Sport Organizations Research Articles

Recognising, addressing and supporting the challenging nature of community sport coaching work: potential ways forward for research and practice

ABSTRACT This paper critically examines key issues that continue to pervade the domain of community sport coaching. Specifically, we centre attention on a) conceptualisations of policy implementation and enactment, b) neoliberal working conditions and policies and their impact, and c) training and education currently offered to practitioners. For each issue, we map out some of the key concerns in both research and practice and the implications of these for community sport coaching’s ability to achieve its purported objectives. We then present potential future directions for research and practice before outlining, in the final section, specific methodological approaches capable of being deployed to examine and have practical impact for these specific issues in sufficiently complex ways. This article will be of use to community sport organisations, coaches, educators, managers, researchers, and others as they seek to enhance the criticality and interrogative nature of their work.

“Hands off”: responsibilizing low-income citizens through fee assistance programs

ABSTRACT Rationale To critically examine fee assistance programs (FAPs) through the lens of responsibilization and discuss the implications of creating access to sport for low-income families. Method Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 volunteers and administrative staff from community sport organizations in New Brunswick who facilitated FAPs for their organizations. Findings Four themes were constructed and discussed, illuminating how FAPs responsibilize low-income families: (1) Don’t advertise, don’t share: Applicants do all the work; (2) Passive but efficient: Processes of FAPs; (3) It’s always the parent: Communication of FAPs; and (4) You have to take ownership: Families need to be accountable. Practical implications This study is valuable to practitioners interested in understanding how FAPs may cause harm by excluding low-income families. Research contribution This study demonstrates how responsibilization is evident in facilitating FAPs in community sport organizations in New Brunswick and the consequences of creating access to community sport.

The impact of external factors on board decision making in non-profit sport organizations

PurposePressures from non-profit sport organizations’ (NPSOs) external environment influence governance structures and processes. Thus, this study explores the impact of external factors on NPSO board decision making.Design/methodology/approachUsing a sample of six NPSO boards (two national, four provincial/territorial), data were collected via 36 observations, 18 interviews, and over 900 documents. A thematic analysis was conducted via NVivo 12.FindingsResults identified two external factors impacting NPSO board decision making: the sport system structure and general environment conditions. External factors impacted NPSO board decision making in terms of duration, flow, interaction, and scrutiny.Originality/valueResults demonstrate the need for NPSO boards to engage in boundary-spanning activities whereby external information sources from stakeholders are incorporated to make informed decisions. Practically, NPSO boards should harness virtual meetings to continue their operations while incorporating risk management analyses to assess threats and opportunities.

Проблемы цифровизации в управлении физической культуры и спорта, возможные варианты их решения

The article substantiates the need and convenience of using digital systems for the interaction of state and municipal authorities for physical culture and sports, as well as in the management of physical culture and sports organizations. The problems associated with the lack of funding in the regions for the development of IT programs, the insufficient psychological readiness of management workers for digital innovations in management working in remote regions, and the lag of higher education from the digital reality are considered. The difficulties in the regions with hiring highly paid professional managers, marketers who know the specifics of the industry and at the same time master digital technologies, and the inability of employers to satisfy their needs for high wages are becoming more urgent. The author sees a solution to the issues in the use of low-cost paid automated digital systems that are easy to master and help raise the level of management efficiency.

Практика использования нормативно-правовой документации студентами в процессе обучения в вузе

Activities associated with planning and holding of competitions at various levels, management of sports departments and organizations stipulates correct drafting and submission of documents and timely reporting. At the moment, we believe it is relevant for students to obtain practical experience in the development and analysis of statutory documents in the sphere of physical education and sports. Study purposes: 1) development of appeal drafting skills in the selected athletic discipline in bachelors of educational program 49.03.01 Physical Education; 2) involvement of students of educational program 40.05.04 Judicial and Prosecution Activities in an analysis of regulatory documents in the sports sphere. The article examines the work of "student coaches" and "student lawyers", analyzes mistakes in drafting and content of documents developed by students. Results of an educational experiment have shown positive experience of studying, development and analysis of regulatory documents in the sphere of physical education and sports.

