The impact of a new women's professional sport league on pre-existing sport organisations: a modified, integrative approach to examining change

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore the process of change in existing professional sport organisations as they initiate a women's team.

Design/methodology/approach

Three Australian Football League clubs with licenses for professional women's teams were examined, with semi-structured interviews held with three key department managers from each club.

Findings

The findings suggest organisations adopt either a community-focused or commercially focused approach, the selection of which is a response to the interplay of institutional pressures (e.g. league demands), resource demands (e.g. human and financial) and the strategic choices of a few, key “idea champions”.

Originality/value

This study provides insight into the approach change taken by clubs as they introduce a women's team into their existing organisational structure.

Citation

Taylor, C.S., Naraine, M.L., Rowe, K., Robertson, J. and Karg, A. (2023), "The impact of a new women's professional sport league on pre-existing sport organisations: a modified, integrative approach to examining change", Sport, Business and Management, Vol. 13 No. 4, pp. 470-488. https://doi.org/10.1108/SBM-01-2023-0002