Abstract
Presents the findings from recent research into the management of
public safety risks in British sports grounds. Discusses the concept of
“safety culture” and briefly sets out the methodology
adopted for the study. Reviews some previous work on “safety
culture” analysis, and then cultural theory, introduces and offers
a socio‐anthropological method of fourfold cultural categorization as
the theoretical orientation. Reveals the four contrasting, viable and
archetypical models of organizing the cross‐organizational collaboration
required for public safety risk management in British stadia and other
sporting venues. Concludes by drawing out some implications for public
policy. Since there are four viable ways of organizing, and the
management system at each venue will have evolved in response to its
changing local environment, it follows that there is no “one best
way” of managing safety at sports grounds.