International Journal of Sport Management

Redeveloping Sport Management Conferences from a Conventional to Conversational Experience

Chad Seifried, Gregory S. Sullivan, W. Andrew Czekanski

Abstract: The present paper offers the perspective of co-authors working at teaching, hybrid, and research institutions about the possibility of reimagining various sport management-based conferences. Via a review of website and conference programs, the authors make the case that sport management associations primarily support conventional rather than conversational conferences. To address this concern for all types of members, we generated several recommendations about what activities could be potentially infused into all sport management conferences to produce more conversational experiences. Those recommendations include: 1) developing full, developmental/works-in-progress, and case study paper sessions; 2) clustering presentations by topics; 3) reimagining poster sessions; 4) enhancing and expanding formal mentoring; and 5) offering industry grants and maintaining industry panels. Finally, within the current work, the notion of developmental reviewing is highlighted to demonstrate how that could produce more positive outcomes for scholars, teachers, and professional service providers interested in feedback during and before a conference.

Citation: Seifried, C., Sullivan, G. S., & Czekanski, W. A. (2020). Redeveloping sport management conferences from a conventional to conversational experience. International Journal of Sport Management, 21(1), 1-25.

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