Активная доходная деятельность как источник экономического обеспечения деятельности спортивных некоммерческих организаций

The article is dedicated to such source of economic support of activities of non-profit sports organizations as active income-generating operations. The author concludes that there may be different areas of own active income-generating operations of such organizations. Firstly, it is direct production activities if and to the extent permitted by the law and the charter. Secondly, it is the performance of common civil acts not related to production activities but capable of being profitable. Thirdly, the proceeds of investment activities or deposits can be referred to the preceding income type, however, such proceeds have their own well-developed legal regulation resulting in the special structure, interaction means and thus requiring other qualification assessments of arising relations. Fourthly, it is the performance of income-generating operations by non-profit organizations, as stipulated primarily by the provisions of Clauses 4 and 5 of Art. 50 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation. Fifthly, it is the use of intellectual deliverables and equaled individualization means for income generation purposes, which is generally associated with activities based on the provisions of Part 4 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation. Sixthly, it is contributions of founders (members) of non-profit organizations.

The In-House Balance: Negotiating Professional Identity, Boundaries, and Ethical Quandaries as an In-House Sports Reporter

ABSTRACT The sports media landscape has shifted to favor outlets with inside access to sports organizations, teams, and athletes. This study interviews 21 NFL in-house reporters working at 19 official team websites to determine how they view their roles as sports journalists, including ethical standards and shifts in media boundaries. Qualitative interviews uncovered that cultivating a positive team image and protecting the interests of stakeholders supersede the production of objective news stories, even from those who started their careers as external sports reporters. Internal reporters are often conflicted with their roles in the sports media ecosystem. Additionally, interviews reveal their efforts to maintain a balancing act between the established ideals of journalism with the positive spin that accompanies public relations. The present study illuminates how such positions both mirror and diverge from the expectations typically placed within sports journalism, while offering fruitful avenues for subsequent scholarly investigation.

Strategy practitioners and the procedural legitimacy of strategic planning in nonprofit community sport

ABSTRACT This study examines how leaders of community sport organizations (CSOs) engage in a strategic planning process through the intersection of institutional work and the strategy-as-practice (SAP) approach. The SAP approach focuses on the micro-level social activities, processes, and practices that inform how organizational leaders engage in strategic planning. A multiple-case study of four CSOs with contrasting approaches to the practice of strategy provides insight into the role of strategy practitioners and their choice of strategy activities. The study also examines how these activities contribute to the procedural legitimacy of strategic planning. The findings highlight four roles that strategy practitioners hold within their clubs (i.e. consultant, board member, staff member, facilitator) and three general types of activities that indicate varying levels of stakeholder involvement in planning. The findings provide evidence of the need for a granular approach to the study of strategic planning and a focus on how organizational leaders’ roles and choice of activities shape strategic planning and its legitimacy.

Research on the Popularization and Development Strategies of Niche Sports in China: A Case Study of Curling

Winter niche sports are gradually gaining prominence in China; however, compared to traditional summer sports, these sports still face various development and popularization challenges. This study takes curling as an example and delves into the current state of winter niche sports in China, with the aim of identifying key issues and feasible solutions. Firstly, this paper reviews the historical development of winter niche sports in China. However, despite these significant governmental efforts, sports like curling, among other winter niche sports, exhibit relatively lower recognition and participation in China, accompanied by numerous challenges. Secondly, the research highlights the characteristics and potential of curling. Nonetheless, when compared to traditional winter sports like skiing and ice hockey, curling's infrastructure and popularity in China still require significant enhancement. Furthermore, the study analyzes the root causes of the challenges in the popularization of curling, including insufficient promotion and education, inadequate infrastructure, and limited knowledge of curling rules and techniques. To address these issues, the paper presents a series of recommendations, such as intensifying the promotion of curling, improving infrastructure development, and conducting curling training and promotional activities, all aimed at facilitating wider adoption of the sport. Lastly, the research summarizes the prospects of winter niche sports in China, underscoring the necessity of collaboration and efforts among the government, sports organizations, and businesses in promoting these sports.

