TABLE OF CONTENTS After studying this chapter, you should be ableto:
understand the importance of following a planning process for the organization of sportsevents.
recognize the need for the process to consider short- to long-term objectives.
recognize the need for a staged and iterative process that allows continuous alignment withobjectives.
This chapter considers the case for a new model for thesports event planning process.
The importance of sports events in terms of their impacts and benefits, particularly majorinternational events, is well documented and also well covered in the media. In the main it is theeconomic benefits that receive the most attention, due mainly to the fact that they are more easilyquantified (Jones, 2001; UK Sport, 1999). However, it is the other less quantifiable benefits,those that involve regeneration, physical legacies, cultural, social, environment, tourism andsports development which may be of more significant value over the long term.
In 2001, a lack of planning led to the loss of the 2005 World Athletic Championships for theUK. The government promised a London venue in its bid with Picketts Lock intended as a long-termlegacy for the sport. Upon discovering the costs would be too high, the government tried to offeran alternative location away from London. This resulted in the International Amateur AthleticsFederation (IAAF) deciding to put the event out to bid again. Whilst it is commendable that anuneconomic project was aborted, a potentially beneficial event and its stadium legacy might havebeen better planned for. Alan Pascoe, who runs Fast Track, the organization that is...
