Sport's social provisions

This paper explores the relationship between sport and social capital by reporting on research that examined the social provisions of individuals’ involvement in sport and non-sport community organisations. Data were collected on levels of involvement in community sport and other third sector organisations, selected demographic variables, and a measure of social support using the Social Provisions Scale (Cutrona, 1984, Cutrona, 1986 and Cutrona and Russell, 1987). The findings support the contention that social support developed through involvement in sport organisations is stronger than that developed through involvement in non-sport community organisations, but reveal that differences in the type, tenure and intensity of involvement in sport organisations had no significant impact on the strength of support developed.

► This paper examined the social provisions of individuals’ involvement in sport and non-sport community organisations. ► Social support developed through sport organisations was found to be stronger than that developed through non-sport community organisations. ► Differences in the type, tenure and intensity of involvement in sport organisations had no significant impact on the strength of support developed.