Abstract: Sports management is a practice in the era of planned economy while sport governance is the self-reform of administrative system driven by market economy. Relatively speaking, the core difference between sports management and sports governance is reflected in administrative subject, value target, and operation means. Currently, sport governance faces such internal predicaments as structural predicament in terms of the transformation from unary subject to multiple subjects, cognitive predicament in terms of the transition from management thinking to concepts of governance, and operational predicament in terms of the change from vertical management to horizontal synergy. The change from sports management to sports governance reflects China's management paradigms in different periods. This trend is irresistible and is an inevitable outcome of historical development. It objectively reflects that social productive relations have to adapt to the development of social productivity.

Key words: sports management, sports governance, internal predicament