Main Aim(s) of the Unit:

The unit aim is to provide students with the underpinning knowledge for the understanding of the growth and significance of the ‘sports events’ market. To define ‘events’ in terms of type, scale and significance. Its uniqueness stems from the blend of management program, setting and people. Furthermore the types of sports events in terms of size; Major, Hallmark and Mega-events.

Another unit aim is to enable students to be able to assess the influence of governments and the role they can play in events and the use of events by the corporate sector. Also to look at the impact of events and their longer term legacies they can leave behind from governments and communities.

The final aim is to look at the concept of sustainable development. In particular, how large scale sporting events have become a vehicle for processing their host community’s efforts at sustainable development.

Main Topics of Study:

Events – What are they? Types of events

• The events market is huge and expanding.
• There is a need to understand the term ‘Special Event’.
• Furthermore to look at types of sports events in terms of size, Major, Hallmark and Mega-events.

The role of governments can play in events and the use of events by the corporate sector

• Governments play a leading role in events and increasingly employ event strategies in order to guide their involvement.
• Some have used them in tandem with other policies and strategies as tools for urban regeneration and development.
• The corporate use of events for internal and external benefit and return on investment (ROI).

Event impact and legacies

• Events aspects such as; social, cultural, economic, environmental or political aspects.
• Economic impacts and the role of government.
• Community perceptions of event impacts.
• Monitoring the long-term impacts and legacies.

Sustainable development and the Olympic games

• Sports events: and the concept of sustainable development.
• Large scale sporting events and how they have become a vehicle for processing their host community’s efforts at sustainable development.

Learning Outcomes for the Unit

At the end of this Unit, students will be able to:

1. Understand the scale and type of different sports events
2. Understand the role of governments and the use of sports events by the corporate sector
3. Understand the different impacts of sports events and their longer-term legacies
4. Understand the concept of sustainable development and how they have used this for processing their host community’s effort

Learning and teaching  methods/strategies used to enable the achievement of learning outcomes:

Learning takes place on a number of levels through lectures, class discussion including problem review and analysis. Formal lectures provide a foundation of information on which the student builds through directed learning and self managed learning outside of the class. The students are actively encouraged to form study groups to discuss course material which fosters a greater depth learning experience.

Assessment methods which enable student to demonstrate the learning outcomes for the Unit:

Examination: 3 hours duration

Indicative Reading for this Unit:

Main Text:

Taylor P (Ed) (2010) Torkildsen’s Sport and Leisure Management. Abingdon: Routledge.

Alternative Texts and Further Reading
Shone A and Parry B (2010) Successful Event Management. Andover: South –Western Cengage Learning

Westerbeek H (2005) Managing sport facilities and major events Abingdon : Routledge

Useful websites
Taylor Torkildsen’s Sport and Leisure Management (2010) companion website: http://cw.routledge.com/textbooks/taylor

Shone A and Parry B (2010) Successful Event Management: http://cengagae.co.uk

Guideline for Teaching and Learning Time (10 hrs per credit)

50 hours Lectures / Seminars / Tutorials / Workshops:
Tutorial support includes feedback on assignments and may vary by college according to local needs and wishes.

50 hours Directed learning:
Advance reading and preparation / Class preparation / Background reading / Group study / Portfolio / Diary etc

100 hours Self managed learning:
Working through the course text and completing assignments as required will take up the bulk of the learning time.  In addition students are expected to engage with the tutor and other students and to undertake further reading using the web and/or libraries.