ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the potential of research and innovation programs in elite sport. The potential for any tool, technology, or process to create positive and measurable impact in sport is dependent upon a number of important factors. Successful innovations target things that actually matter to performance. They also target things that can sufficiently change within the rules of competition and within the timeframe available or being targeted. Research should be considered a necessary element of any innovation program. Launching a successful innovation program requires successful planning and execution. Politics, turf wars, siloes, and challenges associated with alignment, vision, strategy, budget, and organisational ‘inertia’ are all too common and can create significant challenges in moving programs forward. Prioritisation is an important, and often overlooked, step in shaping an effective innovation strategy. Financial cost and performance impact are only two of the many aspects that should be considered.
