Creating Opportunities for Social Change in Women’s Sport Through Academic and Industry Collaborations

Abstract

A number of scholars have articulated the real and perceived benefits of engaging in collaborations with practitioners and have urged researchers to establish industry partnerships. Much of the discussion, however, stems from a researcher-perceptive and focuses on developing theory and scholarly advancements; less effort has been made to understand the potential advantages from a practitioner’s viewpoint. Therefore, this paper uses an expert interview methodology to explore the industry perspective. Through an interview with Kate Fagan, an espnW and ESPN.com journalist, this article sheds light on how academic researchers and sport industry professionals, particularly those working in women’s sports, can collaborate and produce rich data and stories supporting social change. In addition, the authors provide suggestions for establishing a productive relationship among the sport industry and academia.

Keywords

• industry collaborations
• social change
• sport media
• women’s sport