Organisational Culture Research in Competitive Sport – A Systematic Review

Introduction: Defining and measuring organisational culture in the sport sector receives little attention. Nevertheless, it has an impact on the effectiveness and functioning of sport organisations. Objective: The aim of this paper is to explore definitions of sport organisational culture and to present its measurement possibilities through international literature. Methods: The secondary research will review the international literature on competitive sport between 1999 and 2022, using a systematic sampling according to predefined criteria. Results: In addition to general bibliometric data, the results present the frequency of keywords for each definition, the measurement methods used to assess sport culture, and group studies on sport culture according to the literature. Conclusion: We discuss the results of the publications presented in the literature and their conclusions, thus contributing to the Hungarian research on sport culture. Keywords: sport organisational culture, competitive sport, definition, measurement methods, systematic review

Health and Economic Value of Eliminating Socioeconomic Disparities in US Youth Physical Activity

There are considerable socioeconomic status (SES) disparities in youth physical activity (PA) levels. For example, studies show that lower-SES youth are less active, have lower participation in organized sports and physical education classes, and have more limited access to PA equipment. To determine the potential public health and economic effects of eliminating disparities in PA levels among US youth SES groups. An agent-based model representing all 6- to 17-year-old children in the US was used to simulate the epidemiological, clinical, and economic effects of disparities in PA levels among different SES groups and the effect of reducing these disparities. Anthropometric measures (eg, body mass index) and the presence and severity of risk factors associated with weight (stroke, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or cancer), as well as direct and indirect cost savings. This model, representing all 50 million US children and adolescents 6 to 17 years old, found that if the US eliminates the disparity in youth PA levels across SES groups, absolute overweight and obesity prevalence would decrease by 0.826% (95% CI, 0.821%-0.832%), resulting in approximately 383 000 (95% CI, 368 000-399 000) fewer cases of overweight and obesity and 101 000 (95% CI, 98 000-105 000) fewer cases of weight-related diseases (stroke and coronary heart disease events, type 2 diabetes, or cancer). This would result in more than $15.60 (95% CI, $15.01-$16.10) billion in cost savings over the youth cohort's lifetime. There are meaningful benefits even when reducing the disparity by just 25%, which would result in $1.85 (95% CI, $1.70-$2.00) billion in direct medical costs averted and $2.48 (95% CI, $2.04-$2.92) billion in productivity losses averted. For every 1% in disparity reduction, total productivity losses would decrease by about $83.8 million, and total direct medical costs would decrease by about $68.7 million. This study quantified the potential savings from eliminating or reducing PA disparities, which can help policymakers, health care systems, schools, funders, sports organizations, and other businesses better prioritize investments toward addressing these disparities.

The more we post, the better? A comparative analysis of fan engagement on social media profiles of football leagues

PurposeIn a dynamic, continuously evolving sports landscape, social media have become an indispensable tool for sports organizations to cultivate meaningful connections with fans. The rapid pace of technological advancements has elevated these digital platforms from a supplementary role to a pivotal position within strategic management frameworks. The existing literature explores how football clubs can utilize social media, but analyzing social media strategies within the context of football leagues is lacking. The absence of comparative studies benchmarking clubs across different geographical regions while simultaneously analyzing multiple social media platforms is especially noteworthy. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of social media engagement is undertaken within esteemed football leagues spanning Europe, South America and North America.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on relationship marketing and employing content analysis as a methodological tool, the study examined 10,772 posts from the official accounts of eight football leagues on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.FindingsAcross the leagues, the findings reveal that content quality drives engagement more than frequency. In addition, several format combinations were identified that facilitate engagement and Instagram emerged as the top social media platform for generating fan engagement.Originality/valueThis is one of the first empirical studies focusing on optimizing the use of social media to amplify fan engagement across various geographies and social media accounts and formats simultaneously.

