Collaborative pathways in sports management: a journey through partnership pedagogy in an open access textbook

This chapter explores the application of partnership pedagogy to develop an open-access textbook tailored for sports management students at Western Sydney University. It underscores the benefits of partnership-driven teaching methods and traces its evolution through the collaborative creation of an open-access textbook in conjunction with industry stakeholders. In the realm of sports management, where North American and British literature often holds sway, creating an open-access textbook paved the way for students to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the Australian sports industry.
By closely collaborating with sports codes and organisations, academics have actively co-created and co-designed curricula, captured local insights, and dismantled geographical barriers to sharing knowledge about the flourishing Australian sports market—an aspect typically overlooked in conventional sports management textbooks. The collaborative efforts with sports organisations have not only provided a platform for representing typically marginalised sectors, such as women’s sports, but also for exploring niche activities, such as surfing and skateboarding. This inclusive approach, facilitated by the open-access platform, elevates and delves into these previously underexplored areas within the course content.