Major Sporting Events Research Articles

No limits forever! Understanding the lifecycle of trend and adventure sports in the context of individualization, eventization and mediatization

ABSTRACT Research question Recently, innovative new trend and adventure sports like Tough Mudder or adventure races have benefitted from a steady increase in popularity, participation and media attention, leading to spill-over effects of multiple, repeat or even copy-cat events (Antchak et al., 2021, Understanding the core elements of event portfolio strategy: lessons from Auckland and Dunedin. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 33(7), 2447–2464. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-09-2020-1022 ; Parent & Ruetsch, 2020, Managing Major Sports Events. Theory and Practice. Routledge; Raj et al., 2017, Events Management. Principles and Practice. SAGE; Yeoman et al., 2014, The Future of Events & Festivals. Routledge). How does this occur? This paper provides an answer to this question, explaining how these developments are fueled by the individualization and pluralization of lifestyles and accelerated by mediatization and eventization? Conceptual approach Selected trend sport cases are analyzed in order to gain insight and understanding about the hype surrounding these competitive, event-oriented, close-to-nature races that are inclusive, and overwhelmingly appealing to almost everyone. Based on existing literature, the paper presents a conceptual framework which can be used for further research. Discussion The high degree of inclusivity observed in these sports is made possible by the advancement of digital technologies and intensified by the metaprocesses of mediatization and eventization, reflecting the tendency of post-modern societies to stage everything. As athletes, participants, spectators and general public engage with these activities and share their experiences online, it gives rise to further interesting opportunities to join in and participate. Implications This conceptual paper presents a theoretical framework enabling practitioners to better understand the driving forces of mediatization and eventization for the development of trend and adventure sports, and their potential for tourism development and strategic destination management. The article concludes with the formulation of research questions and possible directions for future research.

Media representations of naturalized athletes: Sentiment variations and trends in Turkish media

Turkey has received consistent criticism from international media for having many naturalized athletes in its national squad, both in the Olympic Games and other major international sporting events. Similar criticisms have also been a feature of debates for a long time in domestic media, varying in views toward these athletes. This research focuses on media representations of naturalized athletes in Turkey between 2008 and 2020. We investigated the sentiments of news items from four major Turkish newspapers ( Milliyet, Cumhuriyet, Sabah and Fanatik) on their stances toward naturalized athletes over the timespan of 2008–2020. Beside analyzing the sentiment of the media content both cumulatively and fragmentedly, we also identified the yearly trends and most featured sports in this context, combining qualitative and quantitative techniques. Our findings showed that sentiments in Turkish media toward naturalized athletes are mostly neutral and negative as well as with differences varying on the basis of the newspapers and news item types. The most criticism underlined pursuing “shortcut” success with naturalized athletes representing Turkey in the international arena. Among the featured sports, basketball, football, and track and field have been the most discussed ones in the naturalization context.

Drivers of the perceived social impact of the Super Bowl: mediation and moderation analyses

PurposeBuilding on the social leverage model (SLM), this study aims to examine the influence of event-related attributes on residents' perceived social impact of a major sport event, as mediated by event involvement. It also investigates the moderating effect of event rights holders' credibility on the relationship between event involvement and perceived social impact.Design/methodology/approachUsing a two-wave, time-lagged survey, data were collected from 220 residents of a Super Bowl host city. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsHigh celebratory atmosphere, social camaraderie and social responsibility as perceived before the event were associated with residents' perceptions of the social impact of the Super Bowl. Moreover, the association between social camaraderie and perceived social impact was mediated by event involvement. When appraising the rights holder as credible, involved residents reported an increased level of perceived social impact.Originality/valueThis study contributes to research on the SLM by demonstrating its application among indirect participants of major sport events. Additionally, it suggests the imperative role of rights holders' credibility in promoting the perceived social impact among involved residents.

Stock Markets and Major Sport Events: Evidence from Cricket World Cup 2019

The effect of major sport events on stock markets has been studied by many researchers, most of them focused on soccer without considering if it’s the most popular sport in the countries under study and without considering if the matches are important or not. The enquiry that the researcher tried to answer in this study was whether the stock market is affected by the results of the major event of the sport that is the most popular in the country of that market. To answer this question, the researcher studied the effect of the world cup of cricket, the most popular sport in India, on the main Indian stock exchanges: Bombay stock exchange and national stock exchange. A quantitative approach was followed to conduct this study using data for the period from May 24,2018 to July 15, 2019. The collected data was analyzed using ordinary least squares method and one sample t-test. Study conclusions indicated that loss results in the world cup have a significant positive effect on the stock prices in the two stock exchanges while there was no significant effect for winning results.

