Hybrid Sport Configurations: The Intertwining of the Physical and the Digital

Abstract

The motivation for this research follows from our observation of the increasing influence of digitalization on sporting activities and the emergence of physical-digital hybrid sport. While traditional, physical sport gradually embraces digital elements and experiences to the game, born-digital eSport increasingly involves physical elements in its setting (e.g., offline tournaments). In this paper, we investigate various physical-digital hybrid configurations of existing and emerging sporting activities and their implications for the fusing of the digital and physical worlds. Based on an inductive approach and drawing from existing literature on physical-digital hybridity, we conceptualize four sport clusters (digitally supported sport, digitally augmented sport, digitally replicated sport, and digitally translated sport) along three dimensions: the sporting activities (especially in terms of the relationship between the digital and physical components), the sporting arena, and actors’ influence. Based on our conceptualization and observations, we discuss implications for both the information systems and sport management domains.