HOW A COUNTRY CAN BECOME A GOOD HOST FOR MEGA SPORT EVENT?

Major sporting competitions and tournaments are regarded as ‘events’ to be ‘marketed’ and ‘managed’, and terms such as ‘hallmark’ and ‘mega’ suggest that size really does matter. The lure of large and spectacular events is thought to be an expedient way to attract media interest in a host city and nation, which, it is hoped, will translate into an influx of capital through tourism and new investment. Over the past few years, however, sports events have been conceptualized within literature on mega-events or considered in events management frameworks. A critical literature has also emerged that examines the claims for economic return proposed by event promoters and the actual costs as well as associated economic and social benefits. A framework of event legacy has now emerged as the focal lens for assessing the relative long -lasting impact of hosting a sports event. The branding of destinations as desirable sites for new investment and tourist consumption has included sport and sporting events as key elements of new economic development strategies. We now live in an age of special events and a major part of national, regional and local politics is tied up with boosterism and branding through the hosting of special events.