Sport Management Research Articles

Examining Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Sports Sector

This study aimed to examine innovation and entrepreneurship in the sports sector. The study group of our research consisted of 151 participants including coaches, sports managers, sports experts and club managers. In the first part of the data collection process, the personal information form created by the researchers was used. In the second part, innovation and entrepreneurship scales created by Tekin, M., Etlioğlu, M., and Tekin, E. (2018) were used. The data obtained in our research were evaluated at a 0.05 significance level using SPSS.25.00 package program at a 95% confidence interval. Descriptive statistics related to gender, age, specialization in the sports sector, graduation status, Professional experience, province of residence, and marital status were calculated. Skewness and kurtosis values were calculated to determine whether the data showed normality distribution. Statistically, t-test, Pearson correlation analysis, ANOVA analysis, percentage and reliability coefficient calculations, and frequency calculations were performed. As a result, while there was no statistically significant difference in the variables of gender, graduation status, province of residence, age, and Professional experience, a statistically significant difference was detected in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship in the sports sector according to the marital status, specialization in the sports sector, and the obtained general analysis results.Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Sector, Sport

Promoting sport organisations inclusivity initiatives: tailored message frames and audience selection to drive change and attitude towards team

ABSTRACT Sporting organisations are increasingly marketing their LGBTQI+ initiatives. However, limited research provides insights and guidance on how to effectively communicate these initiatives to improve attitudes towards a team and support for the cause. To address this gap, the current research uses Construal Level Theory and cognitive appraisal theory as guiding frameworks to explore how different message frames and target audiences can improve perceptions of sporting organisations being value-driven in their inclusivity initiatives and enhance positive emotional responses of individuals. Two experimental studies were conducted (Study 1 – Australian sport followers n = 403, Study 2 – U.S. sport followers n = 455), with results showing that concrete (as opposed to abstract) message frames targeted towards fans (as opposed to individuals or the community) can enhance support for both inclusivity and attitude towards the team. This is explained by appraisals of value-driven motives and affection as a positive emotional response. The findings have important implications for sport management literature and practice relating to inclusivity marketing, LGBTQI+ initiatives, message framing, construal level theory, and cognitive appraisal theory.

Problems and prospects of the implementation of new approaches to the organization of physical culture and sports in the territorial communities of Ukraine

The article examines the main problems of meaningful and effective reforms in the field of physical culture and sports on the way to European integration and directions for the implementation of a new approach to the organization of physical education in territorial communities. The experience of leading countries shows that the involvement of the population in regular physical activity and recreational sports contributes to the economic growth of the country due to increased labor productivity and increased life expectancy. The development of the country as a whole depends on the economic stability and development of the territorial community as a social center. The purpose of our research was to determine the necessity and directions of reforming physical culture and sports in territorial communities. Analysis and generalization of literary and documentary materials, methods of systemic and structural-functional analysis were used in the research. In the course of the study, the main obstacles on the way to reforming the field of physical culture and sports were identified, namely: the large role of the state in the management of sports, the low level of participation of civil society institutions, the lack of actual interaction between the subjects of the sports sphere, the lack of a transparent approach to the issue of distribution and use financial resources coming into the field of physical education and sports. Ways of solving the stated problems from the side of the state for territorial communities have been determined: development of modern, diverse, accessible sports infrastructure in the regions of the country for the use of all strata of the population and organization of training of athletes, holding of sports competitions of national and international levels; stimulation by the state of subjects in the field of sports to provide physical culture and health services to the population; delegating part of the sports management functions to the national sports federations of Ukraine in order to expand their autonomy; stimulating the development of the sports industry through patronage and active use of the public-private partnership program; creation of conditions for the introduction of the "money goes for the service" mechanism in the mass sports and health fitness system at the local level. It is proposed to introduce a model for the development of recreational sports, physical activity and organized sports in territorial communities through community centers and sports clubs.

Sport Management in Football and Sustainable Development

Sport Management in Football and Sustainable Development

Perceptions and Perspectives of Black Male Athletic Directors at National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Institutions

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among self- identified Black male National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) athletic directors (ADs) and their lived experiences of career attainment through the lens of Critical Race Theory (CRT). This research examined both the factors impacting the ADs’ careers and the strategies they used to overcome barriers. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with - at the time of the study - all of the FBS Black male ADs (N=12) regarding their perspectives of their lived AD experiences. The findings revealed three overarching dimensions (i.e., allyship, nepotism, and networking with other minority leaders) and seven emergent themes associated with success factors (i.e., diverse network, lack of privilege, mentorship, and cultural differences) and barrier removal strategies (i.e., intrinsic motivation, gathering extensive experience, and being intentional about networking). This study advances the sport management field and CRT research by revealing insights regarding Black ADs’ perceptions, challenges, opportunities, and strategies.

