THE SOCIAL EFFECTS THAT MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS HAVE ON HOSTING CITIES: A CASE STUDY OF THE RUGBY WORLD CUP 2015 IN CARDIFF

Abstract

Major sporting events such a The Rugby World Cup and FIFA World Cup have grown considerably in demand from perspectives of both spectators and organising bodies. The sports events industry has never experienced such high demand with hundreds of major sporting events occurring across the sporting calendar year. The scope and variety of these events cause a range of social effects to the host cities. The aim of the research study was to identify and analyse the social effects that major sporting events have on host cities using The Rugby World Cup 2015 as a case study. The study consists of a case study concerning The Rugby World Cup 2015 and the social effects that were caused as a result to the city of Cardiff. The study involved primary research in the form of a questionnaire and two focus groups with Cardiff residents to gather data to identify and determine study findings. The research indicates that The Rugby World Cup 2015 created both positive and negative social effects however the findings sway more towards positive social effects. The research reveals that The Rugby World Cup 2015 created several positive social effects towards Cardiff. These effects included social cohesion, cultural identity, positive atmosphere, raising the host city profile and pride. The study also identifies and specifies a range of negative social effects such as antisocial behaviour, traffic congestion and large crowds. The key findings of the study imply that traffic congestion and poor travel networks are the leading social factors that contribute to the downfall of major sporting events, whilst the pride of the hosting city’s community and cultural identity are the main social effects that can make a major sporting event unique. The identified positive and negative social effects are all important aspects of major sporting event planning and implementation. It is important to identify these effects to allow planning to occur to prevent the negative social effects and encourage the positive social effects for future major sporting events. The researcher concluded the study by giving his own opinion and stating that The Rugby World Cup 2015 in Cardiff created more positive social effects than negative effects.