Making it work—fitting parenthood into an elite sport career

The purpose of this study is to analyze and problematize the possibilities and challenges of combining an elite sport career with parenthood among elite athletes in Sweden. Specific focus will be on time management, financial conditions, and support. Ten active or formerly active elite athletes who had combined or tried to combine elite sports with parenthood were interviewed. The athletes represent a range of different sports and played in teams or as individual competitors. Some were full-time athletes, while others had additional employment. Work–family conflict was present for the athletes, with the results showing that combining elite sports with parenthood can work, but only if the athlete has adequate resources. The most important resource is social support from the athlete’s family. The sport organizations appear somewhat invisible as a supportive structure; therefore, the athletes have contributed with ideas of what these organizations can do to increase their support.

Reduced graphene oxide-based sensor for triamcinolone acetonide detection: Advancements in doping agent surveillance for athletes

The use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports is a major concern for athletes, coaches, and sports organizations. To address this issue, researchers have been developing advanced doping agent surveillance techniques, including the use of sensors for detecting prohibited substances in athletes' samples. The aim of this work was to create Ag nanoparticles and a reduced graphene oxide paste electrode (Ag-rGOPE) that could be used as an electrochemical sensor to measure the amounts of triamcinolone acetonide (TAA) in athlete blood serum samples for the purpose of detecting doping. The combination of Ag nanoparticles on rGO nanosheets was validated by the findings of structural investigations. The potential of Ag-rGOPE as a promising substitute for the analysis of TAA in actual samples was underlined by the electrochemical investigations. Ag-rGOPE was reported to have a sensitivity value of 0.67522 μA/μM, a linear range of 10 to 300 μM, and a limit of detection of 0.005 μM. High electrochemical reactivity, a broad linear range, and a small limit of detection were all characteristics of the Ag-rGOPE toward TAA. With considerable recovery values (above 96.00 %) and acceptable precision (RSD less than 4.37 %), the sensor showed outstanding performance for detecting TAA in serum samples. Overall, Ag-rGOPE demonstrated potential as an electrochemical sensor for measuring TAA levels in athlete serum samples that is both dependable and accurate.

Resource Deployment in National Sport Organizations: Impacts of Event Hosting

Studies that focus on effective resource deployment in national sport organizations (NSO) have been limited. This study aims to understand how resources obtained by hosting a mega sport event can be used to advance the organizational capacity of NSOs. Deriving empirical evidence from the case of the Korea Ice Hockey Association following the awarding of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games, we found that hosting sparked the provision of valuable resources used by the NSO to establish key capacities in the organization. Resources revealed in this study include: financial, stakeholder network, informational/knowledge assistance, and physical infrastructure. The NSO’s improved capacities include financial capital, leadership and specialized staff, strategic plans, international and domestic network, and global standards. A roadmap for officials and managers in event-hosting countries who aim to heighten their organizations’ capacities for successful hosting is also provided.

Digital technologies in sports: Opportunities, challenges, and strategies for safeguarding athlete wellbeing and competitive integrity in the digital era

Digital technologies are revolutionizing operations across various industries, including the sports sector. This study employed a mixed methods approach to investigate technology adoption rates and assess the perceived impacts on performance, injuries, operations, and fan experience in 21 sports organizations. Furthermore, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 industry experts, providing information on decision drivers, implementation challenges, emerging innovations, and ethical considerations associated with responsible technology integration. The survey findings revealed extensive usage of analytics, wearables, management information systems, and fan engagement platforms among the sports organizations under investigation. Notably, analytics and statistics tools, along with management information systems, were identified as having the most significant influence on enhancing organizational performance and efficiency. Wearable technologies emerged as crucial tools for injury prevention through the monitoring of athlete health metrics. Insights gleaned from the expert interviews underscored the potential of emerging technologies, such as augmented reality, athlete tracking, predictive analytics, exoskeletons, and AI coaching, in the sports industry. However, experts also highlighted implementation challenges, including financial considerations, skills gaps, resistance to change, uncertainties surrounding return on investment demonstration, and ethical risks that necessitate mitigation measures. The study results indicated that data-driven systems have the capacity to improve operations and athlete outcomes; however, an over-reliance on such systems may diminish the significance of human expertise. It is imperative that responsible integration of these technologies aligns with organizational goals and values. By investigating current trends in technology adoption, assessing perceived impacts, and considering stakeholder viewpoints through an integrated methodology, this study aimed to provide evidence-based guidance for maximizing the benefits of digital transformation in a responsible manner.

