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Social Innovation and Fitness Sports: A Case of the CrossFit Movement in North America

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Social Innovation in Sport

Abstract

This chapter highlights the ways in which CrossFit represents social, community-based, and commercial innovation in sport. The sport of CrossFit provides social innovation through its inclusive philosophy of elite sport for all people. CrossFit’s emphasis on social responsibility at the local, national, and global levels demonstrates community-based innovation in sport, while CrossFit’s use of online social networks and an open source model to spread the CrossFit philosophy represents commercial innovation. Further, Gipson and colleagues suggest that the CrossFit philosophy is innovative in itself, as it details new ways to practise, teach, and perform a sport and fitness activity. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the brand of CrossFit’s prospects for additional growth and questions about its ability to achieve continued growth.

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Correspondence to Christina Gipson .

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Gipson, C., Bennett, H., Malcom, N., Trahan, A. (2021). Social Innovation and Fitness Sports: A Case of the CrossFit Movement in North America. In: Tjønndal, A. (eds) Social Innovation in Sport . Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63765-1_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63765-1_10

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-63765-1

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