Title: Assessing the impact of sports mega-events in transition economies: EURO 2012 in Poland and Ukraine

Authors: Brad R. Humphreys, Szymon Prokopowicz

Addresses: Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 104 Huff Hall, 1206 S. Fourth St., Champaign, IL 61820, USA. ' The University of Economics in Poznan, Poland

Abstract: Developing economies have increasing interest in hosting sports mega-events. Poland and Ukraine are the finalists to host the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) 2012 Football Championship. Although the event will attract a large number of spectators and television viewers, a simple cost benefit analysis indicates that the costs of hosting the event will exceed the direct economic impact related to increased tourist spending by a wide margin and the presence of positive benefits depends on benefits from factors like improvements in the transportation infrastructure. Sports mega-events may not be effective regional economic development vehicles in transition economies.

Keywords: economic impact; sports mega-events; sports tourism; transition economies; Union of European Football Associations; UEFA European football championships; Euro 2012; soccer; Poland; Ukraine; cost-benefit analysis; regional development; sport management; sport marketing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2007.013963

International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 2007 Vol.2 No.5/6, pp.496 - 509

Published online: 05 Jun 2007 *

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