COVID-19 has dramatically altered and disrupted sport in unprecedented ways, and youth sports is one sector that has been profoundly impacted. In the United States, the youth sports industry generates $19 billion dollars annually, while youth sport tourism is estimated at $9 billion annually. With youth sports at a standstill, the effect on the youth sports infrastructure is significant. The purpose of this scholarly commentary was to discuss the psychological, developmental, and economic fallout from the stoppage of youth sports that has touched millions of participants, their families, and a substantial youth sports structural system. This work also addresses the potential restructuring of youth sport megacomplexes, cascading effects of canceled seasons, likely sponsorship losses, and potential growing socioeconomic divide in participation that could result from the pandemic. Thus, there is still much uncertainty about the future of youth sport participation and subsequent adjustments that may impact established participation and consumption norms.
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COVID-19 and Youth Sports: Psychological, Developmental, and Economic Impacts
Jimmy Sanderson and Katie Brown
The Reverse Socialization of Sport Fans: How Children Impact Their Parents’ Sport Fandom
Craig Hyatt, Shannon Kerwin, Larena Hoeber, and Katherine Sveinson
assignment of codes and development of emergent themes ( MacQueen, McLellan-Lemal, Bartholow, & Milstein, 2008 ). Data collection stopped after 20 interviews because we reached the point of theoretical saturation, whereby each new interview added less and less to our understanding of parenting and sport
What Makes Sport Spectating Family-Friendly? A Phenomenological Study of Mothers’ Sport Fan Game-Day Experiences
Katherine Sveinson and Kim Toffoletti
women may experience as consumers. Families and Sport Fandom Research regarding the role of families in sport fandom has placed emphasis on the influence and relationships between parenting and sport fandom. Studies have explored European and North American contexts with regard to how relationships
