Public-Private Partnerships in Physical Activity and Sport

With resources for not-for-profit public sector organizations proving increasingly scarce, partnerships with the private sector are becoming progressively more important to the growth and support of not-for-profit organizations. Frequently, private sector organizations are seeking not-for-profit physical activity, health, and sport partners for the valuable and unique links to potential markets and brand associations. This mix creates controversy over if, how, and at what cost public health and physical activity goals can be achieved in partnership with private, profit-driven organizations.

Public–Private Partnerships in Physical Activity and Sport is a guide for nonprofit, charity, and sport organizations in developing and maintaining strategic and responsible relationships with corporate partners. With its comprehensive and practical examination, this text is also relevant to private sector corporations seeking public sector partners and for agencies seeking to broker such partnerships.

This text is drawn from the collaboration of leaders in public and private organizations, athletes, and academics who identified a need to provide formalized direction on partnerships between the public and private sectors. Authors O’Reilly and Brunette present a detailed discussion of the pros and cons of establishing partnerships between not-for-profits and private sector organizations. They also provide a thorough understanding of the issues and illustrate how a responsible implementation of these partnerships can benefit all parties involved. They offer strategies and tactics for finding, developing, implementing, and evaluating public–private partnerships and highlight how partnership and social marketing studies outside of public health and health promotion can inform these growing disciplines.

Providing guidelines from the World Health Organization and other entities worldwide, this resource offers readers a framework for forming and maintaining beneficial partnerships. Readers will also find the Partnership Protocol, a public health-centered collaborative initiative led by ParticipACTION, which provides evidence-based public–private partnership guidelines for practitioners. A foreword by Kelly Murumets of ParticipACTION, an advocate of partnership building in the public health sphere, emphasizes the value of this resource in confronting the challenges of public–private partnerships in a thoughtful and responsible way.

Throughout, Executive Perspective sidebars provide expert commentaries on partnership from experienced individuals in both private industry and public health organizations. These sidebars include Global Application questions that provide insight into issues and obstacles overcome in creating public–private partnerships in the contexts of public health and health care. Case studies throughout the book help readers understand how partnerships and social marketing strategies can be successfully implemented.

This comprehensive text shows how public–private partnerships done properly expand markets, increase efficiency, provide resources, allow access to expertise, and provide platforms for marketing, activation, and programs. Public–Private Partnerships in Physical Activity and Sport provides information, guidance, and tools to help readers make partnerships work most effectively for their organizations according to their resources, scope, and purpose.

Public–Private Partnerships in Physical Activity and Sport is part of the Physical Activity Intervention Series. This timely series provides educational resources for professionals interested in promoting and implementing physical activity programs to a diverse and often resistant population.

Norman O’Reilly, PhD, is a professor at the University of Ottawa’s faculty of health sciences, specializing in sport business. He was recently named a lifetime research fellow of the North American Society for Sport Management and was the 2011 recipient of the University of Ottawa’s Media Excellence Award. He is also a senior advisor with TrojanOne, a Toronto-based marketing agency, where he works with corporations and properties on revenue generation and sponsorship. O’Reilly holds a PhD in management from the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University, an MBA from the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa, an MA in sports administration from the University of Ottawa, and a BSc in kinesiology from the University of Waterloo.

O’Reilly is an active researcher and has published 5 books, more than 50 articles in refereed management journals, and more than 100 conference proceedings and case studies in the areas of sport management, sponsorship, tourism marketing, marketing, risk management, sport finance, and social marketing. Dr. O’Reilly is the lead researcher on the Canadian Sponsorship Landscape Study, a highlight of the annual Canadian Sponsorship Forum since 2007, currently in its sixth edition.

O’Reilly competes in triathlons, long-distance runs, cross-country skiing events, and ice hockey leagues and tournaments. He has completed six Ironman triathlons and represented Canada at five long-distance World Triathlon Championships in his age group, finishing as high as 17th in 1997. He is an active mountain climber and an avid world traveler, having visited more than 40 countries.

Michelle Brunette teaches international health in the School of Human Kinetics and is an academic advisor at Laurentian University in Ontario, Canada. She received her masters in human kinetics from Laurentian University, a BA in political science from the University of Windsor, and an honors bachelor of physical and health education from Laurentian University.

Brunette has published in the Journal of Sport Behavior and has presented at several conferences. She is a volunteer coordinator for the Sudbury Rocks!!! Race, Run or Walk for Diabetes, a founding board executive for the Young Professionals Association, and the former athlete representative for Ringette Ontario. She has extensive cross-cultural work experience: She taught conversational English and Canadian culture to students in China, served as a TESL instructor preparing people for teaching and working abroad, and worked in Ireland as part of the Student Work Abroad program. She is a keen explorer who has worked or traveled in more than 20 countries.

Brunette is an avid runner, participating in both marathons and half marathons. She also enjoys hiking, canoeing, and playing soccer. When not working, Brunette enjoys spending time with her favorite partners: husband Jamie, daughters Malin and Nellie, and golden retreiver Charlie.

"The information provided in this book highlights successful partnerships between nonprofit and for-profit organizations that achieve positive outcomes for both entities in today’s challenging economy.”

Cary Wing, EdD-- Principal, CHW Global

“O’Reilly and Brunette present a compelling protocol for best practices in finding, developing, implementing, and measuring the effectiveness of public not-for-profit partnerships.”

David A. Pettrone Swalve-- Vice President of Education, National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)