The purpose of the present study was to Designing a conceptual model for the development of sports among university staff using a qualitative approach to Thematic Analysis. The research method was qualitative and grounded theory was used. The statistical population included all employees of the Islamic Azad University, Kerman Branch with a total of 587 individuals, and the sample consisted of 14 people, selected purposefully, after reaching theoretical saturation. The data collection tool in this study was in-depth semi-structured interviews. For data analysis, the grounded theory qualitative method was employed, and MAXQDA2024 software was used to extract initial concepts. The findings indicated that the factors in developing sports among the employees of the Islamic Azad University of Kerman included causal conditions (facilities and equipment, general conditions of employees), contextual conditions (economic issues, cultural issues, social issues), intervening conditions (employees’ attitudes towards academic sports, senior managers’ attitudes towards academic sports, increasing facilities and equipment), strategies (planning, changing senior managers’ attitudes, employing successful models), and outcomes (improvement in physical and mental health, development of employee sports at the university). Finally, a model for the development of sports among the employees of the Islamic Azad University of Kerman was presented.