More Impact for Paralympic Sport

Paralympic sport often receives less attention than able-bodied sport. The BlueShift project explores this imbalance. Within this broader project, The Hague University of Applied Sciences specifically focuses on Paralympic Top Sport: how to strengthen the fan experience and increase the visibility of Paralympic achievements through technology and audience analysis. The project aims to understand spectators’ motivations and to develop interventions that enhance engagement.

Background: Project Blue Shift

Blue Shift is a national consortium of researchers, sports professionals, policymakers, and companies, demonstrating how elite sport can be about more than performance alone. It sets top sport in motion—toward society. Through research, innovation, and action, Blue Shift strengthens the societal significance and visibility of elite sport in the Netherlands. The project develops knowledge and tools that enable top sport organizations, athletes, and partners to move from “performing” to “meaningful performance.”

The project is led by the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (Sport Management & Sport Business research group) and SportsInQ. Drawing on years of experience in research and leadership development, they combine networks, knowledge, and capacity to place the societal value of elite sport firmly on the agenda.

Blue Shift is a two-year project within the ZonMw program MOOI in Beweging, in which sport, science, media, government, and business collaborate to explore how elite sport can contribute to connection, inspiration, and impact. From a shared ambition, strategies, models, and practical experiments are developed to advance the sector.

Work Package

The Hague University of Applied Sciences leads one of the BlueShift work packages: Work Package 8a: Paralympic Top Sport, part of the Inside Out cluster. Paralympic athletes play a crucial role in inclusion and resilience, yet their competitions reach a limited audience. This project seeks to understand why people do or do not watch and how technology and storytelling can enhance the experience. The context is a growing societal focus on inclusion and diversity.

Paralympic sport deserves the same spotlight as other top sport. With our contribution from The Hague University of Applied Sciences, we make achievements visible and inspiring for a broad audience.

– Researcher Rienk van der Slikke

Objective

The aim of our work package is to increase the visibility, engagement and reach of Paralympic sport by gaining insight into motivations and technological innovations. Among other activities, we conducted research during the ABN AMRO Open wheelchair tennis tournament in 2026.

Method

To achieve the desired impact, we collected both qualitative and quantitative data. In addition, we conducted a field experiment in which a data visualisation dashboard was tested during the ABN AMRO Open wheelchair tennis tournament. We assessed its effects on spectators through surveys. This approach connects insights from the ESRI model with practical applications.

Results

The live performance statistics displayed during the wheelchair tennis tournament were deliberately viewed and appreciated by the vast majority of spectators. They made the sport more enjoyable to follow and highlighted the professionalism of the event. This perceived professionalism also reflected positively on the organising party. For a large proportion of spectators, the event strengthened the image of ABN AMRO as a company that takes inclusion seriously. The tournament was more often perceived as concrete evidence of its social commitment than as mere sponsorship.

These findings show that displaying live performance statistics not only enhances spectators’ enjoyment but can also indirectly contribute to the image and reputation of the organising party.

Impact

Work Package 8a contributes to the inclusion and appreciation of Paralympic sport. The research report provides organisers with concrete tools to make events more appealing, while technology enhances the fan experience and the visibility of the social impact of Paralympic sport. The research also contributes to education and policy development.

More Information

See the project’s own website: Project Blue Shift, containing all general and work package–specific information.

Duration

This project runs from July 2025 until the end of September 2027.

Funding

Project Blue Shift is a two-year project within the ZonMw program MOOI in Beweging, in which sport, science, media, government, and business work together to explore how top sport can contribute to connection, inspiration, and impact.

Collaboration

• The Hague University of Applied Sciences
• Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences
• Gehandicaptensport Nederland
• Municipality Amsterdam
• Municipality The Hague
• Topsport Amsterdam
• Kenniscentrum Sport & Bewegen
• Basketball Experience NL (Stichting BEN)

Team

From research group Assistive Technology for Mobility and Sports (Centre of Expertise Health Innovation), professor Monique Berger and researchers Sjoerd Dreteler (audience research) and Rienk van der Slikke (fan engagement & technology) are working on Blue Shift.

Contact

Monique Berger ([email protected])