Sport Business in Contemporary Contexts (Ref: 2026/LUL/ISB)

About the Project

The Institute for Sport Business seeks to deliver research with a real-world impact in an era of significant social, economic and technological change. The Institute comprises of an interdisciplinary research-led team, incorporating internationally recognised researchers from around the world interested in the business of sport (see ISB Academics). Our research interests span across our programme areas of management and leadership, sustainability and climate change, innovation, marketing, data analytics, and artificial intelligence. We believe that sport is far more than a global industry, it is a powerful catalyst for social change, a testbed for technological innovation, and a platform for inclusive growth.

The Institute for Sport Business is committed to redefining the global sport business landscape through world-class, cross-disciplinary research and forward-thinking education. We challenge the status quo and go beyond traditional academic boundaries to explore how sport can be a force for business reinvention, social transformation, and sustainable innovation.

At the core of our strategy are three interlocking pillars that define our impact:

Sport Commercialisation

• Sport Marketing, Media and Events
• Sport Business Models and Markets
• Geopolitical Shifts and Influence

Social Impact

• Sport Leadership and Integrity
• Equality and Diversity in Sport
• Sport for Development and Sustainability

Technological Frontiers

• Sport Business and Analytics
• AI & Sport
• Digital Environments and Engagement

Unpacking our three-pillar approach

Our strategy is anchored in three pillars that are redefining sport not just as an industry, but as a social institution and a platform for technological innovation. These pillars guide our research, teaching, and enterprise activity, allowing us to address the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing sport in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

Sport Commercialisation

We explore the future of sport as a global industry, from innovative revenue models and sport marketing to media, events, and international expansion. Our work also examines ethical governance, athlete welfare, and the growing impact of geopolitical shifts on global sport markets and diplomacy.

Social Impact

We investigate how sport can drive positive social change. Our research focuses on diversity, equity, leadership, and integrity in sport, as well as sport for development and sustainability.

Technological Frontiers

We explore how emerging technologies, including AI, data analytics, immersive media, and virtual sport experiences are reshaping sport performance, fan engagement, and business operations.

These pillars underpin our ambition to lead globally in sport business research and innovation, in alignment with Loughborough University’s Strategy 2030: Creating Better Futures.

The ISB PhD Culture

Our doctoral research community drives world leading research within and across sport business industries with outputs that have positively impacted policymakers, commercial organisations, sports federations, elite sport teams as well as third sector agencies and institutions. Recent research has examined the rapid growth in the business of sport, as well as leadership, change, and culture, consumer engagement, digital technologies in sport, and social responsibility and innovation. We are looking for a potential candidate that is interested in delivering high quality research into a novel, contemporary issue that can have measurable impact in the sport sector.

Research Priorities

Currently our research priority theme is ‘Sport Business in Contemporary Contexts’. We would particularly encourage applications with specific project ideas within the following areas:

• Marketing and social media
• Consumer behaviour, online abuse, sport branding, sport sponsorship, women in sport and social media
• Promoting environmental and ecological sustainability in sport
• Sustainable sport venues, sustainability and sport policy, climate change and sport mega events, measuring sport sustainability, advocacy measures in sport sustainability
• Sport policy and governance
• How has sport policy and governance evolved in a changing world order?
• Managing and promoting elite athlete welfare
• How can athlete welfare be prioritised within elite environments? An investigation/exploration of leadership and management approaches.
• Sport and Social impact
• Evaluating community led sport for development beyond participation

If you have a passion for the business of sport, a PhD with the Institute for Sport Business could be for you. If you have a research idea you believe fits well with ISBs research priority theme, the first step is to identify and reach out to a potential supervisor in the Institute.

For general enquiries please contact:

Dr Daniel Read, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Sport Business, Loughborough University London.

D.Read3@lboro.ac.uk

Supervisor

• Dr Daniel Read (D.Read3@lboro.ac.uk)

Tuition fees for 2026-27 entry

• UK fee - £5,238 Full-time degree per annum
• International fee - £29,500 Full-time degree per annum

Fees for the 2026-27 academic year apply to projects starting in October 2026, February 2027 and July 2027.

UK tuition fees for 2026/27 are currently to be confirmed pending the release of the UKRI recommended rates. Once published, these rates will be subject to formal approval by the University before being confirmed.

Opportunity Details

• Target Start Date: October 2026
• Full time or part time available.
• Open to UK and international applicants.

How to Apply

We welcome discussions with interested candidates.

• Step 1: Interested applicants should first contact Dr Daniel Read (D.Read3@lboro.ac.uk) to discuss your research interests and funding options
• Step 2: Applicants are then strongly encouraged to contact potential supervisors with a CV, academic transcripts, and confirmation of funding sources or planned funding sources.
• Step 3: following any informal discussion, applicants are invited to make a formal application on the Loughborough Website.