The contribution of league systems in individual sports to the development of high-performance sport in Germany

Abstract

ABSTRACTResearch question: The aim of this article is to analyse which objectives the national sport associations are pursuing with the introduction of league systems, which league constructs were chosen in order to adjust the league systems to the peculiarities of individual sports, and which enabling effects the specific construction of the league systems should have for the development of high-performance sport in individual sports.Research methods: For data collection first a document analysis was carried out, based on published league statutes and regulations from all 42 currently existing individual sport leagues in Germany. Second, qualitative problem-focused interviews with league organisers from 18 individual sports (36 interviews in total) were conducted. For the data analysis, a qualitative and quantitative content analysis was executed.Results: The leagues within individual sports are primarily concerned with sporting and organisational objectives. They supplement the individual competition system in a beneficial way: they enable the athletes to improve their sporting performance by taking part in regular (team) competitions at differentiated performance levels, strengthen the clubs as institutions educating sporting talents and provide opportunities to the clubs and the national sport associations to promote the sport towards athletes, spectators, sponsors and the media.Implications: The structural comparison aids the individual sport associations in optimising league governance to fortify the league's contribution to the development of high-performance sport. From a scientific perspective, the fundamental explorative work in this new research field contributes to the literature on the governance of sport leagues by adding findings about a competition format known from team sport to a new context.