An analysis of Glasgow’s decision to bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games

Abstract

There is a growing body of literature concerning the staging, management and planning for large-scale sports events; the evaluation of these events and the reasons why nations and cities attempt to host them, but few studies have provided a theoretically informed analysis of hosting policy decisions. This study builds upon existing studies which outlined a method for exploring decisions to host, but furthers the analysis through the consideration of a policy model, the Multiple Streams Framework (MSF), in order to provide a sophisticated understanding of how policy decisions are taken at the local level. A case study of Glasgow’s bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games was undertaken using semi-structured interviews with the majority of key actors involved in, and excluded from, the policy-making process. The results indicate that, while it does not provide a perfect ‘fit’, the MSF and its focus on policy entrepreneurialism is useful in explaining the elevation of these events onto local political agendas. The implications of these results include providing a stimulus for researchers to build upon the limited body of literature that applies policy theory to sport policy issues and also to stimulate research in the international context.