Sports Event Management

Sports Event Management Introduction Within the past decade there has been an unprecedented demand to host major sporting events by several of the worlds most prominent cities. This is due to such events fulfilling certain multis of project management endeavors can be seen in the promotion of a particular product utilizing a new branding strategy, the creation of a new product line for a company or actions which focus on creating a greater sense of public awareness of the companys adherence to Corporate Social Responsibility (i.e. charity work or replacing new equipment to comply with environmental regulations). It must also be noted that project management is often constrained by factors related to scope, time and cost and as such it is the goal of all project managers to implement a process that takes these limitations into consideration in order to create a high quality outcome that fits within such constraints.Advertising We will write a custom dissertation sample on Sports Event Management spec ifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In summary it can be stated that project management is a step by step procedure utilized in order to accomplish a goal within the scope, time and cost limitations imposed upon the process being implemented by the project manager. Event Management The discipline of event management came about as direct result of the proliferation of large and small events occurring at the local level and the need to implement proper management procedures to ensure their success (Adams and Thomas, 2005: 100). On the other hand Adams and Thomas (2005) note that as a professional discipline events management is still in its infancy and state that there is no overarching process drawing all the different functions or activities of event management together despite the proliferation of text books, trade publications and community programs (Adams and Thomas, 2005: 100). Despite this the event industry is still one of the largest employe rs in the world and actually contributes towards positive economic impacts for local communities. What must be understood is that the way in which an organization chooses to handle a particular event is known as events management and is composed of organizational objectives spanning factors such as: organizing funding, managing staff, assigning roles and responsibilities, marketing and public relations, ticketing, security etc. (Kose, Argan and Argan, 2011: 2) As Kose, Argan and Argan (2011) state The linkages between the various departments within the organization required to handle events and the flow of this information between them is the focus of event management (Kose, Argan and Argan, 2011: 2). It is based on this that the practice of events management can be summarized as a way in which organizations implement guiding practices so as to influence the flow of activities, events and people within a particular venue to ensure smooth methods of operation and a successful climate for socialization, presentation and observation.Advertising Looking for dissertation on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Relations between Project management and Event management As the number, size and complexity of special events have increased within the past three decades it has become increasingly apparent that proper management and planning efforts are needed in order to make such events a success. In fact it is not uncommon for business events, such as professional conferences, to attract 5,000 or more attendees with sporting events drawing in people by the thousands as well. This creates simultaneous problems in the form of crowd and traffic control, proper scheduling, ticketing and overall organization which needs to be addressed otherwise the entire event will descend into chaos. While the discipline of event management has been utilized as of late to address this need the fact still remains that it is still in the process of developing a sufficient body of knowledge to be recognized as a profession. As Adams and Thomas (2005) indicate there is a need for an overarching process in its develo pment and as such this is where the discipline of project management enters the picture. By utilizing the body of knowledge of project management as a guide for development the field of event management has quickly developed into a profession by using the project management model as the basis for its management practices. Adams and Thomas (2005) pursue this particular line of reasoning by indicating that while special events form an industry specific group the fact still remains that they are still projects and function as projects (Adams and Thomas, 2005: 113). In fact Adams and Thomas (2005) compare special event management practices as being derived from project management practices with components currently utilized in event processes being a mixture of both project management and event management disciplines (Adams and Thomas, 2005: 111). Further evidence of this can be seen in a comparison of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) with that of the special events mana gement practices from the work of OToole examined by Adams and Thomas (2005). PMBOK defines an average project life cycle as consisting of the following five processes: an initiation process which authorizes the project or plan, a planning process that defines and refines objectives which allows the best of alternative courses of action to be attained, an executing process involves carrying out the plan using the resources allocated, a controlling process which monitors and measures project progress regularly to ensure appropriate corrective action can be taken when necessary, and a closing process which involves a formal acceptance of project completion and the termination of any contracts† (Adams and Thomas, 2005: 107). In comparison 6 of the 13 special event management processes consisting of: scope, time, communication, human resources, risk and procurement are virtually identical to the project management knowledge areas indicated in PMBOK. Not only that the seven other e vent management processes describe by OToole which were examined by Adams and Thomas (2005) comprising of: finance, design, stakeholder, site choice, sponsorship, marketing and deadline while not identical to PMBOK knowledge areas can actually be found within several existing PMBOK processes (Adams and Thomas, 2004: 112). It is based on this that it can be seen the relationship between project management and event management is a cos of this can be seen in problems that may occur in sufficiently coordinating and controlling the crowd of people going in and out of the venue, the possibility of long lines at the restrooms or even unruly crowds during the event itself (Walker, Heere, Parent, and Drane 2010: 659 680). As such these present numerous risks to the event that need to be dealt with in order to ensure its success. Conceptual understanding about successful management of sport event Based on the various factors presented in can be seen that the successful management of a sport ing event is based on minimizing challenges and risks that occur at the onset and during the event while ensuring that there is a sufficient logistical infrastructure in place in order to ensure proper organizational efficiency (Riggs, Epting, Hanky, and Knowles, 2011: 299 204). It was seen that sports event management is not limited to dealing with creating the event alone but also needs to take into account positive relations with the local community in order to get any major sports event underway. This involves having to implement marketing and media relations in order to portray the positive aspects of a sporting event and how it will not detrimentally impact members of the local community and in fact will be a boon to them. Also, while it may be true that a sporting event does create a distinct positive economic impact with local businesses the fact remains that it should be profitable venture for the organizers as well. Taking this into consideration it is often necessary to create links with local government and private companies to share in the burden of managing and initially funding the event so as to ensure that there is a sufficient monetary and organizational structure behind the event itself. What must also be taken into consideration is the fact that a sports event can be considered as a form of project and as such it is constrained by factors related to scope, time and cost. As such taking such limitations into consideration it is necessary to implement an backbone logistical structure so as to ensure that there is an organized method behind the operations of the sports event management team. This is done by first implementing SMART goals, creating a logistical overlay of what is necessary for each department, separating staff into individual teams and giving each team their own aspect of the event to be responsible for. By ensuring that each team complies with their given instruction this creates an effective means of ensuring that the sporti ng event can become a success. On the other hand it is also equally important to note that managing a sporting event is not limited to creating the event itself but ensuring that it has a positive impact on the participants and spectators as well. This involves implementing positive atmospherics during the event so as to create an effective visual stimulation for players and audiences a like. Reference List Appelbaum, S, Adeland, E and Harris, J, 2005. Management of Sports Facilities: Stress and Terrorism Since 9/11. Management Research Review, 28, 69 82. Chadwick, S, 2009. 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