A Study on the Value of New Media Broadcast Rights for Major Sports Events

This paper adopts the deductive method to discuss in detail the application of the income approach in the valuation of event retransmission rights. By splitting the income hierarchy to estimate the expected income, applying the market comparison method to measure the share rate, reasonably calculating the discount rate with the help of a model and determining the duration of the income according to the characteristics of the event, constructing a new media retransmission rights asset valuation formula, creating a basic model for the valuation of sports event copyright assets, and applying the Winter Olympic Games The validity of the model was initially verified by applying the case of the Winter Olympic Games, and it was concluded that under the guidance of the valuation idea of the income approach, it was possible to assess the value of retransmission rights transactions.

Influence of Holding Major Sports Events on Urban Economy

Last year's Tokyo Olympics had a great impact on the host country's economy. Due to various reasons, this Olympics has caused a lot of losses. Now the 2022 Qatar World Cup is coming as scheduled, and the Qatar World Cup cost more than 200 billion U.S. dollars, making it the most expensive one. At that time, people from all over the world will come here. Of course, it will bring about the development of related industries and positive benefits, but it is still unknown whether it can help the host country make profits and whether it will have any adverse effects on the economy. To this end, the post-match income of major sports events over the years, especially the Olympic Games and the World Cup, has been searched and studied. In the end it was found that very little turned out to be profitable. Not only would most cities lose money, but the stadiums would be abandoned. A profitable experience was found through the success of several major hosts.

Sudden Cardiac Arrests During the 2021 Taipei Marathon after COVID-19 Confinement in Taiwan

Introduction:Large-scale mass-sporting events pose unique challenges for emergency health teams. Data is limited in athletes with sudden cardiac arrests (SCAs) and the emergency medical services (EMS) in major sporting events that took place after the coronavirus pandemic.Method:This retrospective observational study describes data from the Taipei Marathon event that took place on December 19, 2021, in Taiwan. The temperature was about 15.2–19.3°C. Four SCAs among 18,144 half-marathoners and the EMS were enrolled.A medical command center was set up 100 meters from the finish line. Ten medical tents, one first-aid station, and nine event ambulances were distributed along the course, and one medical tent was placed near the baggage storage area. Each medical tent comprised: 1 doctor, 1–3 nurses, and 1–3 paramedics. The in-event EMS also comprised a mobile first-aid team. Thirty paramedics rode motorcycles and carried automated external defibrillators and emergency medical kits throughout the racecourse.Results:Among the 7,811 full- and 18,144 half-marathoners, the total number of SCAs was four male half-marathoners. Three runners (75%) stated that they decreased their weekly running volume during the pandemic restrictions’ period. Two runners (50%) experienced cardiac arrest in the final quarter of the race. The median interval of time between SCA occurrence and EMS arrival was 2.5 minutes (interquartile range, 0.5–4 minutes). Electric shocks were delivered to all the four runners (100%) experiencing ventricular fibrillation, and all of them were successfully resuscitated in the field. The median interval of cardiopulmonary resuscitation duration before return of spontaneous circulation was 8.5 minutes (interquartile range, 6–9.5 minutes).Conclusion:4/18144 is a significantly high number of SCA compared to data from the annual Taipei Half-Marathon between 2016 and 2020 and past half-marathons worldwide. The high prevalence rate of SCA (22 per 100,000) may be due to inadequate acclimation and training volumes.

Athlete activism: advancing socio-political causes at mega sporting events

Highly mediated, mega-sporting events provide opportunities for elite athletes to use their prominent status to elicit social change. However, with expectations and policies in place to regulate behaviour that prevents athletes from making political statements, athlete activists face risks. An examination of the 2018 Commonwealth Games highlighted two athletes who used their personal reputation whilst at this highly mediated global sporting event to raise the visibility of societal issues. Through the lens of persona studies, this research examined how these athlete celebrities crafted individualised narratives through internetworked platforms of new and traditional media to demonstrate forms of athlete citizenship. This research illustrates how athletes can become co-creators of the social cause narrative, demonstrating how valuable athletes can be in amplifying the core values of major sporting events by reinforcing a fluid form of intercommunication.

Designing mobile application messages to impact route choice: A survey and simulation study.

