Daniel is Professor of Sport and Social Identity, and Director of the Institute for Sport Business at Loughborough University London. Daniel’s academic career spans over a decade working in institutions in the UK and Australia, where he has established a strong track record of research and educational leadership. He joined the University following senior leadership roles at Bournemouth University, which included Deputy Head of Department (2021-2025) and Head of Research and Professional Practice (2016-2019). Before this, Daniel was the Discipline Leader for Sport Management at Griffith University (2011-2015). He holds a PhD in Management from the University of Technology Sydney, alongside postgraduate and undergraduate degrees from Cardiff Metropolitan University.
Professor Lock’s research focuses on examining two related strands pertaining to social identity dynamics in sport. First, how shared social identity influences consumer behaviour, well-being, and social connection. Second, how social identity acts as a basis for social influence and leadership of sport. Daniel’s work sits at the intersection of sport management, social psychology, and consumer research, with direct applications into public health, governance, and cultural policy.
He has a leading track-record of publishing in a range of disciplines including sport management, marketing, public relations, public health, and consumer research. Daniel’s research aligns closely with key contemporary themes in sport business such as fan engagement, digital innovation, diversity and inclusion, and integrity. He has successfully delivered research projects for the World Anti-Doping Agency, International Olympic Committee, Australian Sports Commission, and Basketball Queensland.
Daniel contributes to the wider academic community as an Associate Editor of Sport Management Review and holds editorial board memberships for the Journal of Sport Management and European Sport Management Quarterly. He is also a Peer-Review College member for the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), and expert panel member for the International Olympic Committee’s Research Grant applications.
Daniel is a Fellow of Advance HE and teaches across postgraduate and undergraduate programmes in sport business and management. He has led modules on Sport Business Analytics, Marketing, Consumer Behaviour, Sport Development Systems, and Research Methods in the UK and Australia.
He has extensive experience in curriculum development and strategic programme leadership, including the design and validation of MSc programmes in Sport Business Leadership, and a BSc. in Sport Management. Daniel's teaching is inherently research-led and structurally informed by industry engagement, ensuring students develop the analytical, critical, and professional skills required to navigate contemporary sport business challenges. He has worked with diverse student cohorts across the UK and Australia, supervising doctoral students and more than 60 undergraduate and postgraduate dissertations.
Daniel’s academic interests centre on social identity theory, sport fandom, leadership, and the structural role of sport in promoting well-being and social connection. His recent work increasingly engages with emerging research frontiers, such as digital technologies and artificial intelligence, exploring their implications for modern sport consumption and evolving fan experiences.
Beyond academia, Daniel is committed to generating social and community impact through his work as a board member of Active Sport Partnership, Active Dorset, and the Slades Park Trust. Through this work, he participates in ensuring that local people in Dorset have better access to physical activity and sporting facilities.