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Chapter 1
Sport, mega events and governance
A comparative global perspective of the role of sport in community development and regeneration
Sport, renewal, mega events and governance
This book is about the role of sport in the governance of regeneration projects. The book examines the ways in which sporting institutions are engaged with their local community or area in projects that target youth, health or social engagement, and have hosted mega events and legacies that have been intended by governance mechanisms to drive renewal and community development. The book looks at case studies of sporting mega events in three countries – the UK, Brazil and South Africa – and includes a theory and a practice chapter that provides an overview of best and worst practice such as renewal projects meeting targets. Within the chapter there are dedicated discussions detailing the linkage between theory and practice, providing summaries of best practice and the key points of governance structure, funding mechanisms and partnerships.
The case studies examined in the book focus upon mega events: firstly, the World Cup 2010 in South Africa; the second case study chapter addresses the London 2012 Olympic Games in London; and, thirdly, the Brazil 2014 World Cup and 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Across these three case study chapters, the book focuses on the governance of the mega event and the role of key actors and partners in delivery of the tournament, notably the role of sporting global governance bodies; national, regional and local governance levels; the key agencies and delivery bodies engaged in the renewal projects associated with the respective mega events; and the role of communities and community regeneration driven by the mega events. The book then moves on, within each of the three case study chapters, to examine the role of the legacies of mega events and their role in renewal. Sporting mega events and renewal programmes have long been linked, from the successes of the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games, to the failures of Athens 2004, the role of sporting mega events has been viewed by governments as a means of delivering development. In addition, several of these mega events have focused on the role of community development. The success of community development is driven by participation and the ability of the sporting event to drive forward sustainability initiatives focused around economic investment (by governments and private sector actors, such as sponsors). In addition, success of renewal initiatives is contingent upon achieving the longer-term renewal and policy outcomes set out by key governance actors such as sporting global governing bodies, national and local governments and governance delivery bodies.
In terms of key themes, the book comes from a governance/public-policy perspective conceptually, but one of its main objectives is to contribute to a range of literatures. The sustainability focus of the work means the work will contribute to public policy, politics, and geography debates, as well as planning and sociology. The book seeks to examine debates around sustainability, regeneration, and governance, and it looks at case studies in several countries (the UK, Brazil and South Africa) and includes a global chapter offering an overview of best practice (that is, projects meeting targets) and a chapter detailing the relationship between theory and practice. This book is about the role of sport in regeneration projects. The book examines the ways in which sporting institutions are engaged with their local community or area in projects, which target youth, health or social engagement. The book seeks to examine debates around sustainability, regeneration, and governance in and examines the ways in which sporting mega events institutions have aimed to deliver renewal and engaged with their local community or area in projects which target youth, health or social engagement, and how effective the governance mechanisms of the events and legacies have been in achieving regeneration and community involvement. The book draws upon the interpretivist approach in governance to suggest that sporting events and their delivery through collaborative governance and through the role of sporting global governance organisations, across the mega events and national case studies, have achieved short-term successes but longer-term gains have proved harder to realise. The role of community development in both short- and longer-term renewal projects is also focused upon in each of the case study chapters and especially in the discussion of legacies across the four mega events.
Regeneration, sport and sustainability: communities, governance and mega projects
This chapter sets the context for the key debates and questions, which concern the book in sport and renewal initiatives globally, drawn both from the academic literatures and from the grey practice literature. This chapter examines the role of governance mechanisms and projects in a broad global context, before focusing on each of the national-level case studies.
Sport and mega events: governance drivers in regeneration?
This book examines the crucial role of sport in urban renewal projects. The book examines the ways in which sporting mega events (1) are used by governments to deliver legacy and renewal and to engage with their local communities or areas in projects that target youth, health or social engagement and, in doing so, (2) have become the key drivers for governance mechanisms for achieving regeneration and community involvement, as part of large-scale mega events and governance programmes. The book draws upon the interpretivist approach in governance to suggest that sporting organisations have become governing instruments by default, as the communities they work with and reach out to come to show more trust and participation, and, as this process occurs, the sporting organisations adopt more governance-like behaviours and roles, as they ascribe these meanings to the renewal projects.
Key debates in the literature and the approach
This book examines and applies the key governance approaches and models to the case study areas, setting up a governance model which draws upon the frameworks of interpretivisim (Bevir, 2005; Bevir and Rhodes, 2006, 2008; Sorensen, 2002, 2011, 2013, 2014; Sullivan, 2011) and uses the new public governance (Miller et al., 2012; Osborne, 2012) and which can be applied and tested in regeneration programmes at the local, regional or national level. In this way, the project advances the academic literature and the conceptual approaches of governance, each linked to practice. The relationship between these actors is examined, drawing upon the interpretivist approach and arguing that sporting mega events can be key drivers for renewal and community development, but that the importance of driving renewal in both the short and the longer term through legacy is an important decision driven by global governance in sport, national government and key delivery bodies, and communities. These key actors have undertaken mega events to drive regeneration projects, been responsible for community engagement within them, and set targets and funding levels, linked to regeneration initiatives such as improving neighbourhood safety, physical education activities, or other community-based programmes.
These themes are examined in the London 2012 UK case study chapter, in common with the subsequent Brazil 2014 and South African case study chapters, before the book then moves on to also include a section detailing further comparative research and a section focused on key learning from theory to practice based on the case study findings and the underpinning notion of interpretive governance within these findings.
