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Institute of Sports Economics and Management, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Debrecen , Debrecen , Hungary
Institute of Sports Economics and Management, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Debrecen , Debrecen , Hungary
Youth education is of strategic importance for sport enterprises, as it ensures long-term sustainability and competitiveness. A well-designed programme allows for the discovery and development of talent, which is essential for success in adulthood (Kiss, 2021). In my research, I examine the entire vertical of Hungarian youth football. A well-structured strategy helps to optimally allocate resources, ensuring that athletes receive the best possible professional and infrastructural support (Faragó, 2017). Defining the right strategy allows clubs to effectively integrate home-grown athletes into adult teams, reducing transfer costs and fostering team unity (Alaa, 2017). For economic sustainability, it is essential for organisations to develop diversified sources of income, especially given the long-term uncertainty of public funding. Effective youth development can reduce the operating costs of a sporting organisation, as less financial outlay is required for external certification through the incorporation of home-grown players (Faragó, 2017). In addition, a strong youth base makes a club more attractive to sponsors and investors, as a well-functioning youth programme ensures continuous development and long-term competitiveness. With a successful strategy, sport organisations can also increase their brand equity, which can lead to greater popularity and financial stability in the long term (Vörös & Szörényi-Neubauer, 2019). The results of this research highlighted that talent development and training strategies differ between academies and lower-ranked organisations and sample revealed limited employee involvement in setting strategic goals, which can reduce employee engagement and the effectiveness of strategy implementation in practice.
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