer useful guidance for policymakers and investors who want to grow the sports industry in a way that’s both effective and sustainable. The patterns found here may also help other growing economies looking to build up similar sectors.</p>