Research on Coordination and Driving Factors of Sports Industry and Regional Sustainable Development—Empirical Research Based on Panel Data of Provinces and Cities in Eastern China

The steady and healthy development of the sports industry can promote regional sustainable development. In order to explore the coordination situation and driving factors between the sports industry and regional sustainable development, this article builds a coupling coordination evaluation index system and dynamic factor index system for the sports industry and regional sustainable development. Using the entropy method, coupling coordination model and random effect model, this article analyzes the comprehensive level, coupling coordination relationship and driving factors of the sports industry and regional sustainable development in eleven provinces and cities in eastern China, from 2013 to 2017. The results show that the comprehensive level of the sports industry and regional sustainable development in eastern China is showing a steady growth trend, and the sports industry is growing faster than regional sustainable development. The degree of coupling coordination among provinces and cities has increased significantly, but the spillover effects of coupling coordination in each region are not obvious. The level of overall coupling coordination is primary coordination; regional innovation, industrial structure upgrade, and human capital can promote the improvement of coupling coordination. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen cross-regional cooperation, build a cross-regional “sports+” industry group, give play to the “sports +” spillover effect, create a coupling platform for the sports industry and regional sustainable development, release the superimposed effect of multiple driving factors, and facilitate the evolution of coupling coordination to higher levels.