Supporting the professional sports coach in the workplace: presenting the pedagogue as the missing scientist

ABSTRACT This is a positional paper in which we consider (re)imagining the role of the pedagogue as one who is specifically employed in a multi-disciplinary team of experts that can advise the professional sports coach. Our rationale is underpinned by multiple factors including the low impact of coach education, issues with knowledge translation, and current prevailing discourses in elite sport. Consequently, we employ ethnodrama as a “way in” to explore the precarious existence of elite coaches, cohering specifically around the profligate “hiring and firing” cultures found in professional football. This enables the inquiry to highlight how the pedagogue – the missing scientist – can utilise practical solutions on the ground responding to real-world problems. Going further, we consider how this role could also become a pivotal figure of resistance to the current value system inherent within elite sport reported to jeopardise athletes’ health and wellbeing. Thus, we respond to numerous challenges replete in elite sport organisations that are attracting increasing attention.

Examining Strategies for Undergraduate Student Volunteer Engagement and Management in a Community-Based Sport-for-Development Program

Volunteers play a crucial role in sport organizations, particularly in the nonprofit context, but there is a need for theoretically informed studies to improve their experience and intentionally develop their skillsets. This study aimed to examine strategies for undergraduate volunteer engagement and management in a community-based sport-for-development (SFD) program. The strategies evaluated in this study were reflective journaling, daily debrief meetings, and autonomy-driven task design and responsibilities, guided by self-determination theory (SDT). Through analysis of semi-structured interviews with volunteers ( n = 25) and their reflective journals, findings revealed that these strategies enhanced undergraduate volunteers’ experiences by increasing their perceived competence, relatedness, and autonomy. This study highlights the importance of using SDT-aligned strategies to enhance volunteer engagement and program delivery. These findings have implications for student volunteer recruitment and retention, as well as improving the overall effectiveness of SFD organizations.

Professionalization of action sports: field- and organizational-level professionalization of new Olympic sports

The inclusion of action sports in the Olympic Games and gaining popularity may necessitate a professionalization of the associated sports organizations to effectively tackle the challenges and meet the expectations of various stakeholders. This study explores the professionalization of action sports newly included in the Olympics by focusing on skateboarding and surfing in South Korea. Data for this study included semi-structured interviews with key individuals (n = 17) and archival materials. The findings indicate that Olympic inclusion triggered the sports’ professionalization at the field- and organizational-levels. There were changes in the institutional environment for the sports at the field-level, and the sports’ central organizations underwent structural and procedural changes. This research provides implications to action sports organizations and stakeholders, especially those in countries where action sports are less popular, who wish to leverage the Olympic inclusion of their sports as an opportunity to establish a more professionalized system for sports.

Impact of the UEFA Nations League on competitive balance, competitive intensity, and fairness in European men’s national team football

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the multifaceted dimensions of sport promotion, development, and integrity within the context of men’s football in Europe. It specifically focuses on the impact of a newly introduced competition, the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) Nations League (UNL), on these three dimensions. The study utilises a dataset comprising 1,058 games played over two distinct periods: 503 games from 2014–2016 (pre-UNL) and 555 games from 2018–2021 (UNL era). The primary areas of interest are competitive balance (CB) and competitive intensity (CI), measured at the intra-match (both CB and CI) and post-match (CB only) levels, and fairness. Regressions and statistical tests were conducted to explain the determinants of CB and compare CB and CI between both periods. The analysis reveals that CB deteriorated, primarily attributed to changing incentives for the strongest and weakest teams during Euro qualifying matches. By contrast, CI increased due to the UNL’s replacement of most friendly games. While recent literature has raised potential fairness issues due to the establishment of the UNL, findings of this study suggest that the integrity of national men’s football team competitions and games in Europe remained intact during this period. This article advances knowledge of CB and CI. Besides, it also provides empirical evidence that the UNL did not compromise the fairness of national men’s football team competitions and games in Europe. By bringing CB, CI, and fairness together, this study highlights the crucial role of sports organisations in promoting and developing their sport, while also safeguarding its integrity.