Measuring the Commonwealth impact
SubscribeRose Challies 27 April 2001
UK SPORT is undertaking groundbreaking research that will determine the impact of the 2002 Commonwealth Games on the people of Manchester. The study will focus on active participation levels.
The 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester next year provides an excellent opportunity for the UK to quantify the impact that a major sporting event has on a country.
The Games will give many of the public the chance to see the world’s sporting stars close-up for the first time. They will be able to witness new sports and enjoy the festival atmosphere that such a major event inevitably generates. But what impact will this have on the public’s long-term participation levels?
THE RESEARCH will look at the impact the Commonwealth Games has on the active playing of sport in Greater Manchester and the North West region. The study will focus on the young, sports club members and the black and ethnic minority communities.
The initial stages of the project are being carried out by the Manchester Institute for Popular Culture at Manchester Metropolitan University. They are currently collecting data from sports clubs, local authorities, national governing bodies and commercial sponsors in the region. This will provide valuable information on the range of sports development programmes and initiatives that are taking place, or are planned to take place, in connection with the Games.