Research on Youth Physical Education Management System Oriented by Big Data Technology

Abstract Based on the SQL Server2000 database, this paper integrates the advantages of C/S and B/S structure to develop a sports management system oriented to big data. The system includes three parts: teaching resource management, operation management information and quality and evaluation management. Which focuses on the design of the resource management system based on the recommendation algorithm, combined with the linear regression model as well as the user rating to construct a waterfall combination recommendation model to realize the recommendation of sports teaching resources. After the system was configured, the performance of the system, as well as the application, was tested and its usability investigated. Faculty members’ opinions on the system and student usage results were included in the tests. The tests showed that 88.75% of the faculty members were satisfied with the functionality and usability of the system, and only 9 of the 80 faculty members who participated in the tests expressed dissatisfaction. Two people expressed dissatisfaction with functional testing, and 11.25% of the faculty members expressed dissatisfaction with the interface design. Students who selected courses according to the recommendations improved their evaluated performance by 3.1 points in the step test, 39.30% in the standing long jump, and 7.36% in the forward bend. Based on the test results it was proved that the system functionality meets the needs of faculty and youth.

European Cities of Sport as a Strategic Policy for Local Development of Sports: A Perspective from Sports Management in the Last Decade

Abstract European sports policies have focused on the implementation of public instruments and policy measures, aiming to encourage EU member states to promote and improve sports habits, while simultaneously tackling high levels of sedentary lifestyle among Europeans. Despite these efforts, data concerning the various measures is quite limited, making it impossible to assess the real impact on the population, particularly in the case of the European Cities of Sport. This award has been held since 2007 and has already distinguished 193 cities; however, current knowledge does not allow researchers to theorise about its multiple impacts as a strategic policy instrument for the local development of sport in Europe, thus constituting a gap within sports management research. In order to further this knowledge, we explored European reality over a decade (2013–2022), analysing nine awards of Portuguese cities. We employed qualitative methods for documentary analysis of public information and descriptive statistics for data analysis. The results show that over 2 600 multidisciplinary events were organised, among which 402 had an international character (15%), an average of 50 sports disciplines per edition, 359 events related to culture and education, and involved over 1 000 000 participants, with an overall investment of over €39 million. This research now allows a theoretical-scientific and operational referential pattern of key indicators to be established for future European ECS applications, while demonstrating an encouraging relationship, from a sports perspective and economically, between public investment made and estimated return, thus contributing to better political decisions and to the positive implications of increasing public investment in sport.

Hospitality and Tourism Experiential Learning Combined with Interdisciplinary Learning

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to explore student perceptions of the benefits of experiential learning activities with interdisciplinary learning in hospitality and tourism. Semi-structured individual and focus group interviews were conducted with 22 students in a class collaboration project with hospitality and tourism and sport management classes at a Southeastern University in the United States. Using constant comparative analysis, the results of the study recommended four themes covering all stages of the experiential learning process. This study details how experiential learning benefits student’s learning and outlines valuable insights for academia. Theoretical and practical implications are provided, along with future research directions.

Resources, structural designs, climate and performance management in Botswana National Sport Organisations

PurposeThis research investigates the roles that resources, organisational structure and climate play in the performance management of National Sport Organisations (NSOs).Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative study draws data from 31 interviews, five focus groups conducted amongst Botswana National Sport Organisations. To corroborate the data collected, documents from these sport organisations were content analysed.FindingsThe amount and type of resources available, the degree to which decision-making is centralised, practices formalised and roles specialised affects how NSOs implement performance management. NSOs were not implementing performance management systems and could not tell whether they were creating favourable environments to implement the practices.Practical implicationsSport managers, policymakers and educators can use insights from this study to improve their practices. This study also proposes avenues for further research.Originality/valueThis study contributes to sport management literature on performance management, and it is original because such as study has not been conducted before.

