The power of play: uncovering the hidden impact of sport events on communities

Abstract

ABSTRACT Sport tourism, despite being recognized as an effective activity for facilitating recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, primarily emphasizes benefits related to economic aspects based on current research findings. However, the impacts of sports events extend beyond financial benefits, to various community benefits such as building community cohesion, fostering civic pride, and promoting progressive values. The perceptions of residents within hosting communities also significantly impact the success of these events, yet there are limited empirical studies. To address this research gap, this study aims to investigate the socio-psychological impacts of sports event hosting to address this gap. By introducing a theoretical framework and validating it empirically using 589 responses from a survey conducted among residents in the City of London, Canada, this study sheds light on the indirect relationship between psychic income and quality of life through an SEM analysis. Additionally, psychic income was found to have a significant influence on active support, indicating that residents who possess a strong emotional connection to the sports event are more likely to offer robust support. Ultimately, this study supports managers in the sport-hosting communities to obtain better resources and provide empirical measurements for the social impacts of the sport hosting, guiding hosts to engage fully with their communities.