Crowd congestion is a common issue at train stations around major sports events, and puts passengers at risk and lowers service quality. Guiding arriving fans along less traveled routes may alleviate congestion. Smartphone apps provide a medium to deliver route suggestions but the messages they provide are pivotal to adherence. We explore how message design affects pedestrians' willingness to follow route instructions. We present an online survey conducted with two groups: football fans, and students and faculty associates. We vary the presence of top down views of the route choices at train station Münchner Freiheit in Munich, real-time information on congestion, and appeals to team spirit. We compute a distribution of route choices that suggests that congestion may be reduced with the right combination of message components for each target group. We then use a computer simulation to investigate the congestion situation. Our results suggest that lowest congestion is achieved when people base their decisions on real-time information. The social identity approach is highlighted in our study as having a possible influence on message design. Moreover, it indicates that the implementation of such apps in real-life applications can improve safety. Our methodology can be applied to other scenarios to test the suitability of apps and message designs.

Transformative service research approaches for visitor experiences in major sporting events

PurposeThis research conceptualises the hallmark event, Melbourne Cup in Australia, as a major sporting brand experience. While numerous studies have explored consumer engagement and experiences in major sporting events, few research studies highlight the negative issues, such as alcoholism, gambling and violence, that may affect consumer engagement and experience. This article addresses the challenges and opportunities of providing immersive and transformative experiences through transformative service research (TSR) approaches when such negative issues are swirling around.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is conceptual. It uses the example of Melbourne Cup to illuminate aspects of the conceptual framework.FindingsThe article unpacks a myriad of positive and negative immersive brand experiences and contributes a conceptual framework to understand the sporting brand experience phenomenon and shows how authentically responsible marketing approaches can improve the sport spectator experience.Research limitations/implicationsInsights from the extended TSR framework presents implications for various organisations that are involved with strategic destination marketing approaches. It guides key stakeholders to engage in dialogue and collaborate in order to improve the attendee transformative experience. Inviting collaborators will facilitate the exchange of ideas that will improve event organisation. Consistent approaches among hospitality service providers would improve alcohol service and create a safe environment for attendees. The TSR framework guides players of the experience to engage in meaningful dialogue with a common goal to improve consumer wellbeing. Education and training therefore are key elements in the consumer sporting brand experience.Practical implicationsThe adapted TSR framework offers insights to destination marketers such as sporting agencies, tour operators and sporting organisations/clubs. Marketers may promote bigger sporting events and organise tours via travel agencies and ignore key elements that may influence attendee decision. Destination marketing organisations (DMOs) can use the framework to promote effective planning and the key initiatives that the iconic event is involved with. The framework can be used as a guide to manage similar international events. Events of major or mega size and international reputation need specific frameworks that address crowd behaviours of similar sizes.Originality/valueAn extended transformative service approach is being conceptualised for major sporting brand experiences. Practical implications are also highlighted for DMOs when raising the profile of city brands.

Nation-state strategies for human capital development: the case of sports mega-events in Qatar

The paper makes an original contribution to knowledge in three ways. First, through interviews with experts in Qatar, we uncover the role major sports events seek to play in the development of Qatar’s indigenous population. Our findings show that, alongside seeking to achieve various international objectives, these events are also intended to have a positive impact on the state’s human capital development at home. Specifically, in this regard, there is a desire to use sports events to address issues related to the health of Qataris, and to try to engage citizens in a process of maturity, whereby they are encouraged to confront the outside world, and become less reliant on the state. Second, our paper adds to understanding the role of aspirations, motivation and ambition in the human capital development process, which, as we show, is an area to which a growing literature is devoted. Third, the paper is the first academic analysis to provide insight into how sports events can be used in an attempt to overcome the ‘resource curse’, referring to the evidential long-term human capital development deficiencies that are commonly experienced by natural resource-rich states across the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

The Impact of the China Open 500 Event on Sense of Community: Comparisons of Volunteers’ Pre- and Post-Event Perceptions

Volunteers at major sporting events have become a key element for the success of these events. Therefore, the organiser should know exactly those aspects that strengthen the bond between the sports volunteer and the event. The aim of the present research was to assess the change in volunteers’ perception of community feeling at the China Open 500 tennis tournament. The sample was selected by using a purposive non-probability sampling procedure with a 99% confidence interval and a sampling error of 0.5% (n = 805). The data collection tool was the structured questionnaire applied through a face-to-face personal survey of volunteers before and after the event. The proposed structural model for the perceived community feeling of the China Open 500 volunteers was confirmed via a second-order factor analysis. The results confirmed the existence of the six proposed factors: Administrative Consideration, Common Interests, Equity in Administrative Decisions, Leadership Opportunity, Social Spaces, and Competitiveness. The change in the volunteers’ sense of community from the training phase to after the event shows that there is a direct link between a sense of community and the volunteer experience.

