A 6-minute presentation on why countries that cannot leverage off existing infrastructure should not bid to host big sporting events

1. Big Sporting Events: !
A Colossal Waste of Money
Why countries that cannot leverage off infrastructure
should not bid to host big sporting events
Emilia Spitz
Leeds University,
November 2013
Photo Source: The Atlantic Cities

2. Photo Source: Jornal Atual

3. What Can Go !
Well?
Increase in Tourism,
Raised Profile
True tourists might stay away
(Ex: 10% drop in summer tourism,
Athens 2004)
Brazil is high profile enough anyway
Job Creation & Boost to
the Economy
Stefan Szymanski (Soccernomics):
“Short Term Impact Only”
Long Term Legacy
Barcelona + Sydney + London
(Olympics) + Germany (World Cup) =
all cities/countries with existing
infrastructure
Photo Source: Anne Thorne Architects

4. What Can Go
Wrong?
Rushed Planning, Poor
Delivery, Overruns
Low Quality Construction due
to strained workforce
Bad PR
Brazil (recent protests),
Commonwealth Games in India
(not enough showers for the athletes!)
White Elephant
Syndrome
High Maintenance Costs
WSJ Study: “21 out of 22 venues in
Athens now empty/wasted”
South Africa: Cape Town, etc.
Photo Source: ABC Parish Blog

5. By The Numbers:
Andrew Zimbalist (The Economics of Mega Sporting Events):
“Nearly half of the revenue goes to the organizations [FIFA, IOC]”
South Africa WC:
recouped 1/10th of cost
Brazil WC estimate =
3x Germany WC
Rio 2016 estimate =
3x London 2012 budget
Data Source: Andrew Zimbalist, Americas Quarterly
Image Source: Blacknight & Rugs to My Door

6. In Conclusion:
An Expensive Mistake
“The answer does not lie in holding a one-off sporting event”
Former India Sports Minister & MP Mani Shankar at Intelligence Squared (Kiev, 2010)
Photo Source: io9 “After the Games...”