Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a topic of continuous societal and academic interest, indicating that organisations are responsible for stimulating societal wellbeing alongside their primary economic goals. These expectations apply to all kinds of sectors, including sport. Professional sport organisations (PSOs) face additional expectations, including the requirements to generate sporting and social value on and off the field of play. Moreover, the unique setting of PSOs is coupled with such characteristics as high fan loyalty and passion, and strong media scrutiny, which enhances the capacity of sport to have social impact. However, past research has suggested that this unique setting creates multiple tensions that might lead to discrepancies between what PSOs say they do on CSR (i.e., “CSR talk”) and what they actually do (i.e., “CSR walk”). Nevertheless, scientific understandings about the nature and impact of these tensions remain scarce. Drawing from the paradox framework and the persuasion knowledge model, this PhD project aims to (a) explore these tensions, (b) identify reinforcing cycles that lead to over-promising CSR communication, and (c) analyse how different types of stakeholders manage these tensions. Associated insights will strengthen PSOs’ CSR communication and CSR implementation, thereby more fully leveraging sport’s potential to maximise societal impact.