Institutional theory is one of the most common theories in management studies. However, there are few articles on sport sustainability management in the literature that adopt an institutional perspective. In addition, no studies have yet been published that analyse the dynamics of environmental management in the football industry through the lens of institutional theory. This article aims to bridge this gap by investigating the effects of institutional pressures on the adoption of environmental practices by football organisations. Based on a survey of managers of professional football clubs and stadium owners, six different hypotheses are tested through multivariate regression. The results show the positive influence of coercive and normative pressures in the adoption of environmental governance and environmental operational practices, respectively. The article leads the way to new research avenues for sport management scholars and institutionalists, as well as providing implications for football managers and policymakers.
Keywords: institutional theory; sport sustainability management; football; isomorphism; environmental practices.
