Purpose: This study investigated the feasibility of starting a new sports business in the Iranian shoe industry. Design/methodology/approach: The research method was qualitative, utilizing library sources and interviews with 15 participants, including sports start-up owners and professionals from Science and Technology Park. The thematic analysis method was employed, and the sampling strategy was purposive. In addition, a questionnaire based on the AHP method was distributed among 10 participants to prioritize the key elements. In this regard, Expert Choice software was used. Findings: The study identified economic, financial, environmental, technological, team, and market feasibility essential for launching a sports start-up in the shoe industry. Based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process approach, the prioritization of these elements was determined as economic, human resource, financial, market, technological, and environmental. In addition, the prioritization of the sub-elements of each of the feasibility studies was also presented. Conclusion: Sports business owners must conduct proper planning and feasibility assessments when launching sports start-ups, considering the current market conditions. The key elements identified in this study can be used for sports business projects in Iran's economy. Originality and innovation: The research has a strategic perspective in examining the probability of successful sports startups, which has received little attention. This study also opens up a new approach to forecasting in the sports shoe industry.