A retrospective review of out of hospital cardiac arrest at Gillette Stadium: 10 years of experience at a large sports venue

IntroductionRates of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) at major sporting events are as high as 0.7 per 100,000 attendees. However, factors contributing to OHCA at mass gatherings have not been well-described. We describe our experience with ten years of medical oversight and OHCA care at a professional football stadium. MethodsWe performed a retrospective review of OHCA events between August 2010 and January 2020 at a 65,878-seat football stadium, with a single transporting EMS agency and a single receiving hospital. We analyzed EMS incident reports and matched patients to hospital records for outcome data. ResultsA total of 7,767,345 people attended 115 football games during the study period. There were 21 OHCAs (0.27 per 100,000 attendees). Ninety-five percent of OHCAs were witnessed and 71.4% had an initial shockable rhythm, with bystander AED use in 47.6%. Median EMS response time was 2 minutes (IQR 1–6). For 7 patients defibrillated by EMS, time to defibrillation was 4 minutes (IQR 4–11). Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) occurred in 71%, with 47% having good 30-day neurologic survival. All patients with an initial rhythm of asystole died. ConclusionThe ROSC rate at our stadium exceeded 70% with almost half surviving with good neurologic outcomes, substantially higher than that reported for the general public. We hope that our experience will provide valuable lessons to other similarly sized stadiums.

Thermoregulatory, Cardiovascular and Perceptual Responses of Spectators of a Simulated Football Match in Hot and Humid Environmental Conditions.

Major sporting events are often scheduled in thermally challenging environments. The heat stress may impact athletes but also spectators. We examined the thermal, cardiovascular, and perceptual responses of spectators watching a football match in a simulated hot and humid environment. A total of 48 participants (43 ± 9 years; n = 27 participants <50 years and n = 21 participants ≥50 years, n = 21) watched a 90 min football match in addition to a 15 min baseline and 15 min halftime break, seated in an environmental chamber (Tair = 31.9 ± 0.4 °C; RH = 76 ± 4%). Gastrointestinal temperature (Tgi), skin temperature (Tskin), and heart rate (HR) were measured continuously throughout the match. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and perceptual parameters (i.e., thermal sensation and thermal comfort) were scored every 15 min. Tri (37.3 ± 0.4 °C to 37.4 ± 0.3 °C, p = 0.11), HR (76 ± 15 bpm to 77 ± 14 bpm, p = 0.96) and MAP (97 ± 10 mm Hg to 97 ± 10 mm Hg, p = 0.67) did not change throughout the match. In contrast, an increase in Tskin (32.9 ± 0.8 °C to 35.4 ± 0.3 °C, p < 0.001) was found. Further, 81% of participants reported thermal discomfort and 87% a (slightly) warm thermal sensation at the end of the match. Moreover, the thermal or cardiovascular responses were not affected by age (all p-values > 0.05). Heat stress induced by watching a football match in simulated hot and humid conditions does not result in substantial thermal or cardiovascular strain, whereas a significant perceptual strain was observed.

Implementation of Ambush Marketing in 10 Local Brands at “Paris Fashion Week 2022” Phenomena

This research discusses how to apply ambush marketing to 10 local Indonesian brands in the “Paris Fashion Week 2022” phenomenon. This study argues that this phenomenon is part of ambush marketing, where 10 (ten) local Indonesian brands hold independent fashion shows in Paris on behalf of Paris Fashion Week 2022. The focus of the problem in this research is on how ambush marketing in this phenomenon is viewed from the business side, the communication side, the ethical and moral side, and the legal side. Of the 10 (ten) local brands, the ones that had the most attention are the ayam geprek and skincare brands. This study argues that ambush marketing generally occurs at major sporting events in the world, but this time it is something relatively new at fashion shows. This research uses a qualitative descriptive approach with a case study method. This method was carried out by observing and studying internet news regarding 10 (ten) local Indonesian brands appearing at the 2022 Paris Fashion Show. Data collection techniques were carried out by collecting references and data literature from various sources, such as books, journals, and the internet, related to ambush marketing. This study uses the concept of “ambush marketing” as an analytical tool to explain the practices carried out by 10 (ten) local Indonesian brands in ‘riding’ the Paris Fashion Week 2022 event. The urgency of this research is to add to the literature on ambush marketing in the Indonesian context, which is rarely discussed in communication studies.

