The present study applied the diffusion of innovation theory to investigate the rate of diffusion of renewable energy sources used by Europe's top professional football stadiums and the relationship with carbon neutrality. A discrete diffusion model estimated the diffusion of renewable energy to saturation, and a multivariate logistic regression model examined the combined effects of various influences on achieving carbon neutrality. Among the 305 facilities, we found 129 organizations (42%) adopted at least one renewable energy source, either onsite or offsite, by 2024. Of the 256 facilities for which carbon neutrality status was available, 57 (22%) were identified as reaching carbon neutrality by 2024. The diffusion model estimated full saturation of renewable energy in 2059. Regionality, compatibility, and complexity were important considerations in adopting renewable energy and achieving carbon neutrality. New stadiums were more likely to adopt renewable energy and reach carbon neutrality by 2024 during the adoption period.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper was to investigate the organisational development processes used by the National Hockey League’s most recent expansion club, the Seattle Kraken, during their launch and early operational phases. This paper specifically focuses on the organisational development processes used by upstart sport franchises during periods of environmental turbulence. Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted semi-structured interviews with seven Seattle Kraken executives and managers involved in the organisation’s development, launch and subsequent operations during the franchise’s first several seasons. Participants included individuals from various functional areas. The empirical material was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify key organisational strategies. FindingsThree primary themes were established. In Targeted Talent Acquisition and Development, domain expertise was prioritised over sport-specific experience during personnel decisions. In Organisational Storytelling and Identity Construction, brand ambiguity was allowed to enable stakeholder co-creation of meaning. In Stakeholder Integration and Community Embeddedness, systematic stakeholder research was conducted before developing organisational initiatives. These processes shaped the development of organisational capabilities during the challenges inherent in building a new venture within the institutional framework of big-time professional sport. Originality/valueWhile scholars have extensively studied brand development among sport organisations, limited attention has been paid to the organisational development processes used during franchise launches. This study contributes to understanding how professional sport organisations build internal capacities during their formative stages, thereby providing insights for practitioners who face similar organisational challenges during team launches, relocations or rebrands.

Pro-environmental initiatives are increasingly common among major collegiate and professional sport organizations, but few have championed climate- and sustainability-related causes more than the Seattle Kraken. In this study, we examine how the organization developed its pro-environmental identity in an effort to establish legitimacy among internal and external stakeholders while attempting to influence industry norms around sustainability. Using legitimacy theory as a framework, we analyze empirical material from eight executives and find that the Kraken employed strategies that responded to both pragmatic stakeholder interests and moral environmental commitments. The organization reframed its “liability of newness” as an opportunity for innovation, developed a shared environmental philosophy that permeated operations, implemented substantive actions that showed genuine commitment, and employed subtle symbolic communication to reinforce environmental values. Beyond establishing local legitimacy, the Kraken expressed their vision of “resetting expectations” throughout professional sport, positioning the organization as an institutional entrepreneur seeking to catalyze field-level change.

Five years after its formal conceptualization, sport ecology has transitioned from an emerging area of inquiry to a substantiated subdiscipline within sport management. This paper reviews the field’s rapid institutionalization, evidenced by specialized pedagogy, editorial recognition, and proliferating research tracks and asserts that the era of justifying the field’s relevance has passed. We argue that sport ecology must now move beyond functioning as a niche specialization to become a cross-cutting lens integrated across the breadth of sport management literature and practice. In assessing the state of the field, we identify critical gaps, specifically by introducing the “fan priority paradox” to describe the conflict between consumer intent and behavior, and by critiquing the geographic myopia that calls for a Global South Imperative . Ultimately, this manuscript posits that the field’s next 5 years must be defined by a pivot from seeking legitimacy to demonstrating its impact. We call for transdisciplinary collaboration and a move beyond rhetoric, urging scholars to produce operational solutions that bridge the gap between academic theory and the urgent environmental realities of the sport industry.

