Toward Strategic and Authentic Corporate Social Responsibility in Professional Sport: A Case Study of the Detroit Lions

Abstract

The rise and institutionalization of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in sport is captured in a growing body of work in sport management. This literature suggests professional teams should be strategic in their approaches-matching internal resources with external needs-but we lack an understanding of the processes and mechanisms in the evolution to more strategic CSR, as well as specific practices that characterize these approaches. Further, by focusing on broad trends in how and why teams are adopting CSR, we miss the opportunity to learn from teams with innovative and authentic CSR approaches. To address these gaps, this article uses a qualitative case-study approach to examine how one professional team in the U.S.-the Detroit Lions-evolved their CSR to a more strategic and authentic partnership-focused model. Our findings point to key process steps and mechanisms in the decision making around, and implementation of, this approach, including the role of organizational structure, leadership, and community partnerships. We draw out themes around these central partnerships and highlight best practices. In offering a more nuanced understanding of professional sport CSR process and practice, we contribute to the literature on CSR in sport, sport-community partnerships, and sport and city revitalization.

A Case Study of Stakeholder Dialogue in Professional Sport: An Example of CSR Engagement

“…Research has discussed the strategic imperative of focusing CSR offerings in the local community to develop a loyal fan base (e.g., Babiak and Wolfe 2009;Heinze et al 2014;Sheth and Babiak 2010;Smith and Westerbeek 2007). Furthermore, companies believe they can now be both responsible and enhance the bottom line through their social responsibility (e.g., Munilla and Miles 2005;Van Marrewijk 2003).…”

“…Success in the sport industry necessitates the ability to work within a complex set of stakeholder relationships including the media, athletes, staff, investors, various levels of government, sponsors, fans, and local communities/citizens. Recent sport focused research has uncovered that relationships with certain stakeholder groups (e.g., fans/customers, local nonprofits, strategic partners) can be enhanced via CSR activities (Blumrodt et al ; Heinze et al ; Walker and Kent ; Wallace ). Professional sport in North America is thus an industry in which CSR is playing an increasingly important role (Babiak and Wolfe ; Inoue and Kent ).…”

Passion in the workplace: empirical insights from team sport organisations

“…Indeed, a combination of factors form a complex environment consisting of different 'job tasks', which may make these employees feel bound to pursue various job-related actions. These factors are (a) the increasing recognition football foundations enjoy from external organisations for the effectiveness of their delivery (Walters & Panton, 2014), (b) their over-reliance on public funding (Bingham & Walters, 2013), (c) their continuous efforts towards capacity building through partnerships with often heterogeneous stakeholder groups for the implementation of community programs (Heinze, Soderstrom, & Zdroik, 2014;Kihl, Babiak & Tainski, 2014), and (d) the need to counteract any negative connotations that the current football context possesses, in an endeavour to get the balance right (Slack & Shrives, 2008). Rather than being seen as free or voluntary undertakings, such actions are instead motivated by a compulsion to maintain the business and socially-related acceptance resulting from the job (that is, an obsessive type of passion).…”

Corporate Social Responsibility Perceptions of Turkish Football Fans: TFF 1st Lig and 2nd Lig Examples

“…Before 1990s, CSR concepts used to be rarely implemented or utilized in the context of sports. However, with the increased professionalization in sports, CSR research on sports accelerated (Babiak & Wolfe, 2013;Anagnostopoulos & Shilbury, 2013;Heinze et al, 2014) While sports have the power to gather people without cultural, social, ethnic or religious discrimination, they have become one of the new actors in modern domestic and international markets in the industry (Cappato and Pennazio, 2006).…”