Sport and Its Role and Contribution to Society and Economic Development

s In this chapter we consider the role that sport plays within society. We focus on its contribution to key health issues such as fitness and obesity. We assess the importance of providing funding for sport. This has implications for the extent to which citizens of countries participate in sport at the “grass-roots” level. We note the great deal of variation which exists across geographic regions when it comes to funding sport in general and athletes in particular. In some regions sport is not seen as a priority, while in other countries, political leaders and governments see sport as the epitome of success and a statement of intent about their policies and political agendas. We consider the increasing growth in sport tourism as a viable contributor to the economy. We assess the concept of city-based branding, using sport as a central plank of that strategy. In the later part of the chapter we examine the importance of hallmark sports events. In particular, we assess the way in which cities and countries bid for such events and the criteria used by sports property owners to award the right to stage such events.