The idea of our research was triggered by the fact that Qatar organizes more than 70 sports events per year, 14 of them are international events. The success of mega events is usually assessed using tangible benefits albeit the financial ones. However, it is becoming more and more important to assess intangibles benefits and impact that such events have on the society like capacity building, public value creation and positively enhancing the sports culture in general.

Aim and objectives

The overall aim of this original project is to explore and codify our knowledge of organizational capacity and intangible legacy creation resulting from hosting mega sport events and interactions involving Qatari National Sport Organizations (NSO) and Higher
Education institutions (HE). The project specific research objectives are to: 1. Examine the process of capacity building and intangible legacy creation within NSO/HE resulting from mega sport events activities; 2. Analyze how different publics (students, academics, officials and organizations) perceive and engage with mega events; 3. Critically evaluate the structural changes (i.e., personal, organizational, social and political) as a result of interactions stimulated by mega events; 4. Develop a methodology for measuring capacity building and intangible legacy of mega sport events within the higher education, non-profit and sport sectors.

The study utilizes a longitudinal (three years) multiple cases research design from 2023 to 2025 and will capture three different sport events including, Asian Men Handball Qualification for 2024 Paris Olympic Games, World Aquatics Championship Doha 2024, and Diamond League 2025. These events have different appeal and resource mobilization potential thus, allowing for comparisons and trends identification. We will capture the social interactions stimulated by mega sporting events, the resource exchanges taking place, organizational capacity building (i.e., skills, knowledge, networks, policy and governance) and the intangible impacts of the events. This has never been achieved before and would represent a major contribution to international sport federations (FIFA, FINA and WA) strategies to enhance the global appeal of sport and its impact on societies and individuals.

Impact

The project will deliver several conceptually meaningful and practically-relevant outcomes including mapping and visualizing the social interactions and resource exchanges that have taken place as a result of hosting mega sporting events; pen portraits of stakeholders’ engagement with mega events; an evidence-based methodology for measuring the intangible impacts of mega sport events; teaching materials and practical guides. The media coverage of the project will create some spin offs that will enhance the standing of participating institutions and the image of Qatar in general. The project outcomes will result in three main impacts including instrumental (i.e., influencing NSO and HE’s policies, practices and behaviors); conceptual (i.e., understanding the link between mega events and capacity as a policy issue, and shaping the debate around the subject); and capacity building (i.e., introducing new educational courses, technical and personal skill development).