Research on the Sustainable Development Path of the Fencing Sports Industry from the Perspective of Bourdieu's Field Theory

As an Olympic advantage sport in China, fencing has seen continuous growth in participation in recent years, yet its industrial development still faces numerous challenges. This paper employs Bourdieu's Field Theory as an analytical framework, utilizing research methods including policy text analysis, field visits to clubs, and stakeholder interviews, to analyze the field structure, forms of capital, and their interactive logic within the current Chinese fencing industry. The study divides the fencing industry into four sub-fields: professional competitive sports, mass fitness consumption, sports education and training, and sports manufacturing and technology. It analyzes the forms of capital (economic, cultural, social, symbolic) within each sub-field and their dynamic interaction mechanisms. The research finds: (1) The professional competitive field relies on the symbolic capital of event IP and star athletes, but commercial development is insufficient. (2) The mass consumption field is constrained by technical barriers and equipment costs, necessitating a reduction in the difficulty of acquiring cultural capital. (3) The education and training field faces issues of coach shortage and high training costs, requiring optimization of the talent supply system. (4) The manufacturing and technology field needs to enhance trust in the technology of domestic equipment and strengthen industry-university-research collaborative innovation. Based on the logic of capital interaction between fields, this paper proposes: (1) Using the professional competitive field as a leader to activate the mass consumption and education and training fields. (2) Utilizing the mass consumption field to feedback into and support the professional competitive and product manufacturing/technology fields. (3) Employing the education and training field as a link to connect the professional competitive and manufacturing/technology fields. (4) Building on the manufacturing and technology field as a foundation to support the integrated development strategy for upgrading the entire industry chain, providing theoretical reference and practical pathways for the sustainable development of the fencing industry.