Events

In this second posting of two, further content is presented here that was part of a keynote speech I gave at the European Academy of Management’s (EURAM) Sport Management Special Interest Group in Valencia. The presentation was entitled: ‘Issues in event management the challenges ahead’, and contained observations in ten areas’.

 

MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS AND REPUTATION

Examples

-UEFA Champions League

-2022 World Cup, Qatar

Some issues to consider

-Positioning and nation branding

-Communicating vision and goals

-Establishing, building, maintaining reputation

 

Possible research opportunities

-How can events be used to build nation brand?

-Can global message be created and managed?

-Ways through which reputation established?

 

MANAGING VOLUNTEERS AND CASUAL WORKERS

Examples

-Fulham Football Club and its attempts to retain stewarding staff

-2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester and its relationship with Adecco

 

Some issues to consider

-Recruiting and retaining such workers

-Training and developing such workers

-Creating value-adding partnerships

 

Possible research opportunities

-How can workers be motivated to remain?

-How to establish and maintain consistent service?

-How recruitment/retention be linked to partnership?

 

SPONSORSHIP RIGHTS, ACQUISITION AND MANAGEMENT

Examples

-IOC TOP sponsorship model

-UEFA Champions League & Europa League

 

Some issues to consider

-Sale and acquisition of rights

-Nature and management of sponsorship portfolio

-Protecting investments e.g. ambushing

 

Possible research opportunities

-Alternative models of selling/buying rights?

-Creation of value-adding partnership opportunities?

-Creation of model to address sponsorship threat?

 

EVENT FORMAT

Examples

-X-Games

-IPL cricket

 

Some issues to consider

-The product on offer

-The format of the product

-The rules related to the product

 

Possible research opportunities

-How to create new products; for who, for what?

-What is the optimum format for a sport?

-How can rules deliver broader aims?

 

DARK SIDE OF EVENTS

Examples

-2022 FIFA World Cup, Qatar (issues pertaining to labour conditions)

-2006 FIFA World Cup, Germany (issues pertaining to prostitution and people trafficking)

 

Some issues to consider

-Migrant labour, piracy and construction

-Event concessions, protests and civil rights

-Crime and security

 

Research opportunities

-Can event hosting drive socio-cultural change?

-How to manage needs of multiple stakeholders?

-How can events promote positive behaviours?

About Professor Simon Chadwick

Professor Simon Chadwick set-up and edits The Scorecard. He is Director of CIBS (Centre for the International Business of Sport) at Coventry University, where he works as Professor of Sport Business Strategy and Marketing. Simon tweets via Prof_Chadwick