Navigating the playing field: Reimagining the sports industry in the face of accelerated climate change

Abstract

Does faster-than-expected climate change represent a feasible challenge or an irresolvable dilemma for the sports industry? This paper acknowledges the sports sector's environmental impact. It aims to challenge the prevailing belief in constant economic growth by proposing integrating Degrowth principles into sports to support the shift towards sustainable practices. The study presents an innovative participatory mixed-method technique that entailed backcasting and a Delphi survey involving 21 sports experts worldwide in a meaningful discussion about the strategic awareness of climate change. The discoveries emphasise the importance of (i) sharing resources and inclusive access (ii) adopting a community-centric and low-impact practices approach, in addressing climate change. The findings focus on the pressing requirement for the sports sector to take a proactive stance and could have a considerable impact on the ongoing debate about the need for a systemic overhaul of sports that draws upon the principles of ecological economics and Degrowth.