𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗣𝗔𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗦

𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹:
International Journal of Strategic Communication

𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿:
Taylor & Francis Group

𝗔𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲:
31 May 2026

𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘂𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲:
31 January 2027

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲

Sport is a highly influential social institution with strong connections to the economy, politics, media, culture, and society. In this dynamic environment, strategic communication plays a critical role in shaping how teams, leagues, athletes, sponsors, and governing bodies engage with stakeholders, build brands, manage crises, and navigate rapidly evolving digital landscapes.

This Special Issue aims to explore the theoretical, empirical, and practical dimensions of strategic communication within the sports domain. It seeks to advance interdisciplinary scholarship by examining emerging opportunities and challenges arising from the commercialization of sports, athlete activism, digital transformation, sponsorship strategies, and data-driven audience engagement.

The issue welcomes original research that deepens understanding of strategic communication practices in sports and highlights their relevance for organizational goals, stakeholder relationships, and sustainable success.

𝗧𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁

Submissions may address, but are not limited to:

• Sports crisis communication and reputation management
• Branding and strategic management of sports organizations and athletes
• Athlete activism and corporate social responsibility in sports
• Digital and social media strategies for fan engagement and communication
• Sponsorship strategies and corporate partnerships in sports
• Fan engagement and community building through communication
• Media relations and the changing landscape of sports journalism
• Gender, diversity, and inclusion in sports communication
• AI, big data analytics, and strategic decision-making in sports communication
• Event and crisis communication for mega sporting events such as the Olympics and FIFA World Cup

𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀

• Encourages interdisciplinary contributions from communication studies, sports marketing, public relations, sociology, and sports policy
• Welcomes qualitative, quantitative, conceptual, theoretical, comparative, and case-study-based research
• Particularly interested in studies that explicitly address the communicators’ perspective and the strategic use of communication to achieve organizational objectives

𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀

• Submit an abstract of 500–750 words (excluding references) via email to all Guest Editors by 31 May 2026
• Abstracts should clearly state research questions or hypotheses, theoretical framework, methodology, and expected findings
• Selected authors will be invited to submit full papers of up to 8,000 words by 31 January 2027
• All full papers will undergo blinded external review and review by the Guest Editors

𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀

• Abstract submission deadline: 31 May 2026
• Feedback on abstracts: 20 July 2026
• Full paper submission deadline: 31 January 2027
• Review of full papers provided: 31 May 2027
• Revised paper submission deadline: 31 August 2027
• Expected publication date: February 2028

𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀

• Daniel Noelleke, German Sport University Cologne
Email: d.noelleke@dshs-koeln.de

• Jörg-Uwe Nieland, University of Klagenfurt
Email: Joerg-Uwe.Nieland@aau.at

• Virginia S. Harrison, Clemson University
Email: virginia.s.harrison@gmail.com

𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘂 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀 — 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 & 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Visit official website of the publisher