Whose job is it anyway? Public–private partnerships in youth sport

In the United States, youth sport programs delivered by public recreation agencies face increased pressure to either increase fees or “contract out” to private providers to compensate for budget reductions. Understanding these private–public partnerships (PPPs) is essential to the sustainability of youth sport. This study contributes to that objective by analyzing the perceptions of PPPs involving public recreation agencies and private youth sport providers. Using a qualitative interpretive approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 22 administrators in youth sport programs, including 12 from public recreation departments and 10 from outside organizations. Thematic analysis was utilized to uncover the perceptions of both sides of these PPPs. Guided by principal-agency and stewardship theory, results are organized across three partnership phases: (1) initiation, (2) management; and (3) outcomes to help inform best practices and identify barriers to effective collaboration.