Management of Sports Activities at the University Level for Popularizing and Promoting Sports Culture in India

Sports have been recognized as an indispensable part of a university in India, which can generate feelings of national pride and identity. Developing and promoting sports culture and creating a vibrant sports atmosphere at the university level is critical to professionally managing university sports activities. Jadavpur University, as an Indian university, adopted some significant steps to manage university sports activities for developing and promoting the Indian sports culture. Some criteria were recommended in this university sports policies, like sports quota admission, relaxation of percentage/marks/ranks, and attendance after university participation in sports. Several plans were executed to motivate sportspersons, such as a sports inspiration program, enhancement of allowances, special incentives to the medal winners, the award for best sports person trophy, releasing sports activities report annually, and induction of a sports board tag on the university website. For professional staff resource management of sports, various qualified part-time coaches, trainers, and instructors are appointed for different sports events as and when required. There are sports board members and technical and supportive staff to perform the functional activities of university sports. Several methods were applied to manage sports facilities by providing hiring and support services, inculcating informal events, organizing intra-mural sports activities, conducting university coaching programs, celebrating Independence Week with sports events, etc.Several initiatives were taken to manage sports infrastructure and funds for implementing sports fees, undertaking sports projects, hosting A.I.U. Inter-university events with sponsorship, collaborative sports programs with other organizations, and joint sports ventures with commercial companies. It was observed that after implementing all the above activities, the number of sports participants and achievements had increased, sports facilities and infrastructure developed, the economic growth of the University improved, and the progressive promotion of sports culture reached a new height.

Golf players as a customer segment: the influence of handicap level and residency in customer satisfaction and expenditure

Segmentation has been proven to be one of the best tools to facilitate sports entities' achievement of their goals. The objective of this research was to analyze the influence on customer expenditure and satisfaction for an elite golf event based on segmentation variables such as residence (local vs visitor) and handicap level of the attendees (spectator vs spectator-player). In addition, this research aimed to establish a multivariate model that allows predicting the place of residence and the handicap based on the interaction of the analyzed variables, with the intention to establish a behaviour pattern based on these variables for those attending an elite golf tournament. Results revealed that attendees with a golf handicap exhibited higher satisfaction levels and were more likely to recommend and spend at golf events. On the other hand, non-handicap spectators and those attendees from outside Madrid displayed higher economic expenditure, indicating the importance of meeting their specific needs to achieve positive economic impact results. The decision tree models provided insights into attendee behavior, identifying factors influencing their satisfaction and likelihood to attend again. Factors including future attendance intention, satisfaction with the food court variety, and spending on accommodation and souvenirs were found to be significant predictors of residency and handicap level. In conclusion, this research contributes to the understanding of customer behavior at elite golf events, offering practical implications for event organizers and sport managers. Keywords: consumer expenditure, customer satisfaction, golf, handicap, segmentation, sport events, sport tourism.

The Ways to Promote Wellness Tourism in Muang District, Chachoengsao Province

Purposes: There were many people travel for rest and relaxation, while a significant number of people also arrive in Thailand to address a medical need of varying urgency. Wellness tourism sits somewhere in between those two drivers of travel. It other locations, wellness tourism is often seen in the form of destination spas. This research aims to study wellness tourism in Muang district, Chachoengsao province, to study the government policy and support wellness tourism in Muang district, Chachoengsao province, and to study all private businesses which provide wellness tourism in Muang district, Chachoengsao province to increase the number of tourists and revenue to all businesses. Theoretical Referential: The research based on the definition of tourism, the 5 components of tourism (5As) which are attraction, accessibility, amenity, accomodation, the environment of tourist attrations. The composition of the potential tourist attractions, the image of tourist attractions, SWOT analysis and TOWS Matrix, and Health and Wellness Tourism which represented the government policy cooperated with private businesses and satisfy the needs of wellness touirsts around the world. Methodology: This research is a mixed methods: Quantitative and Qualitative research. Researcher used questionaire as a tool for quantitative research by accidental sampling 400 Thai tourists and 100 foreign tourists, 5 managers at least 5 years experinced in tour operators business and 10 tour operators staffs, 5 managers and 5 hotel staffs in hotel accomodation business, and 5 managers and 5 staffs of related service provider business. Qualitative research used interview as a tool by purposive sampling 5 heads of community in Muang district, a supervisor of Tourism Authority of Thailand and 1 staff, a director of Tourism Authority of Thailand, Chachoengsao province, and a director of tourism and sport, Chachoengsao office. Findings: The findings a of this research were as the follows: Firstly, there are 2 main types of wellness tourism in Muang district, Chachachoengsao province which is physical and spiritual. For the physical wellness tourism is aromatherapy, healthy food, massage, and spa; the spiritual wellness tourism is monk’s chat and meditation in the temple which can relieve their tension and mind. Secondly, the government policy support both physical and spiritual wellness tourism, and the 5’A of factors represent the essential requirements of successful tourism: Attractions (x̅ = 4.33), Access (x̅ = 4.52), Accommodation (x̅ = 4.37), Amenities (x̅ = 4.23), and Activities (x̅ = 4.63) were very well to serve all tourists. Lastly. all tourists want to come for their relaxation and get the healthy both physical wellness which increasing the number of tourists and revenue to the businesses. SWOT and TOWS matrix also supported the strengths and opportuinties which challege the growth of wellness tourism of the province. Value: These results served the need of many people travel for resting and relaxation, while a significant number of people also arrive in Thailand to address a medical need of varying urgency and wellness. Wellness tourism sits somewhere in between those two drivers of travel. Wellness tourism in Chachoengsao province not only challenge all of the top ten destinations because most of the resorts and hotels provide the wellness service in lower cost and the distance of travel from Bangkok is also very short distance but also can become the new wellness destination both physical and spiritual in Thailand.

