Examining the factors influencing organizational creativity in professional sport organizations

•In professional sport organizations, the better the work environment, the more employees perceive their organization to be creative overall.•Self-perception of employee creativity was not related to higher perceptions of organizational creativity.•Work environment is perceived as two distinct areas: strong processes and clear vision.•An individual’s engagement in creativity-related processes did not influence their co-worker’s perception of organizational creativity.Increasingly, globalization and the adoption of a market economy have made innovation fundamental for the success of professional sport organizations. Yet oligarchical league structures, isomorphic and hyper-traditional cultures, and hierarchical organizational structures can enhance or hinder organizational creativity, the beginning stage of the innovation process. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to determine the antecedents of organizational creativity in professional sport organizations. Perception of organizational creativity is theorized to be influenced by employee creativity, work environment, and the social interactions of employees. The results, based on a survey of three professional sport organizations’ front offices, indicated perceptions of a work environment with a clear vision and better work processes were associated with greater perceptions of organizational creativity. The lack of relationships between many of the factors theorized to influence organizational creativity, such as an employee’s advice network, could indicate the sport industry is unique in creativity management. This study is the beginning in understanding the first step of innovation, and the processes that influence employees’ perceptions regarding the ways in which their work environment relate to organizational creativity.