ABSTRACT
Innovation is changing the way sport is practiced and how people connect with sport. Few scholars have attempted to examine sports innovation management at multiple levels of analysis including the individual, organization, institutional and macro-environment. This introduction seeks to discuss the increasing importance of innovation in sport, which has influenced the competitiveness of sport in the global economy. The role different types of innovation play in sport are discussed that gives way to an analysis about the concept of sports innovation. The main findings suggest that sports innovation is influenced by the co-creation of knowledge by different entities involved in sport. The chapter provides the background for the growing role of innovation in sport. The importance of sports innovation management is discussed as a way to fuel athletic and organizational success. The relationships between innovation and sport are examined that paves the way for a theory of sports innovation. The chapter closes with the current knowledge on sports innovation.