More broadly, are areas like sport different? This is a complex issue in terms of mapping delivery or funding – these areas have several roles to play in regeneration. The role of these organisations is crucial in aspects of regeneration – attracting businesses into the city; connecting individuals and families into communities; encouraging participation in the area; helping promote an active lifestyle and participation in team sports to children and young people; associated issues of health, emotional well-being, and lifestyle, such as non-smoking and diet. We see a large amount of work by sporting organisations, often working with business or charities (such as on Big Lottery or HLF projects); and football clubs, due to income and publicity, are often at the forefront of these initiatives. For example, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Manchester United are all engaged in youth and community projects in regeneration in their local areas. Moreover, the ongoing minimum-wage debate raises key questions as to the levels of engagement sporting organisations have with their communities (which can be increasingly and aggressively global in nature), and set them apart from the faith and voluntary sectors as for-profit concerns. That said, though sporting organisations are businesses, they have an emotional and identity meaning in their construction, similar to faith and voluntary organisations, which they indeed profit heavily from. Related to this, community, class and history are all linked to each of these areas and, therefore, are an important facet of any changing nature, physically or economically, of a city. This makes sporting organisations different from areas such as the creative arts or the voluntary sector. Evidently, several of the key themes of regeneration projects (employment, social inclusion) have been driven by the coalition towards enterprise zones and their partners who have experienced funding cuts (educational institutions, for example) as a result of continuing austerity measures; there is an expectation or at the very least an emphasis on business and the voluntary sector rather than state funding for aspects of regeneration.
Table of contents
- 1) Sport, mega events and governance: a comparative global perspective of the role of sport in community development and regeneration
- 2) Sport, renewal and governance: interpreting partnership models of governance
- 3) Sport, development, regeneration and sustainability
- 4) South Africa: World Cup 2010
- 5) UK: renewal, governance and London 2012 Olympic legacy
- 6) Brazil: 2014 World Cup and 2016 Rio Olympic Games
- 7) Sport, renewal, community development and governance: linking theory and practice
- 8) Concluding remarks
Chapter synopsis
1) Sport, mega events and governance: a comparative global perspective of the role of sport in community development and regeneration
This chapter sets the context for the key debates and questions which concern the book in sport and renewal initiatives globally, drawn both from the academic literatures and from the grey practice literature. This chapter examines the role of governance mechanisms and projects in a broad global context, before focusing on each of the national-level case studies.
2) Sport, renewal and governance: interpreting partnership models of governance
This chapter summarises the academic literatures and the grey literatures, focusing on sporting projects, renewal and governance. The existing academic debates around the role of communities and governance mechanisms driven by sporting initiatives are examined and contrasted with local, regional and national discussions of renewal. The chapter then moves on to summarise the relevant, historical and recent debates around governance as a framework or method from both academic and practice sources.
3) Sport, development, regeneration and sustainability
This chapter examines and applies the key governance approaches and models to the case study areas, setting up a governance model which draws upon the frameworks of interpretivisim (Bevir, 2005; Bevir and Rhodes, 2006, 2008) and uses the new public governance (Miller et al., 2012; Osborne, 2012) and which can be applied and tested to the empirical national case study chapters. This represents one of the key contributions of the book: advancing the academic literature and the conceptual approaches of governance, each linked to practice. The relationship between these actors is examined, drawing upon the interpretivist approach and arguing that sporting mega events and legacies have assumed a key role for governance delivery of renewal. These key governance actors have undertaken regeneration projects, been responsible for community engagement within them, and set targets and funding levels linked to regeneration initiatives such as improving neighbourhood safety, physical education activities, or other community-based programmes. This chapter summarises the academic literatures and the grey literatures, focusing on sporting projects, renewal and governance. The existing academic debates around the role of communities, renewal and governance mechanisms driven by sporting initiatives are examined and contrasted with local, regional and national discussions of renewal. The chapter examines the different meanings and interpretations of key terms in the book such as ‘regeneration’, ‘sustainability’, and ‘development’ within the case studies and the implications and effects these have for community engagement and governance design and delivery. The chapter then moves on to summarise the relevant, historical and recent debates around governance as a framework or method from both academic and practice sources. The chapter moves on to a discussion of the justification for selection of the projects in the case studies, focused on the notion of large-scale projects and engagement to communities. The chapter goes on to set out the theoretical approach and method, key research questions, and key themes, which are applied in the following case study empirical chapters.
4) South Africa: World Cup 2010
This chapter examines the role of sport in achieving more representative governance, focusing on Cape Town city and the Cape Town central partnership. Through visible international events, South Africa (SA) has used sporting organisations and events to increase inclusivity and equality, both through policy and public discourse. This role of sport as regeneration has allowed sporting organisations, governing bodies and teams to take on by proxy a national government role in not only promoting but embodying policy and therefore in achieving policy goals. This chapter draws upon the interpretivist approach to examine the roles sporting organisations played in governance. Context: Beginning with the context of the case study, this chapter then moves on to contextualise the differing socio-political background as well as the effects this has had on the governance and sporting architecture prior to discussion focused on equality issues. Meanings: In this section, the chapter discusses the meanings and terms of regeneration, sustainability and development employed in the case study area projects and the effect this has on policy and delivery among partners and communities.
5) UK: renewal, governance and London 2012 Olympic legacy
This chapter examines the role of the London 2012 Olympic Games and, particularly, the legacy of the games as a driver for renewal and community development in East London and beyond. The chapters examine the governance of the London 2012 legacy and evaluates the successes and failures in terms of renewal projects, the delivery and organisation of these projects, and focuses on the ways in which legacy has been achieved as a key...