Stress induced immunomodulation and the risk of infections during major sporting events: Implications for the FIFA World Cup 2022

Stress induced immunomodulation and the risk of infections during major sporting events: Implications for the FIFA World Cup 2022

Alive and kicking: suicide rates and major soccer events in Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

Major sporting events are postulated to reduce suicide rates by increased social connectedness, by identifying with winning teams, or, conversely, to increase suicide rates by the 'broken promise effect'. In our observational epidemiological study, we investigated changes in suicide rates between 1970 and 2017 in Austria, Germany and Switzerland during the European and World Soccer Championships in general, and on days that the home team played, won or lost. Combining all three studied nations no statistically significant change in the incidence of daily suicides during soccer championships compared to a control period was noted (38.29 ± 9.02 vs. 37.33 ± 10.58; incidence risk ratio = 1.03; 95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.05, P = 0.05). Essentially, no differences in the expected directions were found, and none remained statistically significant after correcting for multiple comparisons in subgroups for country, age and gender in all three studied countries. Compared to a control period, neither a significant difference in the respective national suicide rate was found after Germany's four championship victories nor after Austria's emotional only win over Germany. Our results do not support the assumption of increased social connectedness and, thus, lowered suicide risk during major sporting events or changes in suicide risk depending on the outcome of important games as predicted by the broken promise effect or changes in self-efficacy by identification with winning teams.

Sports-related leisure behavior in Alpine regions during the COVID-19 pandemic-A cross-sectional study in Austria, Germany and Italy.

As a planetary health challenge, COVID-19 forced governments around the world to take action to prevent the most severe consequences resulting from the spread of the virus. These measures ranged from stay-at-home orders to limitations on indoor and outdoor activities, travel restrictions and the cancelation of sports events, all of which affected people's leisure activities and daily lives. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine changes in sports-related leisure behavior in terms of attending major sports events, following major sports events via media, travel intentions and the use of new sports offerings. Furthermore, we aimed to identify variables associated with changed sports-related leisure behavior during the pandemic. A cross-sectional online survey (n = 1,809) was conducted from December 2020 to January 2021 in the Alpine regions of Austria, Germany and Italy. Sports-related leisure behavior was investigated for changes during the pandemic compared to the time before the coronavirus outbreak and for differences between the three countries. Results showed that the self-reported importance of attending major sports events decreased significantly in the Alpine regions of all three countries during COVID-19. Prevailing restrictions affected vacation planning for over 80% of participants. A majority of approximately three quarters of respondents stated they had spent their holidays at home during the travel restrictions. Sports facilities and opportunities played an important role in the choice of vacation destination for more than half of participants. A binary logistic regression showed significant correlations between vacation planning during COVID-19 and the variables gender, income, quality of life and mental health. 31.9% of all respondents tried new sports offerings during extended restrictions, with a large proportion (72.4%) using apps, online tools or courses. Furthermore, approximately 30% of respondents increased their e-sports consumption. The results showed that sports-related leisure behavior in Alpine regions changed in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the future, policymakers as well as sports and leisure providers should react to these behavioral changes and adapt their portfolio and services to meet consumers92 demands.

Mass Choreography in Olympic Ceremonies: The Case of Turin 2006

Since their first appearance in Olympic ceremonies, mass choreographies have played a significant role that has grown steadily over the years in terms of variety of images and organizational complexity. The use of choreographic language within them evolved in line with the aesthetic and social currents manifested in the major sporting events. Therefore, growth also occurred according to an internal logic of mutual influences between choreographers specializing in this type of mass movement. Mass choreography, which requires interdisciplinary study, has not yet been analyzed from the perspective of the history of sport, let alone with regard to the interrelationship between choreographers. The starting point for focusing on the evolution of this artistic element is the analysis of two choreographies by Doug Jack from the opening ceremony of the 2006 winter Olympics in Turin. The example of Turin is considered an important element in the search for a continuity of style with the past, as well as an influence on the productions that were presented in subsequent Olympic ceremonies.

Mental health impacts of interpersonal violence in sports

Mental health impacts of interpersonal violence in sports