The Level of Organizational Performance of Sports Institutions in the United Arab Emirates

The study aims to identify the level of organizational performance of the work of Emirati sports institutions from employees' point of view. The study relied on the descriptive analytical approach and a questionnaire as a tool for collecting data. The study sample consisted of (83) workers. The study reached several results, including: The level of organizational performance of the work of Emirati sports institutions from employees' point of view was moderate and does not meet aspirations to reach achievements at the Olympic level. Among the recommendations reached by the study is to give workers in Emirati sports institutions courses from international federations to develop their skills to keep pace with everything new in the science of sports management in order to ensure that sports institutions achieving their goals in the sports strategy for the year 2030 and working to establish projects that aims to adopt the sports talents of the youth to lead them to Asian and Olympic levels of competition

Applied Improvisation in the Sport Management Curriculum

Despite the incorporation of a range of engaged learning strategies within sport management education, many sport industry employers still perceive sport management graduates as lacking the soft skills needed to be successful in such a dynamic industry (Keiper et al., 2019). The authors suggest applied improvisation (improv) as a pedagogical tool to address this skills gap. “Applied improv” describes the application of improvisation principles outside of the theatre setting (Dudeck & McClure, 2018). Applied improv in the classroom has been presented as an emerging learner-centered approach to instruction (Skinner et al., 2022) that has the potential to meet classroom objectives while simultaneously developing students’ communication and soft skills. Many proponents of applied improv in the classroom environment tout its ability to facilitate communication and collaboration while building participant confidence, especially in human services disciplines (e.g., Chan, 2021; Gao et al., 2019; Hoffmann-Longtin et al., 2018). Using constructivism as a theoretical lens, this commentary explores the existing body of applied improvisation literature to provide recommendations for pedagogical applications within the sport management curriculum to address the employability skills gap of entry-level sport employees. The application of the current review will assist sport management educators in developing curricula and coursework while providing a foundation for future empirical studies on the efficacy and outcomes of applied improv within the sport management curriculum.

“I Felt We Were Actually Learning Things, Then Applying Them”

Academic journals continue to produce articles that highlight record levels of student disengagement and lack of motivation. Faculty have been encouraged to use high impact, active learning strategies to increase student engagement and success (Patrick et al., 2016). One technique, service learning, allows students to become active learners through applying learned skills and theory from the classroom to community settings (Connolly, et al., 2017). The purpose of this study was to highlight students’ perceptions and experiences through three semester-long service-learning courses where students provided a fitness and mindfulness program to local teachers to help them address stressors. Undergraduate sports management students enrolled in a service-learning course for sport development were tasked with planning, organizing, implementing, and evaluating three 9-week long programs. Students were given increased responsibility and control over the semester which resulted in real-world experiences. The students gave their perceptions and experiences in an end of semester paper. Three independent coders reviewed the papers using thematic analysis. Emergent themes were consistent with the service-learning literature suggesting increased engagement, sense of purpose, and applying knowledge. The service-learning course proved to have a positive impact on the sport management students and produced high levels of engagement. Sport management faculty could implement service-learning courses to increase student engagement and opportunities to apply theories, skills, and knowledge in real-world settings. Sport management courses should further explore using high impact, active learning environments to increase student engagement and enhance student learning outcomes.

