Change is a word that can excite leaders and worry employees at the same time. In sport—where results are public, emotions are intense, and expectations are always rising—change is not a luxury. It is often the difference between an organization that develops and an organization that merely survives. This is exactly why I dedicated one of my research efforts to a topic that sits at the heart of modern sports management: change management as an entry point to develop administrative performance in sports clubs.​

My paper, “Change Management as an Input to Develop Administrative Performance in Sports Clubs in the United Arab Emirates,” was not written from a distance. It grew out of real observations about how clubs function, how decisions are made, and how administrative routines can either enable progress or quietly block it. In this article—written for my personal blog—I want to present the study in my own voice, share the journey behind it, and explain why its findings matter not only to club executives, but also to employees, athletes, fans, and the broader sports economy.​

Why this study felt urgent to me

Sports clubs are often judged by match results, championships, and star players. But those visible outcomes are only the surface. Underneath is a complex administrative structure responsible for planning, budgeting, communication, staff development, and service delivery. When administrative performance is weak, the club may still win for a time—especially if talent is strong—but the system becomes fragile, reactive, and dependent on luck rather than strategy.​

At the same time, change in sports clubs is frequently misunderstood. Some people believe change means “new decisions,” “new rules,” or “new leaders.” But genuine change management is deeper: it is a structured approach that clarifies why change is needed, prepares people for it, builds participation, and turns the change into daily practice rather than temporary excitement.​

That is why I wanted to examine change management not as a slogan, but as a practical entrance to administrative development inside sports clubs in the UAE.​

What the research aimed to accomplish

The study’s objectives were designed to move from understanding to action. Specifically, the research aimed to develop the administrative performance of sports clubs in the UAE through the entrance of change management, by identifying:

• The philosophy of administrative performance and its system in sports clubs.​

• The extent to which officials in sports clubs are familiar with the philosophy and methods of change management.​

• The requirements for developing administrative performance in sports clubs in light of change management.​

For me, these objectives reflect one principle: development cannot be forced blindly. Before prescribing solutions, it is necessary to understand what people believe, what methods they use, and what conditions must exist for change to succeed.​

My journey through the research field

This study was a collaborative effort: it was authored by myself (Dr. Hamada Eid Nawar Al-Antably, PhD in Sports Management, Alexandria University), alongside Dr. Hisham Abdel-Halim Mahmoud (PhD in Sports Management, Sharjah University), and Mr. Ali bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al-Numan (Master in Sports Management). I mention this because I deeply value collaborative research in applied sports management—different perspectives strengthen both the questions and the interpretation.​

Methodologically, we used the descriptive approach with a survey style suitable for the nature of the study. The sample was intentionally selected from workers in several UAE clubs—Al Ahli Sports Club (Dubai), Al Jazira Sports Club (Abu Dhabi), Sharjah Sports Club (Sharjah), and Al Shaab Sports Club (Sharjah)—with a total of 249 participants. We also used an exploratory sample of 35 participants from outside the main sample to calculate scientific coefficients for the research variables. Data collection relied on a questionnaire as the main tool.​

I want to emphasize something personal here: field research in sports organizations is never only about distributing forms. It is about trust. Employees and officials answer honestly only when they feel the research is meant to improve reality, not to judge individuals. That is why this kind of work requires patience, clarity, and respect for the organizational culture you are studying.

What we discovered—and what it reveals about real change

The results included several findings that deserve serious attention.

One of the most important results was the lack of sufficient interest in training employees in a way that is based on actual needs and on scientific and objective foundations. In my view, this is not a minor administrative weakness. Training is the engine of development. When training is absent, random, or not aligned with real needs, the club becomes stuck with the same skill gaps year after year—no matter how much pressure exists for improvement.​

Another key result was the reliance on old administrative methods that are not capable of renewal and change. This finding may sound familiar to many organizations, not only sports clubs. But in sport, the cost of outdated administration is especially high: decision cycles must be fast, resources must be optimized, and services must meet rising expectations from athletes, fans, sponsors, and governing bodies.​

The study also found that partnership between management and workers to find solutions to existing problems in the club is weak or missing. This point touches the human heart of change management. Real change cannot be “announced” only from the top. It must be built through participation—because employees are the ones who turn strategy into daily practice. When employees feel excluded from problem-solving, resistance grows silently, and even good plans lose momentum in implementation.​

The recommendations—and why I still consider them essential

The study’s recommendations focus on turning change into an organized institutional process.

A major recommendation was the need to develop a strategic plan based on current and future needs and expectations, using modern methods in preparing the plan, and explaining the plan to employees so they can contribute effectively to implementation. This recommendation reflects a simple truth: people support what they understand, and they implement what they feel they helped build.​

Another highlighted recommendation was the need to adopt a modern method of change management (the study text emphasizes adopting an advanced method that can elevate administrative work in UAE clubs). The important point here is not the name of the method, but the commitment to structured change: diagnosing reality, building readiness, developing capabilities, monitoring progress, and sustaining improvement rather than treating change as a one-time event.​

Who this research is meant to impact

It is easy to assume that “administrative performance” concerns only administrators. In reality, the impact spreads across the entire sports ecosystem:

• Club employees benefit through clearer systems, better training, and a more participatory environment rather than a rigid top-down culture.​

• Athletes benefit because administrative quality shapes services, logistics, medical support, scheduling, and the overall professionalism of the club environment.​

• Fans benefit because better administration improves matchday experience, communication, and the reliability of club operations—especially when the club grows commercially and socially.​

• Sponsors and partners benefit because administrative maturity increases trust, transparency, and the ability to deliver marketing and partnership commitments.​

• The wider sports industry benefits because stronger clubs contribute to stronger leagues, more stable competitions, and a more investable sports sector.​

In short, improving administrative performance is not a “back-office” improvement. It is a foundational improvement that shapes sport as an industry and as a social institution.

A personal closing thought

Writing this paper reinforced a belief I hold strongly: change in sports organizations must be managed with both intelligence and empathy. Intelligence, because change requires planning, systems, and clear methods. Empathy, because organizations are made of people, and people are not machines that can be “updated” without fear, questions, and the need for meaning.​

This study was my attempt to connect these two dimensions. I hope it helps sports leaders in the UAE—and beyond—see change not as disruption, but as a professional responsibility: a disciplined, participatory path toward better administrative performance and a stronger future for sport.