I know that both sporting and sports are adjectives but is there a difference between them? For instance:
‘sporting event’ or ‘sports event’
“sports” is not a true adjective; it is a noun that can be used attributively.
“sporting event” and “sports event” mean the same thing, as near as makes no odds. Generally, I think “sports” is more common in this adjectival role. For example, I would say “sports quiz”, “sports report”, “sports news”, “sports funding”, etc. The alternatives with “sporting” feel a bit clunky to me. I think “sporting” has a more limited use, but I’m not really sure how to characterise the difference.