Anybody working in sport management will be involved in the operation of a sports facility at some point in their career. It is a core professional competency at the heart of successful sport business. Sport Facility Operations Management is a comprehensive and engaging textbook which introduces cutting-edge concepts in facilities and operations management, including practical guidance from professional facility managers. Now in a fully revised and updated second edition—which introduces new chapters on capital investment and operational decision-making—the book covers all fundamental aspects of sport facility operations management from a global perspective, including: ownership structures and financing options planning, design, and construction processes organizational and human resource management financial and operations management legal concerns marketing management and event planning risk assessment and security planning benchmarking and performance management Each chapter contains newly updated real-world case studies and discussion questions, innovative 'Technology Now!' features and step-by-step guidance through every element of successful sport facilities and operations management, while an expanded companion website offers lecture slides, a sample course syllabus, a bank of multiple-choice and essay questions, glossary flashcards links to further reading, and appendices with relevant supplemental documentation. With a clear structure running from planning through to the application of core management disciplines, Sport Facility Operations Management is essential reading for any sport management course.

Negative fan responses to social messages reinforce sport practitioners' reluctance to implement and engage external stakeholders in environmental messaging out of fear of backlash. Drawing from the Sport Sustainability Campaign Evaluation Model (SSCEM) and its extended version (eSSCEM), we aim to empirically understand how consumers react to environmental messages. Specifically, the objectives of this paper are threefold: (1) Incorporate aspects of the SSCEM (internal constraints) and pre-existing perceptions of the importance of acting sustainably excluded from prior research into the extension; (2) Include two new KPIs specific to the sport organization (a stronger connection to the sport organization or supporting the sport organization less); and (3) Test the moderating effects of environmentalism identification on the model to determine whether environmentalism impacted the relationships within the model suggesting potential market segments. We use data from a sample of 429 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision team ticket purchasers to show that fans' receptivity to environmental sustainability messages impacts their connection with the organization and future support. The perceived fit between environmental sustainability and the organization strongly influences receptivity. Environmentalism identification moderates these relationships to some extent, indicating differing fan responses to sustainability efforts. The study's results underscore the importance of sport organizations' effective communication of sustainability efforts to elicit positive fan responses and strengthen connections to the team.

Research questionThe global nature of Formula 1 racing exposes the sport to diverse climate risks. We describe the process for setting evidence-based boundary conditions for climate-related hazards in motorsport, and then apply them to Formula 1.Research methodsWe assess risks for 25 Formula 1 racing circuits, including 24 venues in the 2024 racing schedule and one potential future site, by analysing historical weather data, air quality records, and flood risk projections to identify climate-related hazards that could impact race events.Results and findingsThe boundaries proposed herein are new and require further refinement; however, they allow us to draw some initial conclusions about the vulnerabilities of the F1 series in its current format. Our findings show that extreme heat is the most pervasive threat, affecting 19 of the 25 circuits. Flooding poses risks to 18 locations, poor air quality could compromise 10 sites, and heavy rainfall threatens seven venues. Singapore and Qatar emerged as the most vulnerable locations, while Austria shows lower climate risk profiles.ImplicationsThese results underscore the need for officials to consider adaptations to Formula 1's race calendar and operations to address evolving environmental challenges. This study provides a foundation for developing climate adaptation plans in motorsport, potentially influencing practices in the wider automotive industry. As climate change intensifies, Formula 1's response to these challenges may set precedents for the global sport and tourism industries facing similar environmental pressures.

