Sport participation is a claimed benefit of elite sport events, but the facts do not support that claim, and means to capitalize upon events in order to build participation have yet to be developed.Through a combination of dialectical inquiry, brainstorming and nominal group, 12 expert panellists were invited to consider the challenges, opportunities, and prospects of leveraging sport events to enhance sport participation at local levels. The model consists of three elements: (1) the hierarchical nature of the context (culture; opinions and attitudes; systems and structures), (2) three types of organizations with a stake in the leveraging process (event, sport, and non-sport entities), and (3) resources needed (human, physical, and knowledge). The centre reflects the core, which is sport participation. A series of strategic questions are presented to guide formulation and implementation of strategies and tactics for leveraging sport events to build sport participation.The findings are consistent with sport development outcomes from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. It is concluded that sport events can be leveraged to enhance sport participation if the necessary alliances among sport organizations, event organizers and non-sport stakeholders are forged to integrate each event into the marketing mix of sport organizations. It is also noted that potential barriers to enhanced participation need to be addressed, particularly lack of available capacity to absorb new participants, crowding out of local participation by the event, and the disincentives resulting from elite performances that seem outside the reach of aspiring participants.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

This study examines leisure-time sport participation among adults according to their socio-cultural background and from a time-trend perspective. Using stapled cross-sectional survey data, sport participation trends in Flanders (Belgium) are studied for the 1979-99 period. The study explores the extent to which social inequalities in leisure-time sport still prevail. The results indicate that age, gender and social class remain the most important factors influencing sport involvement. Differences according to age, gender and social class are not only found with respect to participation rates; even among sport participants, social differentiation takes place in terms of the organizational context and participation preferences. Using logistic regression modelling and canonical correlation analysis, stratification patterns and different sporting styles are identified in terms of activities. The findings are discussed in terms of three decades of the Sport for All movement in Flanders.