Chapter 8: Sport Start-up Practices: Thoughts and Insights

Start-ups are a new form of business venture that has quickly revolutionized the sport industry due to their ability to quickly develop ideas into commercial entities. Generally, most discussion about start-ups tends to take a collective view without considering the industry context. In this chapter, the author discuss how the sport industry is a unique form of start-up that is quickly gaining traction in the global sport industry. The reasons and advantages of sport start-ups are examined in terms of the existing literature and practice around nascent ventures. The crucial need for social capital and networks in developing sport start-ups is stated, which highlights the importance of analyzing start-ups from a sport industry perspective. In addition, the role of strategy and innovation in pursuing a start-ups mentality is progressed. This helps to provide an overview about the current practice of sport start-ups and to predict future developments.