Denying Community Goal-Scoring Opportunity: Examining the Relationship Between Soccer Playfield Accessibility with Geospatial and Socioeconomic Inequality for the African Diaspora in Rainier Valley

Abstract

Soccer is an activity that captivates billions of people across the globe and ranks as the most-popular sport in the City of Seattle. Despite its public favor throughout the region, soccer remains a sport where opportunity is inequitably distributed, especially among marginalized groups, through discriminate policy, financial barriers, and geospatial factors. This study highlights one such group, the African diaspora community, and documents their experiences of inequitable soccer playfield access in Seattle’s Rainier Valley district. A cross-sectional, mixed-methods research project was designed using non-participatory observations, participatory GIS, and two semi-structured interviews to answer the question: what is the relationship of soccer playfield access with geospatial and socioeconomic inequality for African diaspora communities in Rainier Valley? An analysis of existing data with findings from qualitative research supports evidence of inequitable playfield access by members of the African diaspora community, exasperated by existing policy. The denouement of this research provides four recommendations, at the discretion of the City of Seattle and Washington State Legislature, that foster equitable soccer playfield access for marginalized populations through policy amendments, strategic facility development, and additional data collection. Future considerations should continue to validate the experiences of underrepresented playfield users which allow stakeholders to make pragmatic and informed decisions that expand equitable soccer playfield access.