ABSTRACT

Although in its infancy, it is argued that sporting capital theory is plausible in its internal logic and in its parallels with other well-established theories and concepts of human, cultural and social capital. Large claims are made for the potential impact sporting capital theory could have on public policy outcomes for sport. Initial empirical analysis has provided results that are promising and consistent with our broader understanding of the social profile of sport and the nature of differing sporting experiences. However, it is acknowledged that to become accepted as mainstream thinking to underpin public policy the theory requires to be systematically challenged, tested and refined through research. This chapter sets out a research agenda to include specific recommendations for ‘strategic’ research and for a programme of sporting capital-led intervention-based evaluative research to test and refine the theory in different settings to establish what works for whom and in what context. These settings could include comparative international research that might yield fascinating insights and explanations for the variability of sports participation across different countries. If successfully applied sporting capital could become a universal language of sports development and the foundation for achieving our shared ambitions for sport in society.