Amukelani Mathebula
Abstract
This study investigated the strategic integration of digital adoption and community engagement as dual enablers of sustainable growth, social cohesion, and organisational resilience within a grassroots football club in a developing economy. Grounded in a qualitative, exploratory case study of a township-based club in Johannesburg, the research explored how digital platforms, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and TikTok, are leveraged alongside community-rooted practices to navigate systemic constraints and foster inclusive development. Drawing on a relativist ontology and interpretivist epistemology, the study employed semi-structured interviews with key club stakeholders to examine the lived experiences and strategic decisions underpinning digital and community-based growth.
The findings revealed that digital tools enhance operational efficiency, visibility, and participatory governance, while community engagement initiatives, such as youth empowerment, local partnerships, and social outreach, generate the social capital necessary for long-term sustainability. The study introduces the concept of “digital grassroots hybridity” to describe the synergistic integration of these domains, offering a novel conceptual lens through which to understand adaptive capacity in resource-constrained sporting contexts. The research also identifies key barriers to digital adoption, including infrastructural deficits, financial constraints, and digital literacy gaps, while highlighting facilitators such as public-private partnerships, inclusive governance, and culturally relevant digital platforms.
Theoretically, the study extends social capital theory and stakeholder engagement frameworks into the domain of grassroots sport. Practically, it offers evidence-based strategies and policy recommendations for club managers, development practitioners, and policymakers seeking to scale grassroots football initiatives in a contextually grounded and socially inclusive manner. Ultimately, the study affirms that the future of grassroots football lies not in replicating elite models but in cultivating locally embedded, digitally enabled ecosystems that reflect the aspirations, capacities, and cultural realities of the communities they serve.
The findings revealed that digital tools enhance operational efficiency, visibility, and participatory governance, while community engagement initiatives, such as youth empowerment, local partnerships, and social outreach, generate the social capital necessary for long-term sustainability. The study introduces the concept of “digital grassroots hybridity” to describe the synergistic integration of these domains, offering a novel conceptual lens through which to understand adaptive capacity in resource-constrained sporting contexts. The research also identifies key barriers to digital adoption, including infrastructural deficits, financial constraints, and digital literacy gaps, while highlighting facilitators such as public-private partnerships, inclusive governance, and culturally relevant digital platforms.
Theoretically, the study extends social capital theory and stakeholder engagement frameworks into the domain of grassroots sport. Practically, it offers evidence-based strategies and policy recommendations for club managers, development practitioners, and policymakers seeking to scale grassroots football initiatives in a contextually grounded and socially inclusive manner. Ultimately, the study affirms that the future of grassroots football lies not in replicating elite models but in cultivating locally embedded, digitally enabled ecosystems that reflect the aspirations, capacities, and cultural realities of the communities they serve.