Wheelchair Rugby Practitioners Perspectives on Academic Research

Marketing research in able-bodied sports is limited (Speed & Thompson, 2000) as well as in disability sports (Shapiro & Pitts, 2014). Athletes believe they are underrepresented by able-bodied researchers (Kitchin, 2000). These findings further those noted by Barnes and Mercer (1997). Specifically, practitioners are not being informed by researchers. Keogh (2011) noted the substantial focus on research related to biomechanics and disability sport. Our findings indicate this is not the most useful information for practitioners. Based on the findings of this study and existing research on academia in disability sport: Practitioners actively support marketing based research, making the RAWR easily accessible to strategic partners could increase sponsoring, and lack of research in wheelchair rugby may be limiting sponsorship.