PurposeSport has emerged as a powerful platform for promoting environmental awareness and action. Major collegiate and professional teams have implemented sustainability strategies, although some have hesitated to promote them out of concern for political polarization and fan alienation. This study aimed to examine differences in environmental attitudes among fans of two professional sport organizations competing in the same venue but in different sports.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data were collected from 2,652 season ticket holders of the two organizations. The survey included measures of environmental awareness, perceived behavioral control, ascriptions of responsibility, awareness of team initiatives and green team fandom. Participants’ environmentalist status (active, passive or non-environmentalist) was also assessed. Analysis of variance was used to examine differences in environmental attitudes based on sport affiliation and environmentalist status.FindingsSignificant but small differences in environmental awareness and awareness of team initiatives based on sport affiliation were found. However, environmentalist status had a significant effect on environmental awareness, perceived behavioral control, ascriptions of responsibility and green team fandom, with active environmentalists scoring highest, followed by passive environmentalists and non-environmentalists. Surprisingly, fans’ environmentalist status did not significantly impact their awareness of team sustainability initiatives. Non-environmentalists, a substantial portion of the sample, did not express particularly negative attitudes toward sustainability.Originality/valueThis study extends previous research by examining fan attitudes toward environmental sustainability. It challenges the assumption that promoting sustainability initiatives may alienate fans, particularly non-environmentalists, and highlights the potential for sport organizations to leverage their unifying power to promote environmental action among diverse fanbases.

Professional sport facility sustainability initiatives offer sport organizations an opportunity to demonstrate congruence with societal concern for the environment, an effort that also affects stadia revenue generation. Guided by diffusion of innovations theory, this study harnessed diffusion modeling and logistic regression to determine how quickly renewable energy source adoption is diffusing across 175 professional sport stadia in the United States and Canada and the factors catalyzing early renewable energy source adoption. Results revealed 86 (49%) facilities adopted at least one type of renewable energy source, with solar emerging as the predominant technology adopted (68 total adoptions). Full diffusion for renewable source adoption was predicted for 2061 ( p = .0094, q = 0.1404, root mean square error = 3.25, mean absolute error = 2.51), while not all renewable energy sources were predicted to fully diffuse (wind; p = .0117, q = −0.0710, root mean square error = .853, mean absolute error = 0.675). New stadia construction during the time of adoption, facility type, and geographical social systems emerged as significant factors catalyzing adoption in the early majority.

We examined fan feedback on a professional sport team's (PST's) pro-environmental sustainability initiatives, with particular attention to the extent to which these initiatives evolve. Two waves of data collection were conducted in a longitudinal perspective through an open-ended questionnaire to explore fans' suggestions of pro-environmental sustainability initiatives that a professional sport club should promote. A total of 2,390 valid suggestions were obtained (n2020 = 1,019; n2021 = 1,371), and data were analyzed through multistep content analysis. Five broad themes emerged in the two waves of data collection: (a) sustainable venue design, (b) eco-friendly matchday operations, (c) green sponsorship activation, (d) pro-environmental communication, and (e) improving the overall matchday experience. Results suggest that it is crucial to know what sustainable initiatives PST fans consider more important and what suggestions they have to favor a more sustainable future. These results also highlight the importance of customizing PST communications and monitoring how initiatives evolve over time.

Major sporting events can have significant environmental impacts. In response, sport organizations and event organizers have begun adopting initiatives like carbon offsetting and zero waste. When addressing an event’s environmental impact, significant planning must also occur well in advance. That is, the careful planning, design, and construction of competition venues and supporting infrastructure are vital to an event’s sustainability program. This chapter explores how the environmental impact of major sporting events is molded in the earliest stages of planning, when competition sites are initially considered and building designs are first conceptualized. The chapter contains an overview of how factors like geographic location, site profile, accessibility to transportation linkages, and venue design can impact the natural environment. Additionally, it highlights how sport and sporting events can contribute to cities and regions more broadly with regard to residents’ quality of life, environmental justice, and housing.

