Social network analysis in sport research: an emerging paradigm

TLDR

Network analysis, widely used in many sciences, has only recently attracted sport researchers. The article evaluates the usefulness of network analysis for studying sport phenomena and discusses future research directions. The authors review social network analysis concepts and systematically survey empirical studies applying SNA to sport. The review yields a six‑dimension typology of SNA applications in sport: competition, interaction, inter‑organizational, intra‑organizational, affiliation, and social‑environment networks.

Abstract

While network analysis is a major methodological approach in many disciplines of the social and natural sciences, it has only recently come into the focus of sport researchers. This article assesses the utility of network analysis to analyze sport phenomena. We begin with an overview of social network analysis (SNA) and related concepts. To explore research topics and approaches, we conduct a systematic review of empirical literature of SNA and its application to sport. Based on this review, we provide a six-dimensional conceptual typology of SNA applications in sport – competition networks, interaction networks, inter-organizational networks, intra-organizational networks, affiliation networks and social environments. Potential future directions for this promising approach in sport research are discussed.