Own goal or home run? Exploring the implementation of virtual reality training in football and baseball organisations

Dowsett, R ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2841-2392, Kinrade, N ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6370-4628, Whiteside, D, Lawson, D, Barnett, C ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6898-9095, Magistro, D ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2554-3701 and Wilkins, L, 2023. Own goal or home run? Exploring the implementation of virtual reality training in football and baseball organisations. Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal.

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Abstract

Purpose: Despite the perceived benefits of implementing virtual reality (VR) training in elite sport, arguably the most important element – the perceptions of practitioners – has been largely understudied. Therefore, the present study aims to explore practitioners' perceptions of VR training in elite football and baseball, with a focus on the important factors, obstacles, perceived knowledge and practical use of the technology.

Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative approach measuring practitioner perceptions via an online questionnaire was adopted. Football respondents (n = 25) represented practitioners from major football leagues across the world, and baseball respondents (n = 15) represented practitioners from Major League Baseball.

Findings: Both football and baseball respondents reported that the most important factor for implementation of VR training was improvement in on-field performance (technical and tactical); whilst cost was viewed as the biggest obstacle. Both football and baseball respondents also noted that the most likely group to receive VR training would be injured and rehabilitating athletes. Mann–Whitney U tests revealed that football respondents perceived coach (p = 0.02) and executive approval (p < 0.001) as significantly greater obstacles than baseball respondents.

Originality/value: This research provides novel and invaluable information for stakeholders within VR regarding what the elite organisations of different sports perceive as the most important factors for implementation, as well as greatest obstacles preventing use. This information should guide future development and marketing of VR training systems in sport.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal
Creators:	Dowsett, R., Kinrade, N., Whiteside, D., Lawson, D., Barnett, C., Magistro, D. and Wilkins, L.
Publisher:	Emerald
Date:	8 September 2023
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1108/sbm-09-2022-0083 DOI 1798248 Other
Rights:	Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited. Dowsett, R., Kinrade, N., Whiteside, D., Lawson, D., Barnett, C., Magistro, D., & Wilkins, L. (2023). Own goal or home run? Exploring the implementation of virtual reality training in football and baseball organisations. Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal, https://doi.org/10.1108/sbm-09-2022-0083.
Divisions:	Schools > School of Science and Technology
Record created by:	Linda Sullivan
Date Added:	07 Sep 2023 14:08
Last Modified:	07 Sep 2023 14:08
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/49666

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