Sports Governance

This subject is available under ICMS undergraduate degrees, please click the button below to find an undergraduate course for you.

Subject Code:

SPO303A/SPO303B

Note: Both A and B code subject versions are displayed as they are approved equivalent in content, assessments and learning outcomes. As ICMS courses are reaccredited, the subject is updated to a B-code suffix. Students studying a Bachelor of Business, Bachelor of Business (Sports Management), Bachelor of Business (Entrepreneurship and Innovation), Bachelor of Business (Marketing), Bachelor of Business (International Tourism) and Bachelor of Hospitality Management will be enrolled in SPO303B in 2027. Students enrolled in all other courses at ICMS with this subject will complete SPO303A.This arrangement applies to the nested Diploma qualifications of these courses also.

Subject Rationale:

SPO303A

Poor governance is a serious issue which holds international sport back from fulfilling its full potential to benefit individuals and society by reducing the efficiency and effectiveness of the use of resources available to sport.

Numerous instances of poor governance have been demonstrated in recent years in international and national sports organisations, ranging from management corruption such as bribery at one extreme, through to missed opportunities due to inefficient management at the other end of the scale.

While good governance does not guarantee success, its absence almost certainly guarantees failure. Central to SPO303A is this belief, and also an appreciation that good governance is an attribute of successful organisations with proven track records of sustaining and delivering high quality outcomes.

In this subject the focus is on understanding what constitutes poor and good governance practice, so as future sports administrators the student can adopt the latter whilst eliminating the former. This is done via an analysis of the nature of the contemporary sports industry and the acquisition of a working knowledge of governance structures, stakeholders and approaches.

Students will become conversant with current governance theories that apply to the sports sector so as to be equipped on completion of this course with the capacity to critically analyse the functions and outcomes of governance within a range of typical sports industry settings.

Key to success within the sports workplace, students will learn evaluation skills for governance approaches and outcomes through case studies and scenarios that are applicable to various sporting enterprises. Ultimately through taking SPO303A Governance, students will be able to assess and select appropriate strategies and guidelines to establish high‐performing leadership for best‐practice sport governance.

SPO303B

Sports Governance refers to the systems, processes, policies and structures through which sports organisations are managed, directed and held accountable. It encompasses the decision-making framework and the mechanisms for ensuring that sports organisations operate ethically, transparently and in accordance with the law, rules and broader societal values.

Numerous instances of poor governance have been demonstrated in recent years in both national and international sports organisations, ranging from instances of management corruption such as bribery at one extreme, to missed opportunities resulting from inefficient management at the other end of the scale.

This subject is based on the belief that good governance and better regulation are the key attributes of successful sports organisations, enhancing their credibility, promoting fairness and inclusivity and ensuring the long-term growth and development of sports. It also builds trust among fans, athletes and stakeholders, which is critical for sustaining the cultural and economic value of sports.

In this subject, the focus is on understanding what constitutes both poor and good governance practices with an overview of challenges in sports governance at local, national and international levels. Students will learn how to adopt effective governance while eliminating ineffective practices. This is achieved through an analysis of the contemporary sports industry and by gaining practical knowledge and key components of sport governance structures, stakeholders and approaches.

Students will become familiar with current governance theories that apply to the sports sector, enabling critical analysis of governance functions and outcomes across various settings within the sports industry. To succeed in the sport industry, students will develop evaluation skills for governance approaches and outcomes through case studies and scenarios applicable to a variety of sporting enterprises. By the end of this subject, students will be equipped to assess and implement strategies that establish high‐performing leadership for best practices in sports governance.

Learning Outcomes:

SPO303A

a) Reflect upon the place and importance of governance to sports organisations
b) Compare different governance practices within sport
c) Critique the application of governance best practices to sports organisations
d) Predict which theories help improve the effectiveness and efficiency of governance within sports organisations
e) Recommend improvements to sports governance

SPO303B

a) Reflect upon the place and importance of good governance and legal structure to sports organisations
b) Compare different governance leadership practices and legal regulation within sports
c) Critique the application of sports law, regulation and governance best practices to sports organisations
d) Predict theories that can help improve the effectiveness and efficiency of various regulatory and governance systems within sports organisations
e) Recommend improvements to sports governance and policy development to respond to the rapidly changing societal expectations

Student Assessment:

Note: (G) = Group assessment