The relationship between competitive sports and entrepreneurship : an exploratory study

Abstract

The main aim of this study is to explore the relationship between entrepreneurship and sports. In particular, the following research questions are addressed : (1) Can sports equip athletes with a unique set of qualities and skills that will be of value for entrepreneurship? And, (2) Can the techniques used in sports be utilised as effective techniques for the better running of a venture? A review of the literature suggests that athletes and entrepreneurs share several skills and qualities, including passion, determination, mental toughness, motivation and leadership, and that there may be certain similarities between entrepreneurship an sports that warrant scholarly attention . To date, however, this relationship has not been adequately explored in the literature. This exploratory study shall begin to fill that gap by means of a qualitative method of data collection and data analysis, in which 12 entrepreneurs who had a background in competitive sports – i.e., who were athletes prior to or at the time of the study – participated in semi-structured interviews. These interviews revealed that sports is a beneficial activity for entrepreneurship. The athlete-entrepreneurs involved in this study were all highly dedicated towards their work and their sports. The key qualities elicited in the study, namely passion, motivation, dedication, mental hardiness, risk aversion and discipline, all came across as critical characteristics both within an entrepreneurial and sports scenario. Moreover, according to the primary and secondary data provided in this thesis, certain techniques and procedures used within a sports scenario were similarly performed within an entrepreneurial setting. This study concludes that there is in deed a relationship between sports and entrepreneurship, but there is scope for further research in this nascent field in order to better understand how sports and entrepreneurship could benefit from each other.