If you are a sports fan, you may be excited to hear that some of the world’s most popular events are coming to your area. However, planning a trip to see a big sporting event can be difficult. There are a lot of factors to consider including where, when and how long you will be gone. But, with careful planning you can enjoy your dream sports event without missing a beat.
Sport events bring a host city international attention, which can help boost its global reputation and re-imagine internal associations with local places. The city can also benefit from increased tourism, which can create a positive economic impact. The events can also be a vehicle for promoting the host country’s culture, which can help to develop its soft power.
While a substantial body of research has analyzed the community impacts of sports events, less attention has been paid to exploring how a host city can utilize these opportunities to advance broader community development goals. The unique setting of Mostar, a post-war city that is growing as a tourism destination yet remains encumbered by notable social divisions, provides an intriguing context to consider this question.
The interviews with Mostar residents supported the survey findings in that a large majority of respondents viewed the Red Bull event as a significant contributor to building community pride, primarily through its emphasis on celebrating local attributes and traditions. Participants highlighted the importance of connecting the event to the city’s history and heritage, notably in terms of re-invigorating interest in the city’s bridge diving tradition.
Interviews also indicated that the event was able to generate pride through its connection with international athletes, which lent the event an aura of prestige and authenticity. Interviewees also expressed appreciation for the event’s stylistic diversity in its jumping maneuvers and geographic reach, which they felt differentiated it from traditional bridge diving. Get all the information you need from 해외스포츠중계.
The emphases of the event on socialization, fun, and enjoyment also lent themselves to supporting intergroup togetherness and unity, which can be beneficial in a divided society. These benefits, along with those of showcasing the city’s assets, exhibiting positive urban transformation, and modeling care and respect for the community, positioned the event as a valuable community development tool in Mostar.
These findings highlight that, although it is important to recognize differences between legacies in emerging and developed nations, it is also critical to explore the complexities of the legacy process, especially in developing countries. These complexities can include a need to critically examine apparent positive legacies that may, in fact, result in exclusion or redirection of investment from other means of development. Ultimately, decisions about bidding for and hosting sport events in emerging countries may benefit from an in-depth understanding of the legacy processes and aims that may or may not emerge.