Why Living in a Sport Management Learning Community Matters

Living learning communities (LLCs) improve students’ social connection and involvement through intentional planning and relationships with faculty and peers. This case study explored student experiences in a living learning community known as the Sport Management and Media Living Learning Community (SMM LLC) at Elon University. Informed by the research about best practice for living learning communities (Inkelas, et al., 2018) and the mattering of relationships (Felton & Lambert, 2020), the study explored students’ perceptions of living in the SMM LLC. The focus group and interviews revealed students’ experiences focused on the importance of relationships with faculty and peers that matter. The findings revealed two themes - the SMM LLC as a place to develop community and friendships and catalyst for involvement. The study offers implications and opportunities for future research and practice for why sport management faculty should implement LLCs at their university to enhance the student experience through an intentional engaged learning design.

Rethinking the Sport Management Internship

Internships are widespread and usually a mandatory component of the student experience, but the focus on the employment experience may overshadow the educational function of experiential learning. This article argues for a shift in perspectives and priorities for career development in sport management curricula. While internships were originally seen as an effective means of preparing students for the sports industry, concerns over issues related to access and pedagogy have created an urgency to review practices across the discipline. The primary argument highlights an imbalance in the discourse surrounding professional and educational foci of sport management internships, changes in the understanding of careers since the adoption of internships in sport management, and design features that can be at odds with student development and motivation. Finally, we propose a more holistic approach and make recommendations for how rethinking internships can improve issues of equity, access, and student development.

Creating a Collaborative Teaching Culture: The Case Study of the Value of a Professional Learning Community

In sport management higher education, doctoral students and early-career faculty are often tasked with teaching university courses, yet the training and support rarely match the demands of the job. This paper explores the utility of a professional learning community (PLC) within a sport management department at an American university using a case study methodology. A PLC creates space for colleague collaboration among faculty with similar objectives and goals. The PLC examined in this manuscript includes a mix of experienced (i.e., associate and full professors) and inexperienced professors (i.e., assistant professors and doctoral students) sharing their classroom/instructional experience at the undergraduate and master’s levels. PLCs represent a viable solution to help ease the classroom transition for early-career instructors and provide a platform for faculty to seek advice related to challenges. Findings suggest that the proper implementation of PLCs can lead to perceived increases in teaching effectiveness, self-efficacy, and collaboration amongst experienced and inexperienced faculty. Other benefits of PLCs include allowing faculty members to remain attuned to current classroom trends and maintaining a common philosophical mission/vision for the degree program.

Building Bridges Across Cultures

Sport managers and sport industry professionals must understand how to operate in an ever-evolving, global sport marketplace, and this can be initiated through education and curriculum development (LeCrom & Naylor, 2020). More specifically, the area within global learning that has been applied to the field of sport management in this category is Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL). A project incorporating the principles of COIL involves a virtual exchange or telecollaboration whereby faculty members from separate institutions in different parts of the world use online technology to facilitate student collaboration to increase intercultural competencies. In this study, the authors implement a COIL project from the creation of learning outcomes and defining the details of the project, to determining the deliverables and evaluation rubrics. The authors followed Bank’s (2003) Transformation Approach for the integration of multicultural content into a curriculum. The curricular setting for this project is a collaboration between a sport and legal issues course (United States) and a business marketing course (Ecuador) with a focus on the COIL concept to garner student collaboration in the area of personal brand building of student-athletes in the collegiate athletic context.

Running alone or in groups? Social capital and quality of life considerations

ABSTRACT This study examines how running participant exercise behaviours such as running alone or in groups moderate the relationship between social capital and quality of life (QoL) along with how demographics characteristics of the participants influence QoL. We analysed 539 running participants’ responses collected on-site in Taiwan. The analysis employed structural equation modelling. The findings suggested whether runners train alone or in groups they see positive benefits from the social capital dimensions of collective action and social connections on their QoL. Demographic characteristics such as age, income and current education status were significant predictors of QoL while running alone was better for males and improved their QoL. Older participants and students running in groups had higher QoL perceptions than the reference groups of their category. Sport managers should boost the opportunities for collective engagement among runners and pursue programmes for enhanced social connections among runners.