## 1 Introduction  
Blockchain technology--originally developed for secure digital transactions--has rapidly evolved into a transformative tool across industries, including finance, healthcare, and supply chains. Its core features--decentralization, immutability, and transparency--address pressing issues such as fraud, data tampering, and centralized control. In the sports sector, however, blockchain's integration remains in its infancy despite its potential to revolutionize areas like ticketing, athlete data management, fan engagement, and sponsorship [1, 2]. High-profile examples such as UEFA's blockchain ticketing at EURO 2020 and NBA Top Shot's NFT collectibles illustrate the growing interest in blockchain within professional sports. These innovations point to a broader shift in how sports organizations interact with fans, manage assets, and govern operational processes. Yet, academic research exploring these trends--especially across different sports disciplines--is limited. Most existing studies are either theoretical or focus on isolated applications within a single sport, lacking comparative or empirical depth [1]. The sports industry is utilizing advanced technologies like IoT, AI, and sensor systems to enhance performance and fan experiences [3, 4]. However, challenges like transparency, data security, and centralized governance hinder their full optimization [5, 6]. Blockchain offers solutions like decentralization, privacy, and secure ticketing, empowering fans and generating new revenue streams [7, 8, 9, 10]. This study aims to bridge that gap by conducting a comparative analysis of blockchain adoption in football and basketball, two of the most prominent team sports in Romania. Our research investigates how professionals in these sports perceive and utilize blockchain applications, and how these tools are linked to perceived performance outcomes, organizational innovation, and stakeholder engagement. In this context, we define blockchain apps not as standalone software platforms, but as blockchain-enabled mechanisms used in sports, such as smart contracts for sponsorships, tokenized fan engagement platforms, blockchain-based ticketing systems, and decentralized athlete data management tools. Likewise, performance in this study refers to self-reported competitive achievement indicators, such as national or international team selection, goals scored, and appearances in major events, rather than physiological or biometric data [3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9]. Building upon existing studies [11; 12], we designed a survey to evaluate blockchain applications in Romanian team sports. This research uses data from 293 sports professionals (213 football and 80 basketball) and applies structural equation modeling (SEM) and cluster analysis to examine patterns in adoption and perception. By comparing two sports with distinct structural and economic profiles, this study provides nuanced insights into sport-specific opportunities and barriers to blockchain implementation. Ultimately, this study contributes to academic research and practical policy development by offering data-driven, sport-specific insights into blockchain's current applications and future potential. Considering the issues discussed above the research questions are as follows:  
Q1. Does blockchain adoption in sports bring benefits? Q1a. What are the primary advantages of integrating blockchain technology into the sports industry as perceived by sports professionals? Q1b. To what extent do blockchain applications (e.g., data management, ticketing, and fan engagement) address transparency and security challenges in sports? Q2. Is blockchain adoption in sports associated with athletes' performance? Q2a. How does the implementation of blockchain technology influence athletes' performance at the national and European levels? Q2b. What are the relationships between the benefits of blockchain adoption and its applications on measurable performance outcomes in team sports? Q3. What are the professional perspectives on blockchain implementation in sports? Q3a.