Rethinking Technological Change in Sport: The Flexible Case of the Fiberglass Vaulting Pole

This article conceptualizes technological change in athletic equipment by considering the fiberglass vaulting pole as it was introduced, diffused, adopted, and ultimately transformed pole vaulting between 1958 and 1964. It specifically argues that technological change in sport requires the emergence of five indicators: a critical mass of users, regulatory sanction, a period of re-skilling, consumer appeal, and industry sponsorship.