Countries that host major sporting tournaments experience increased happiness among the population regardless of the home nation’s success, according to a new study.
Researchers from the Cass Business School in London used a cross section of data from surveys of reported happiness in European countries from the last 30 years linked with the success of national teams in the summer Olympics and major international football tournaments.
And they concluded that hosting major events, particularly marquee football tournaments such as the World Cup or the European Championships, is associated with increased reported happiness in the following year no matter how well or badly the hosts have performed.
The study appears to support the views of politicians that bid for such tournaments on the basis that they have many unseen benefits, rather than specifically for economic reasons.
Research leader Professor Stefan Szymanski said: “There is much academic research to prove that the economic benefits of hosting major sporting events such as the Olympics are negligible.
“However this does not take into consideration the pleasure which can be gained by the residents of the host nation as they welcome the world’s greatest athletes to their country.
“This is not to say there are no economic benefits to hosting major sporting events, particularly the Olympics, but the organising committees should face up to the reality that the resources employed for the event could have been more productively used elsewhere and that they are really just sponsoring an international party.
“Sport is a form of entertainment and with governments seeming to carry the cost burden for the Olympics the public perception can be that they are receiving free entertainment, which for many is quite satisfying.”
The study’s results come soon after Euro 2008 co-hosts Austria and Switzerland both suffered first-round exits at their own tournament this summer and London continues to make preparations for hosting the Olympic Games in 2012.
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