We are pleased at Managing Sport and Leisure to introduce a new feature to the journal, The Commentary. The intention of this feature is to provide a space that gives scholars, researchers and practitioners the latitude to investigate a contemporary issue in some depth with a view to stimulate debate, interest and research into the issue under investigation. The commentary feature for Managing Sport and Leisure is considered by the Journal’s executive group for publication and as such may not necessarily be weighed down by conceptual or theoretical arguments that may detract from the central thrust of scholarly analysis. However, commentary pieces are just that; comment and analysis of a contemporary issue that the authors believe is of value and ready for public consumption.
We were driven to introduce a commentary section in response to comments from readers of the journal who wanted to see more accessible work of an applied nature that gives readers some insights into emergent contemporary sport management practice and issues. We hope at Managing Sport and Leisure that this first commentary paper by Parnell et al. entitled “The emergence of the sporting director role in football and the potential of social network theory in future research” will be the first commentary of such commentary pieces that encourages debate, discussion and consideration in the field of managing sport and leisure. We welcome submissions from authors who wish to communicate their work in this context and encourage all involved in sport and leisure management to engage with Commentary pieces in the spirit intended.
We believe this first commentary article by Parnell et al. tackles the rise of the sporting director in English football and challenges the reader to question how this aspect of sport management and governance has emerged in the wealthiest and most high profile sport in England. It is both an interesting and stimulating piece of work and I commend this to you as the Launchpad for this new feature of Managing Sport and Leisure.