module specification

This module provides an insight into the strategic management and marketing of sports events, with contextual focus on the NFL in London and the Olympic Games.  The module provides a framework of the sports event planning process, using short and long-term strategies. Following the phenomenal success of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the staging of many of the world’s major sports events in the UK over the next ten years, the importance of sports events have taken on a new meaning as they penetrate our every day lives. By the end of this module students will not only have an enhanced theoretical understanding of the concept of sports event organisation and management and the importance of a strategic approach, but will know how to implement strategies that can achieve successful sports events over the short and long-term.

This module is Core for BA (Honours) Sports Business Management.

This module aims to:

1. Give students an overview of the sports and events industries, the historical perspective, the importance and the scale;
2. Provide an enhanced theoretical understanding of the concept of sports event organisation and management and the issues surrounding the application of principles in practice.
3. Examine the application of marketing, public relations and communications theory and models to sports events;
4. Identify the inter-relationship between media and the variety of audiences/consumers in sports events;
5. Offer a constructive critique of alternative marketing approaches and techniques in sports events.

The module also aims to develop students’ skills, in particular:

• Academic Reading & Writing 
• Researching
• Communicating/presenting – orally and in writing, including inter-cultural communication
• Critical Thinking and Writing
• Problem Solving and Decision Making
• Interpersonal, including collaborating / working with others, cross cultural awareness, having a positive attitude, negotiation and persuasion

The module is structured around the events planning / management process and includes coverage of the following topics:

1. Introduction - Definitions of Events / Scope of the Events Industry / Stakeholders
2. Event Design and Themes
3. Event Planning Process / Event Project Management
4. Impacts of Events
5. Management / Organisation
6. Human Resource Management / Volunteer Management
7. Teamwork and Group Performance
8. Finance / Budgeting/Revenue and Price Management
9. Logistics
10. Production / Staging
11. Organization and Management of Mega Events
12. Mega Events: Bidding, Staging, Evaluation
13. Impacts of Mega Events on Host City Infrastructure and Development
14. Organization and Management of Mass Participation Sports Events
15. Organization and Management of Sports Tournaments and Festivals
16. Marketing / Promotion
17. Sponsorship and Fundraising
18. Media management and Sales
19. Risk Management and Risk Assessment
20. Legal Issues & Licensing
21. Health & Safety Requirements
22. Contingency Planning
23. Evaluation and Legacy

Lectures give an overview to be supplemented by further reading in preparation for discussions and presentations during connecting seminars the following week. Seminars are designed to encourage the application of concepts and theories obtained from the lecture and readings to a particular scenario or problem or applied to event management. Students will be expected to undertake a large amount of self directed learning, including the reading of indicative texts and case studies in preparation for assessments. It is intended to develop a web support site for the module in order to assist students with their directed and self-managed learning. Self-managed learning will take place mainly around a) students own contributions to the seminar series and b) their coursework preparation and c) participation in on-line activities.

On successful completion of this module the student will be able to:

1. Appreciate the size and nature of the sports events industry as a whole focusing on the roles of international and national sports governing bodies;
2. Analyse the definition and framework of events management;
3. Analyse and evaluate marketing strategies of sports events;
4. Evaluate the contribution of sponsorship and broadcast rights to the development of sports events;
5. Apply the principles of financial planning and control in order to maximise event revenue;
6. Critically examine the impacts and legacies of events;
7. Understand the management structures and networks that are set-up in order to implement mega events such as the Olympics;
8. Understand the planning, bidding, staging and evaluation phases of mega events such as the Olympic Games;
9. Collect and critically evaluate stakeholder feedback in informing event success and any local legacies;
10. Critically identify sports event monitoring and evaluation techniques.

There are three components to the assessment strategy.

• A written coursework essay of 2,000 words will require students to undertake an analysis of a sports event management topic chosen from a list provided. This will test certain aspects of the learning outcomes;
• A 25-minute Group Presentation on an event management topic (15-minutes presentation and 10-minutes discussion) that will allow students to enhance their communications skills so essential for employability.  This will test certain aspects of the learning outcomes;
• A written coursework report of 3,000 words on a case study of an international, national, or local sports event, in which the student is required to attend the event and to reflect on and evaluate the organisation and management of the event based on research gathered by means of direct observation and questioning of appropriate people. This task is related to learning outcomes 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9.

Key Texts:
• Bowdin, G., McDonnell, I., Allen, J., O’Toole, W. (2010) Events Management 3rd edition. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
• Masterman, G (2005) Strategic Sports Event Management-An International Approach, Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann.
Westerbeek H, Smith A, Turner P, Van Leeuwen L, Emery P & Green C (2006) Managing Sport Facilities and Major Events. Routledge 

 

Recommended Reading:
• Allen, J. (2010) Event Planning Ethics and Etiquette: A Principled Approach to the Business of Special Event Management. New York: Wiley.
• Allen, J. (2005) Time Management for Event Planners. New York: Wiley.
• Berridge, G. (2006) Event Design and Experience. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Getz, Donald (1997) Event management & event tourism, New York: Cognizant Communication Corp.
• Cashman and Hughes (1999) Staging the Olympics: The Event and Its Impact. University of NSW Press.
• Getz, D. (2007) Event Studies: Theory, Research and Policy for Planned Events. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
• Goldblatt, J.J., Delpy Neirotti, L.A., and Graham, S. (2001) The Ultimate Guide to Sport Event Management and Marketing, 2nd edn, New York, London: McGraw-Hill.
• Gratton C and Henry I (2001) Sport in the City: The Role of Sport in Economic and Social Regeneration. Routledge. 


• Hoyle, L. (2002) Event Marketing: How to Successfully Promote Events, Festivals, Conventions, and Expositions. New York: Wiley.
• Lagae, W. (2005). Sports Sponsorship and Marketing Communications: A European Perspective, London: FT Prentice Hall.
• Masterman, G. and Wood, E. (2005) Innovative Marketing Communications: Strategies for the Events Industry. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
• Parks, Janet; Quarterman, Jerome; Thibault, Lucie - Editors (2007) Contemporary Sport Management, 3rd edn, Champaign, IL:  Human Kinetics
• Raj, R., Walters, P., Rashid, T. (2008) Events Management: An Integrated and Practical Approach. London: Sage
• Robinson, P., Wale, D., Dickson, G. (2010) Events Management. CABI: Wallingford
• Skinner, B. and Rukavina, V. (2002) The Event Sponsorship. New York: Wiley.
• Shone, A. and Parry, B. (2001) Successful Event Management. London: Continuum.
• Silvers, J. (2003) Professional Event Coordination. New York: Wiley.
• Solomon, J. (2002) An insider’s guide to managing sporting events, Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
• Tarlow, P. (2002) Event Risk Management and Safety. New York: Wiley.
• Torkildsen, G. (2005) Leisure and Recreation Management, 5th edn, London: Routledge.
• Tum, J., Norton, P., Nevan Wright, J. (2005) Management of Event Operations. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
• Van der Wagen, L. (2002) Event Management: For Tourism, Cultural, Business and Sporting Events. Melbourne: Hospitality Press.
• Van der Wagen, L. (2006) Human Resource Management for Events: Managing the event workforce. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
• Watt, D. (1998) Event Management in Leisure and Tourism, Harlow: Addison Wesley Longman.
• Yeoman, I., Robertson, M., Ali-Knight, J., Drummond, S., McMahon-Beattie, U. (eds.) (2003) Festival and Events Management: An International Arts and Culture Perspective. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
 

Journals
• Event Management