OPINION
“Although it can take many years for an event agency to reach a mature operating position, it is clear that when it does, the benefits are there for the taking.”
they will deliver. As part of this, all event agencies will be responsible for develop- ing an event strategy, which will provide the overall framework within which they will operate and act as the report card against which they will be judged. This alone ensures that time, resources and money are not wasted on bidding for events that do not deliver the required benefits or are strategically irrelevant. Secondly, the presence of an event
agency serves to avoid duplication of effort across the full range of interested parties, as the agency will be ultimately responsible for bidding for the events. Linked to this, by having this one point of contact and responsibility, it ensures that knowledge, experience and lessons gained from bids are not lost or dissipated across a variety of organisa- tions. This is vitally important in order to build a culture of successful bidding. So, on this basis, what are the
prospects for those countries that do not have an event agency? The evidence would suggest that it's going to become more and more difficult for them to compete on an equal footing in an ever more competitive arena. Not only are there those countries that already have well-developed agencies, but there
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Winning and successfully delivering a major sporting event can bring great rewards
are numerous examples of emerging countries in, for example, the Middle East, whose appetite for major events is growing at a rapid rate and which also have the financial clout to feed it.
BEST WAY FORWARD The risks for those countries without an agency, but which have a general aspiration to host events, is that they enter into bidding competitions without a realistic chance of success (and critically are unaware of this fact), or waste time targeting events that are not right for them or that are based solely on the whims of senior politicians. This is because they do not have a clear idea of which events are the most appropriate and why, who is responsible for leading the bidding and delivery, and who has the skills and expertise required to make a meaningful contribution.
SPORTS MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK 2013 Although it can take many years for an
event agency to reach a mature operat- ing position, it is clear that when it does, the benefits are there for the taking. Scotland, which has around five million inhabitants, has successfully secured the Commonwealth Games, numerous world and European championships and has been put forward as the UK’s host for the Youth Olympics. This success shows what an effective event agency can achieve. Some countries out there are in danger of being left to scrap over relatively insignificant and marginal events. When the size of the prize is so large, can they afford to ignore the issue? l
Simon Molden is Director of Major Events at The Sports Consultancy
simon@thesportsconsultancy.com
www.sportsmanagementhandbook.com
PIC: ©
LONDON2012.COM
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