THE SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACT OF MEGA SPORTING EVENTS: A CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

The attention of the whole globe has been focused on major sporting occasions such as the Olympic Games, the FIFA globe Cup, and the Super Bowl. Sporting events have the potential to significant social and economic repercussions on host towns and countries. This study intends to examine the cultural, economic, and infrastructural variables that contribute to the varying impacts of large sports events on different countries. Our study takes a comparative approach, looking at how different host cities and countries have fared throughout the years. In this article, we explore the social, economic, and cultural effects of hosting major sports competitions and the differing degrees to impact various communities. In this study, we examine the beneficial effects of athletic mega-events by attributing them with characteristics like the ability to stimulate economic development, catalyze urban regeneration, inspire social change, and build destination brands, among others. Negative effect studies claim that sports mega-events can cause things like human rights violations, pollution, unbridled nationalism, corporate exploitation, and bribery of government officials. In the context of large-scale events, such as the Olympics or the World Cup of Football. Some of the biggest sporting events, like the Alpine and Biathlon World Championships have been able to go under the radar in the face of their more popular Mega counterparts. Chi-Square test is used to evaluate the performance of participants in mega sports events. Conclusions from this study show that the societal and economic effects of large-scale sporting events are intricate and situational. Ultimately, this study helps us better understand how big sporting events transform the socioeconomic landscape of host communities, which in turn improves our ability to plan and execute policies for future events.