Sport organizations are engaging in more advanced environmental sustainability efforts to reduce their environmental impacts. In particular, sport organizations and venues can align their environmental goals with the surrounding city’s environmental objectives. In this study, we examine the relationship between the city and the various sport venues given the city’s agenda to reduce pollution by encouraging the use of public transport. Through ticket purchase data and GIS analysis, we examine how the city capacity helps sport venues fulfill their environmental goals to reduce the environmental impact from fan transportation. We identified the geographical fragmentation of sport fans and found that most fans live beyond five miles of a light rail station. This distance decay from the station makes fans reliant on another form of transportation. Researchers and practitioners can use this approach to leverage internal data and GIS analyses to understand the influence of geographical segmentation of their fans and the influence of this distribution on the environmental impact of fans. This analysis also provides the foundation for future researchers to further examine transportation behaviors of sport fans and the effect of distance decay from transportation stations on sustainable transportation choices.

The unrelenting threat of climate change and extreme weather events on human settlements has prompted urban planners and public policymakers to develop robust climate mitigation and adaptation strategies for their cities. As part of these measures, they may identify existing or proposed infrastructure that could serve residents during a public emergency (e.g. as shelters). One such candidate is the modern professional sports stadium, which has demonstrated its versatility over the past several years by serving as field hospitals, COVID-19 testing and mass vaccination sites, and municipal voting centers. In this commentary, we consider the essential contribution sports stadiums may make to cities and regions impacted by extreme weather and climate change. Specifically, we examine the utility of a publicly funded stadium as a shelter in response to large-scale disasters. As part of our analysis, we identify the structural, geographical, organizational, and logistical factors that impact the feasibility of this proposal.

PurposeThe usage of sport stadia for public service is increasingly common and may come in different forms. In the COVID-19 pandemic, this included sport entities hosting mass COVID-19 vaccinations at their stadiums. The purpose of this study was to examine the branding effects of a COVID-19 mass vaccination center as communicated by (1) a sport entity (i.e. stadium and its two teams) and (2) the public.Design/methodology/approachThe authors analyzed the entity's social media messages related to the mass vaccination center for the three groups, the stadium and its two sports team tenants (N = 48) while comparing the public's social media content about the vaccination center (N = 187). An empirical material coding analysis was conducted.FindingsThe sport entity's posts revealed 12 codes, five categories and two themes communicated about their brand: In this together–community impact and showcasing brand attributes. The public posts analysis revealed 21 codes, eight categories and four themes, creating brand awareness, establishing/reaffirming brand attributes, affective response and in this together–community response.Originality/valueThe identification of the two organization themes and four public themes provided an initial examination of the mass vaccination efforts' impact on the sport entity's brand. With the rise of stadia being utilized as public service venues (e.g. voting centers and disaster shelters), the results of the study can provide guidance to communicating the host team's brand during these times. Results also suggest the public perception of such service reflected positive opportunities for brand exposure and subsequent effects for the teams.

Research question The purpose of this study was to analyze qualitative data to understand a sport organization's external stakeholders' (i.e. sport fans', non-sport fans'/community members') environmental attitudes, ascription of responsibility, and preferences for environmental initiatives that should be prioritized.Research method A purposive sampling technique was used to distribute an online survey through Qualtrics. As part of the broader survey, 100 respondents provided open-ended comments to three prompts related to environmental sustainability and/or sport, and these comments serve as the basis for this study.Results and findings Eight themes were established and resulted in the subdivision of sport-centric and political themes. Participants felt that both cities and sport organizations have responsibilities and platforms for supporting pro-environmental issues. Political attitudes influenced differences between respondents. There were preferences towards initiatives directly related to benefitting a sport organization and others to benefitting the community.Implications Our results can help fill the gap in the strategic approach sport practitioners take when deciding what environmental initiative(s) to prioritize based on data from stakeholder input and preferences. These initiatives could apply to both internal efforts and community engagement activities.Research contribution This is the first study to examine sport and non-sport fan responses to environmental sustainability issues in a sport context. Our findings inform future researchers who explore the response of stakeholders (e.g. fan, community members) to environmental initiatives in sport. Our findings can also lend to the creation of a sport-focused materiality assessment.