Digitalization and participation in democratic governance in a voluntary sport club

Research question The purpose of this paper is to examine how digitalization interacts with governance to (re)shape participation in sport clubs’ democratic governance. Two research questions are addressed for this purpose: First, how do sport club stakeholders experience and justify digitalization? Second, drawing on the concept of democratic organizing and a broadened understanding of sport governance, what are the implications of digitalization on democratic governance in terms of what constitutes governance issues, who participates in governance, and how governance is carried out in a voluntary sport club?Research methods We employed a single instrumental case study design based on 16 interviews with various stakeholders of a sport club. The empirical setting is one voluntary sport club in Sweden with over 500 members, paid staff, and a broad activity profile that includes both mass and elite sports provided for children, youth, and adults of all genders.Results and findings Digitalization in voluntary sport clubs primarily enhances administrative efficiency while only modestly reshaping participation in democratic governance. Even though digital tools broaden low-threshold and everyday engagement, they largely reproduce existing top-down communication patterns and risk reinforcing passive membership roles. Democratic participation depends on digital competence, organizational routines, and the motives guiding tool adoption. These findings show that digitalization introduces potential new logics of participation but remains constrained by institutional arrangements.Implications We contribute by highlighting how everyday digital practices, not formal structures alone, shape democratic governance, emphasizing the need for inclusive strategies to ensure digital tools genuinely support member voice and organizational sustainability.