This book offers new insight into International Sports Events (ISEs), examining the relationship between sport, tourism and events. It assesses sports events through the lens of both sports participants and spectators, based on three primary themes: impacts, experiences and identities. The first section of the book contributes to the future development of knowledge by analyzing the impact of sport events and their legacies from economic, environmental, social, sporting, political and cultural perspectives – an understanding of the impacts and potential legacies of sports events is fundamental to their future development. In the second section of the book, the focus moves from impact and legacy issues towards exploring consumer behaviour and participant experiences at a diverse selection of International Sports Events. The emphasis within this section is grounded within the tourism dimension of sports events. Section three of the book highlights the dominant role of identity at a diverse selection of sports events, and demonstrates how that identity is displayed whilst either watching or participating in sport and leisure.

The book provides an international analysis drawing on emerging empirical research conducted across a diverse range of sport and leisure activities and contrasting locations. Linked to the three underlying themes of the book, a future research agenda for International Sports Events is provided which is centred on four key pillars: impact, identity, internationalization and interdisciplinary research.

This timely book will be of interest to students, researchers and academics studying Event Management, Sport Management and Sport Tourism.

Contents

1. International Sports Events: Toward a Future Research Agenda Part1: Impacts and Legacies of International Sports Events 2. Evaluating Economic Impacts of International Sports Events 3. Exploring the Political and International Relations Dimensions of Hosting Sports Mega Events Through the Lens of theFA World Cup in South Africa 4. Mega Sports Events and the Potential to Create a Legacy of Increased Sport Participation in the Host Country: a London 2012 Olympic Promise or Olympic Dream? 5. ‘No manual available’: The Creation of a Youth Olympic Legacy: A Case of Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic 6. The Cultural Legacy of the 2012 Games 7. Sports Events: Do We Need to Set Limits? Part 2: Consumer Behaviour and the Participant Experience at Sports Events 8. Understanding the ‘Event Experience’ of Active Sports Tourists: Long Distance Endurance Triathletes 9. Sailing Events and the Participant Experience 10. Golf Tourists’ Satisfaction: Hard-core versus Recreational Golf Tourists 11. The Olympic Experience from a Distance: The Case of the Equestrian Events at the 2008 Games 12. Adventure Tourism as a Series of Memorable Events: Women Travellers Walking Experiences in New Zealand Part 3: Sports Events and Identities 13. Olympic Tourists: Seeking a Sense of Belonging a...