Research articles

A home ground for social entrepreneurship in sport

March 4, 2024

🇸🇪 Summary in Swedish

Tomas Peterson¹, Daniel Bjärsholm², Susanne Linnér² & Katarina Schenker²¹ Dept. of Sport Sciences, Malmö University;
² Dept. of Sport Sciences, Linnæus University

It has become increasingly common for club sport to address various social problems such as segregation, integration, and inequality. This article presents an analysis of what is required for sport to be used to constructively tackle societal challenges.

The analysis is based on previous research on social entrepreneurship in sport and an ongoing study of Home Ground clubs. These clubs are developed within Swedish Basketball. The methodological tool ideal type Home Ground Club is presented. The ideal type is based on the definition of sport social entrepreneurship. It has been supplemented with characteristics of existing Home Ground clubs. The ideal typical Home Ground Club is characterized by

Activities cross the boundaries between different sectors of society in a conflictual way.
In any case, the activities are based on the local context.
Activities aim to be free or low cost, with no barriers to participation.
The club has a well-thought-out approach to young leaders, including training and financial compensation.
Schools has a central place and role in the activities.
Sport is used as a means, not an end. Competitive sport with leagues and cups is not included.
For those interested in competitive activities, there is a gateway function to clubs with such activities.
The Home Ground Club is organisationally linked to a specific sports federation.
If the Home Ground Club had used the corporate form, the money (profit) would have been used as a means, not as an end.
The social content of the activities is in line with the state’s objectives for tax-funded support of sporting activities and is the same as the concept of democratic fostering.

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TOMAS PETERSON is a senior professor of sport science at Malmö University. His research interests include the professionalization of Swedish football, selection and ranking mechanisms in children and youth sports, the relationship between school and club sports, sport policy, health equity, and sport and social entrepreneurship.

DANIEL BJÄRSHOLM is a senior lecturer in sport science at Linnæus University. His research focuses on the role of sport in society with an emphasis on social responsibility in sport; in particular his research has focused on social entrepreneurship in sport.

SUSANNE LINNÉR is an associate professor of sport science at Linnæus University. Her research focuses on social justice, sustainability and leadership in the sport movement. She has delivered professional development courses for teachers on social justice and has been consulted by the Ministry of Education and the Teachers’ Union on issues of professional ethics and curriculum development.

KATARINA SCHENKER is a professor of sport science at Linnaeus University. She conducts research on issues related to social health and sustainable sport, particularly mechanisms that can lead to the inclusion or exclusion of children and young people. She conducts research on sport-like social entrepreneurship.