As we approach the second quarter of the 21st century, the phenomenon of digitalization is shaping the disciplines of recreation and sports management with a transformative impact, just as it does in all areas of life. This transformation is far too profound to be reduced merely to the use of technological tools; it is a multi-layered structure that encompasses everything from urbanization to consumer behavior, from individual recreational preferences to the structure of the sports industry. Therefore, it has become inevitable that scientific approaches developed in the context of digitalization address the relevant fields from an interdisciplinary perspective.

On a global scale, digital transformation is profoundly affecting the disciplines of recreation and sports management, just as it is influencing all areas of social life. The development of digital technologies has given rise to new paradigms and practices across a wide spectrum, from how individuals spend their leisure time to the planning of sporting events. This transformation signifies not only an instrumental change but also a dynamic that reshapes managerial approaches, participant profiles, and forms of social interaction.

This book aims to both establish a conceptual foundation and offer analytical contributions to practical applications by bringing together original academic studies in the field of recreation and sports management within the context of digitalization. Prepared with an interdisciplinary approach, the work seeks to integrate different perspectives such as sports sciences, management science, digital communication, sociology, and behavioral sciences within a scientific framework. Each chapter aims to make original contributions to the literature through field findings and discussions supported by a theoretical framework.

The researchers who contributed to the preparation of this book critically analyzed the opportunities and challenges presented by the digital age and meticulously examined the transformative potential of sectoral practices. In this regard, the book serves as a theoretical and methodological reference for academics, professionals, and graduate researchers interested in the field.

By bringing together original studies that evaluate the processes of transformation brought about by digitalization in recreational and sports contexts, this book aims to contribute to both theoretical and practical fields. The chapters, contributed by scholars from various disciplines, provide a comprehensive analysis of the multidimensional effects of digitalization. For instance, Oğuzhan Yıldız’s study titled Smart Cities and Recreation in a Digitalizing World and Urban Transformation explores the interaction between urban sociology and digital infrastructure. Murat Ali Bindesen’s chapter, Digital Escape: New Frontiers of Recreation through Technology, offers a critical perspective on recreational experiences shaped within digital environments.

In addition, the structural effects of technological innovations in the sports industry are addressed through the conceptual analysis prepared by Muhammed Emin Dertli and Seda Erden Dertli on The Interaction Between Wearable Technologies and E-Commerce; while The Scientific Reflections of Fan Token Technology by Orcan Mızrak, Hüseyin Devran Şenocak, and Şükran Dertli is evaluated within a bibliometric framework. Furthermore, the chapter titled The Impact of Sports on Social Integration in the Age of Technology by Murat Turan, Buğra Çağatay Savaş, and Muhammed Mavibaş focuses on the function of sports in promoting social inclusion in digital environments. Finally, Şükran Dertli’s study on Crisis Management and Leadership in Sports Management makes significant contributions to the literature on managerial challenges in the digital age.

This work has been prepared with the aim of serving as a guiding resource for the redefinition of recreational and sports structures in a digitalizing world.