A global sport business and industry change champion

Many Aussies love sport, but not everyone can indulge their passion by turning it into a career. But this is exactly what recognised global scholar and academic leader James Skinner has done, combining it with his other key interests: economics, management and sociology.

Over his extensive academic career, James has worked and consulted with universities, industry, governments, and the not-for-profit sector. These experiences have taken him into and forged his international reputation in the business of sport.

A distinguished scholar, he has published 20 books and 100 journal articles, secured $2million in external research funding, graduated more than 20 PhDs, and is a distinguished visiting professor at several world higher educational institutes.

He’s currently the research and innovation advisor for AI Scout, a sport tech data company that uses AI and mobile technologies to reshape the talent identification landscape. But how did it all begin?

Tasmania, the UK and Newcastle

James’ career kicked off at the University of Tasmania. He then gradually moved up the East Coast, taking a post at Southern Cross University and then Griffith University on the Gold Coast.

While at Griffith, he took on several leadership positions, culminating in becoming the Head of the Department for Tourism, Sport, and Hotel Management. At the time, this was the largest sports management program in the country.

In 2014, he moved to the UK to become Research Director for the Institute for Sport Business and a Professor of Sport Business at Loughborough University London.

“In this role, I established the Institute, and it became the only institute in the world to offer five distinctive master's programs in sport business,” James shares. “I also created the research strategy and built strong institute industry relationships with stakeholders in London, nationally and internationally.”

The Institute has produced over 1,500 international sport business graduates from all walks of life who are now working in different parts of the world in commercial, government or not-for-profit sport organisations or tech, banking, marketing or consulting organisations where sport is part of their business.

James was appointed Associate Dean for Enterprise and Associate Dean for Teaching. During his tenure as ADE, he established flagship strategic partnerships, and as ADT, he developed new teaching programs. During COVID, he also oversaw the transition of programs online.

In March 2023, James returned to Newcastle to take up his current position at the University as Dean of Newcastle Business School. In this role, he provides strategic leadership, research quality and impact, curriculum design of undergraduate and postgraduate programs, and fosters external engagement with key industry partners.

Applying theory to sports business

Digging into his research, James shares that his work is an intersection of several fields. These include the study of sport as a socio-cultural institution, the management, marketing, and business of commercial sport, community sport and its social impacts, substance use in sport, and the research design that provides the framework for these investigations.

“My work relates to business, but sport is my laboratory,” James explains. I’ve written from a pure management perspective on change management, for example, a book entitled Philosophies of Organisational Change. At the same time, I apply management principles to the sport business environment in my book Fostering Innovative Cultures in Sport: Leadership, Innovation and Change.”

He’s also consulted with the International Olympic Committee and for numerous professional sport organisations, national sporting organisations, marketing agencies and professional service organisations, including Football Australia, the Australian Sports Commission, Sport England, Chelsea Football Club and London Sport.

Sport and nation branding

As well as applying his theory in sports business environments, James’ interest in sport as a tool for nation branding has led him to look at how sport is used as a vehicle for soft or non-coercive power.

“I’m examining the inverse investment in sports through sovereign wealth funds and private equity vehicles to secure ownership of sports properties and then to leverage this investment to have influence locally, nationally and globally.”

To explain this more clearly, James gives an example of how Sheikh Mansour from Abu Dhabi has invested millions in Manchester United by building a new stadium and training facility and gentrifying the city. But while this is an investment, it also shifts people’s attention away from the human rights concerns.

In line with this thinking, he’s currently completing a book called Global Sport Ecosystems, which looks at sports' economic, social, and cultural drivers of sport across the globe.

An anti-doping aficionado

In exploring the impact of substance use in sport, James has gained significant recognition as a scholar, being nominated by the Federal Sports Minister on three occasions to be Australia’s representative on the World Anti-Doping Association Education Committee.

James has completed numerous research grants from Sport Integrity Australia (previously the Australian Sports Anti-doping Authority). This work has helped shape policy and practices locally, nationally and globally.

In a study back in 2015, James qualitatively explored the experiences and perceptions of athletes who have committed anti-doping violations, finding that most enter into moral disengagement, diffusing responsibility by blaming groups or external pressure.

Enabling methodological excellence

Through completing these investigations, James has become an expert in research design and methods. He’s now providing templates for students and colleagues to understand how projects can be addressed methodologically.

He’s written six books on research design and methods for sport businesses. “I was the first to write on the subject, and these books are now used at different institutions around the globe,” he shares.

James has also taught research and design methods in many other countries, including at the Russian International Olympic University and Beijing Sports University.

The challenges of a changing landscape

Like in any research, there are always challenges.

And finding time is a universal one James shares. Another more specific to his area of work is keeping abreast of the rapidly changing business environment and within the world of sport. As he says: “the constant in sport is change”.

“Business is constantly evolving. Today, with the impact of technology and the accelerated pace of change that technology is bringing to business and sport, you need to stay across those changes. You also need to be thinking about the implications of these changes in the future,” says James.

“In addition, there are some shifting power dynamics and influence occurring in world sport that have significant ramifications for the business of sport, the influence of nation-states and its broader implications on trade and diplomacy.”

He also shares the importance of educating students to be able to work in this rapidly evolving world and ensuring that research and industry are central in shaping curriculums now and the future.

Influencing industry, policy, and student success

James is extremely proud of the achievements he has made throughout his career, particularly the influence he has had on industry and policy.

Just as importantly, he’s proud of how his work has influenced the work of other colleagues in terms of using it as a foundation and building upon it.

He’s also proud of the impact he’s had on the lives of his students and PhD students.

“I get great pleasure from watching my students succeed and go on to bigger and better things,” he says.

James' career was built on his two passions, and this love for what he does is evident through his commitment to his work and the extent of his impact. He may not be an athlete by profession, but he’s definitely a sports business and industry change champion.