"We don't exist to represent any interest group in sport or to be the voice of any specific part of the sector - but to challenge thinking & policy to create the best policy environment for sport and physical activity to flourish across the UK"
About Us
Launched in 2011, the Sports Think Tank is a fully independent think tank dedicated to thorough and insightful thinking around sporting policy in the UK.
Based in Loughborough and London, we use various ways to stimulate debate and ensure accountability in sporting policy and governance including social media, blogging, publications, events and engaging with decision makers and governing bodies. We aim to push the boundaries of sports policy and as we are not aligned to any interest group, we are challenging of sport and commercial interests too.
We are committed to the following objectives:
- Pushing the boundaries of thinking in sport: Deconstructing sport to properly assess the 'case for sport' in society. Why and how should sport be so important to us? We aim to ask questions few others have asked in order to widen and deepen sport's influence for social good.
- Building a successful Olympic and Paralympic legacy: An Olympic and Paralympic legacy will mean different things for different people including grassroots sport, elite sport, jobs, and the regeneration of neighbourhoods. We aim to ensure rigorous thought is given to steps that need to be taken to secure these aspects of the legacy.
- Bridging the gap between the best academic research and policy makers: There is a growing movement of innovative academic research into sport and its influence on society. We aim to make sure this is not missed by often very busy policy makers in Whitehall and it is given the coverage it deserves in an accessible format.
- Bringing together different sectors to ensure sport's contribution to social good is as effective as possible: In particular, bringing together the commercial/business, public, non-profit and academic sectors to learn from and challenge each other with regard to their involvement in sport, and so all involved in sport can have an equal say at setting the agenda.
- Understanding and providing innovative solutions to the greatest challenges facing sport: Through challenging and engaging with policy makers and opinion formers, we aim to ensure all parts of the sporting landscape have the tools to challenge themselves as well as be part of the long term policy formulation process. We will use links to other social sciences and new thinking to push the boundaries of thinking. Getting sport to think outside the box for its solutions.