Event Legacies: An Empirical Testing of the Legacy Concept

Alana Thomson, Dr. Katie Schlenker &Dr. Nico Schulenkorf*

University of Technology, Sydney*Auckland University of Technology

SMAANZ Conference, Bond University, Gold Coast26th – 28th November 2009

Research Background & Aim Legacy as a justification for government

involvement in special events Long-term outcomes for a host city from staging

an event (Hiller, 2003; Preuss, 2007)

Need to maximise positive outcomes and limit negatives (Chalip; 2004; Preuss, 2007; Gratton & Preuss, 2008)

Inconsistent conceptualisation of legacy within strategic applications

Contribute to clarification of legacy understanding in the sport event context

Research Design Qualitative and Interpretive Coding Frame

5 key considerations (Thomson, Schlenker & Schulenkorf, 2009)

Document Analysis Evaluation of event evaluation documents 7 events World Police and Fire Games (1995), Sydney Olympics (2000),

Sydney Paralympics (2000), World Masters Games (2002), Rugby World Cup (2003), Commonwealth Games (2006), FINA World Championships (2007)

Nvivo 8 software for data coding, including descriptive, interpretive and pattern coding (Miles & Huberman, 1994)

Coder Checking (Miles & Huberman, 1994)

Frame for Analysis

Consideration Explanation

Terminology Use of ‘legacy’ as opposed to another term

Legacy as bestowed or planned

Legacy as automatically bestowed or needing to be planned

Temporal nature of legacy

Permanent or long-termPermanent typically infrastructure-based

Legacy as positive or negative

Legacy as positive and/or negative, same legacy, different perspectives

Legacy as local and global

Contextual and dynamic nature of sport eventsStakeholder objectives and perspectivesChallenge to balance

FindingsWorld

Police & Fire Games

1995

Sydney Olympics

2000

Paralympics

2000

World Masters Games

2002

Commonwealth Games

2006

Rugby World Cup

2003

FINA Swimming Champs

2007

Economic Impact Study

Triple Bottom Line Report

Post Games Report

Word Count 4662 363037 196693 5414 23060 36088 7188

Legacy - Words coded 0 2303 344 271 216 102 252

% of Document Coded 0.0% 0.6% 0.2% 5.0% 0.9% 0.3% 3.5%

Findings – 1. Terminology

Most reports referred to ‘legacy’ legacy outcomes; legacy assets; legacy contributions; and legacy obligations

Benefits long-term; and lasting

Legacy description

Findings

Legacy Type Description of Legacy

Facilities/Facility development/Facility upgrades/Social Housing

•Permanent sporting legacy •Permanent Olympic legacy •Permanent legacy•Enduring legacy •Important legacy •Valuable legacy•Substantial legacy•Wonderful legacy

Economy/Financial/Budgetary outcomes/Investments

•Lasting legacy•Long-term legacy •Most enduring legacy •Lasting, beneficial legacy

International awareness/Recognition/ Awareness of environment

•Most enduring legacy •Substantial legacy 

Quality of life/Lifelong friendship/Contacts/Skills

•Enduring legacy•Most enduring legacy •Positive legacy

Community/Healthy Communities/Social impacts

•Fantastic legacy•Numerous legacies •Lasting legacy

Findings – 2. Legacy as planned or bestowed

Legislation

Legacy Agencies

Pre-/During Event

Post Event

Planned “As part of the legacy… M2007 developed a Sport Development program in conjunction with VICSWIM” (FINA World Champs, 2007)

CreateDevelopInvestDesignProvideContributeUpgradeGenerateEstablish

MaximiseMaintainMonitor

Bestowed “it is hoped that many will continue to be involved in volunteering” (Sydney Olympics 2000)

AnticipateHopeOpportunity

EnsureEncourageEnhanceInjectLeave

Findings – 3. Temporal nature of legacy

Legacies exist in time long-term, permanent, enduring looking back and looking forward

Long-term does not always mean permanent legacies evolve from Games time “reconfigured to ensure its long-term usage”

(Sydney Olympics 2000) reflect community interests and needs

Findings – 4. Legacy as positive and negative

Legacy largely positive “a number of benefits, which they believe will

create a lasting legacy” (World Masters Games 2002)

Legacy only negative when previous events are discussed for legacy comparison “Several previous Olympic Games have left host

cities and underwriters with an unwelcome legacy in the form of large public debt. NSW Government legislators sought to avoid this outcome” (Sydney Olympics 2000)

Findings – 5. Legacy as local and global

Legacies are available to everyone, everywhere

Vague accountability frameworks “a fantastic legacy for Melbourne and all

Victorians” (FINA World Championships 2007)

“benefits for small to medium size venues…in hosting international large-scale events” (World Masters Games 2002)

How has legacy been conceptualised, planned and evaluated in sport events in Australia?

Consideration Discussion

Terminology Time dimension emphasised, as opposed to planning

Legacy as bestowed or planned

Tension consistent with literature - transparencyRole of legislation and legacy organisations

Temporal nature of legacy

Long-term/permanentEvolving nature – community needs and interests – viability??

Legacy as positive or negative

Transparency and accountability

Legacy as local and global

Responsibilities, procedures and accountability

Conclusions & Implications

Clear conceptualisations for accountability and transparency: clarification of terminology; Identification of stakeholders; and Identification of strategies and outcomes

Transparency & Accountability = meaningful outcomes demonstrating event value learning forward to maximise future event value

ReferencesChalip, L. (2004). Beyond Impact: A General Model for Sport Event Leverage.

In B. Ritchie & D. Adair (Eds.), Sport Tourism: Interrelationships, Impacts and Issues (pp. 226-252). on-line e-book: Channelview Publications.

Gratton, C., & Preuss, H. (2008). Maximizing Olympic Impacts by Building up Legacies. The International Journal of the History of Sport, 25(14), 1922-1938.

Hiller, H. (2003). Toward a Science of Olympic Outcomes: The Urban Legacy. Paper presented at the Legacy of the Olympic Games 1984-2000, International Symposium.

Miles, M., & Huberman, A. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: an expanded sourcebook. California: Sage Publications.

Preuss, H. (2007). The Conceptualisation and Measurement of Mega Sport Tourism. Journal of Sport & Tourism, 12(3-4), 207-227.

Thomson, A., Schlenker, K., & Schulenkorf, N. (2009, 6-8 July). The Legacy-Factor: Towards conceptual clarification in the sport event context. Paper presented at the International Event Management Research Symposium, Gold Coast, Australia.