TABLE OF CONTENTS After studying this chapter, you should be ableto:
identify the planning and management processes required in the bidding for sports events.
identify the key components for successful bids.
understand how losing bids can be winning strategies.
This chapter is concerned with the process undertakenin bidding for the right to host sports events. Before the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984, theterminology used in bidding today was unheard of. The hosting of major sports events, in particularthe Olympics, was seen to be a financial millstone (Gratton and Taylor, 2000) until theunprecedented surplus income generated at those Ueberroth led games. The result is a calendar fullof events that require host cities to bid, and a calendar that does not just consist of only highprofile events. Now, international events like the World Masters Games, European WheelchairBasketball Championships and the World Badminton Championships are much sought after, as well as ahost of national events in many countries (Kronos, 1997). In this chapter the requirements of theInternational Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Olympic bidding process will be used as a model to beapplied as appropriate to other sports events. The key factors required for successful bidding willbe identified as well as an assessment of the strategic use of bids do not succeed and still gainbenefits. A key focus will be on the bidding cities for the 2012 Olympics.
The preparation and implementation of a bid to host a sports event are an intrinsic part ofthe event planning process. Whilst the...
