I am researching a session for our forthcoming Client Conference at the moment on the London 1948 Olympic Games. It has been fascinating to learn how the Olympic Games provided such a major source of social, psychological and economic healing to war-torn Britain.
Fast forward to the IOC's decision this evening to select Rio as the home of the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. There is no doubt that Rio's objective of using the Games as a lever for not just a growth economy, but a growth continent struck a chord. If 2016 achieves quite as much for Brazil as 1948 achieved for Britain, the 2016 Organising Committee will have achieved their objective.
All in all, I have to admit that I am disappointed on behalf of Chicago. That's sport I guess. Given that Britain will be handing Brazil the Olympic flag, let's hope they return the favour with the FIFA World Cup!
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Matt - you say you were disappointed, but were you surprised that Chicago missed out?
ReplyDeleteUntil the last 48 hours I was convinced that Chicago would win out, but much as with London 4 years previously there was definitely a strong energy around Rio in the 48 hours preceeding the vote.
ReplyDeleteHi Matt, given your comments about the effect on global sports being driven by the huge market in the US what are your thoughts about the effect Rio may have on the global scale of the smaller sports such as modern pentathlon, triathlon etc?
ReplyDeleteRegards, David
Hi there David - it's an interesting question. I think there are two opportunities for niche sports in the absence of a captive US (or Brazilian for that matter) market.
ReplyDeleteOpportunity one - the extent to which any sport can appeal as something for the man in the street to actually compete at...which can be played longer in life than football, and is less sedentary than golf. Essentially the 'healthy' option for ages 35-65.
I am biassed as a triathlete myself, but I certainly think that has a chance of doing so. Participation numbers are booming here in Europe.
The second route is tougher, but feasible. It is effectively to develop a reputation as a 'contest for the ultimate sportsperson'. Modern pentathlon is the search for the ultimate Olympian - it just needs to market itself as such. That's how Ironman triathlon started...and the numbers who will tune in online to watch that this weekend are staggering.
What do you think?
Cheers
Matt
Hi Matt, interesting ideas. I have to agree regarding the man in the street concept. I played county level and semi professional football until I was 23 and injuries stopped me. After that I slid into the sedentary life for a while (career and kids!!) and then after watching a local 10k, and then the coverage of the london marathon, started running and now run 4 times a week.
ReplyDeleteI think it was based on seeing the coverage of races like the marathon, in particular the average people like you and me doing it that clicked in my mind.
After the Beijing olympics I think that sports like cycling have really benefited from the success of Chris Hoy etc. I suppose this tells us that you need the elite end to perform and then be marketed effectively to compete against the mass participation sports such as football, golf etc.
Tennis springs to mind actually. In this country it seems that Tennis exists only in the last week of June for 2 weeks!!! And yet since Murray, who wins overseas and seems more at home on the hard courts, I think the awareness of the sport has changed. Again driven by the elite end of the sport.
I suppose that golf benefits from this 'sport for life' concept and that due to the handicap system the average golfer could, theoretically at least, compete against Tiger.
Do you think that the fact that some of the smaller sports don't have the ability to compete in races every week hurts this?
Using your example of triathlon, I think it wasn't until the growth of the shorter events that the whole scene has taken off. Of course this is now benefiting the Ironman distances as well. Just look at how many triathlon magazines there are now as opposed to just 10 years ago!!!
I guess that sponsorship also plays a key part. Not least the patience needed from the companies who invest. A difficult task given the current climate!
Cheers, David