Sporting hyperchallenges: Health, social, and fiscal implications

Highlights

•	Analyses the emerging phenomenon of sporting hyperchallenges.
•	Utilises business ethics and CSR theories to explore supply of hyperchallenge events.
•	Explores potential adverse health outcomes flowing from hyperchallenge participation.
•	Critiques manipulation of sport social worlds by event management organisations.
•	A conceptual framework for future hyperchallenge research is proposed.

Abstract

There has been a rise in sport-focused event management organisations staging increasingly challenging quests for amateur athletes. Whilst endeavours such as running a marathon or completing an Ironman triathlon were previously pinnacle achievements for amateur athletes, sporting hyperchallenges, events covering greater distances, crossing more difficult terrain, or posing more extreme challenges have set the performance bar significantly higher. Cast against Western neoliberal backdrops the ever-expanding supply-side of this market is broadening opportunities for amateur athletes to test their physical limits, thus necessitating investment of inordinate personal resources. Simultaneously, there is growing empirical and anecdotal evidence suggesting unfavourable impacts can flow from intensely pursuing extreme endurance sports including impacts to athletes’ health and relationships. The authors draw upon intertwined theories of business ethics and corporate social responsibility to critique business practices of sport-focused event management organisations delivering sporting hyperchallenges. The authors propose a conceptual framework aimed at encouraging future research into potential health, social, and fiscal implications stemming from this complex, unregulated market.

Keywords:

• Participatory sport events
• Sporting hyperchallenges
• Business ethics
• Corporate social responsibility
• Event management