User:Sam irwn/Bringing major sporting events and identities to Austrlian since 2006

Abstract
Sport is something of a national obsession in Australia. We are passionate and devoted supporters of all sports ranging from Tennis, Rugby Union, and League, basketball to softball, surfing and cricket. Having some of the best athletes and teams in the world competing nationally and international i.e. Mark Webber, Cadel Evans and the Australian men’s hockey team, our nation enjoys hosting such significant events in order to see our athletes and other countries star athletes participating.

That being the case, it is our governments (national, federal and state) who provided the Australian people with an opportunity to be associated with different sports, athletes and events. Since 2006 Australia has had the likes of Tiger Woods, David Beckham and the LA Galaxy, The Commonwealth Games and Michael Schumacher at the Australian Motor Grand Prix eventuate to our shores.

However, being able to attract, host and secure all these Australian sports fans dreams; there is a process in which must be upheld, along with many influential factors. Each event/identity comes with a fee, a fee which the Australian government looks upon, in order to determine whether or not the cost it deemed worthy of. Is it worth Australia paying $3 million dollars to see Tiger Woods play at the Australian Masters Golf?

Introduction
Sport is an iconic feature of Australian society, whether it features in the mist of the professional arena, or simply in the back yard, sport is Australia, and Australia is sport. We as an nation do not just play sport but we support sport even more, from our local Rugby League side to the Socceroos’s, Australia has a large commodity of supporters.

Australia has many different types of professional sports, ranging from cricket and surfing, to hockey and rugby union, a great variety that attracts and interests us all. But, Australia itself attracts different sports and identities to it shores to participate. While we host local competition and events such as NRL, AFL, A League and NBL, we also host and have hosted the likes of many major iconic international sporting events and identities e.g. 2000 Sydney Olympics, 2003 Rugby world Cup and Michael Schumacher.

But how is it that we attract the responsibility and pleasure of being the host nation to such events and athletic stars? The national, federal and state governments; It is these governments that provide our country, our sports fanatics with the opportunity to see and be a part of something they love, appreciate and support. What will be identified and explored are the event/identities that came to Australia from the year 2006 and onwards, as well the process of hosting the events/identities and the positive and negative effects and the gains and losses of these major sporting events/identities. Using these factors along with the likes of tourism and economical value it will be a means of identifying the research that is at state. As a result I will then be able to come to conclusion is it worth bringing major international events and identities Australian shores.

Securing major events/identities (the bidding process)
The initial process to gain these events/identities is through the bidding process. Event/identify bidding is a process of communication between the two main players; the event owner and the event bidder. The owner of the event is known as the entity, this entity can be the like of an international or national sporting organisation, which have possession of the rights to an event and are in search for a host organiser or event to participate in. The event bidder is an entity or organisation that is seeking to secure the rights to host an event or identity.

In relation to the 2006 Commonwealth games, the bidding process included The Australian Commonwealth games association (ACGA) carrying out a national competition among Australian State and Territory Governments to determine which Australian city should be put forward as the Australian candidate to host the 2006 Commonwealth Games. The criteria that was established and used to evaluate the proposals put forward included
 * Capacity for success in gaining the right to host the 2006 Games for Australia
 * Demonstrated ability to successfully host large international multi-sport events
 * Assistance to the Commonwealth Games movement in Australia
 * Provision of new and refurbished sports facilities for Commonwealth Games sports

Upon the approval by the government and ACGA, the successful city, in this case Melbourne would then present their bid to the Commonwealth Games Federation in hope of winning the bid to host the event. Other factors contributing to placing a bid in retrospect to Australian features include displaying out culture, tourist attractions, state of the art facilities, lifestyle and also cash influence. The reason as to why the government will place a bid to secure an event/identity is because of what it will initially bring to Australia e.g. economy boost, tourism and international recognition whilst it also is to provide the nations sporting fans with an opportunity to participate, support and watch childhood hero's or the best in the world.

Tourism factor
One of the major factors in attracting the likes of identities/event is that of the tourism buzz it will cause for Australia. With around 5.6 million international tourists arriving in Australia in 2007, tourism has become Australia’s biggest services export industry. In 2007 international visitors consumed around $23 billion worth of Australian goods and services. Tourism is an $81 billion industry for Australia and employs 464 500 people, 4.6% of total employment.

Tourists bring a boost to the local economy. In particular the local tourist trade, shops / hotels will benefit from the surge in visitor numbers. Tourism is not only international tourist but also local tourist. Due to these events/sports stars people from Australia may travel hours to hosting place generating another source of income towards the local economy. Tourism does not just factor in what the international subjects will provide but the locals as well.

As it can be seen, tourism is a major function towards the survival of Australia, that being the case attracting those big names and events, it will continue to bring people from all over Australia and the world for that matter to one particular city. Take the likes of Tiger Woods coming to Australia in 2009 as a perfect example. Tiger Woods inclusion in the 2009 Australian Masters was expected to boost tourism, create jobs for Victorians and beam Melbourne to millions of people through a worldwide television audience, as the economic benefits would outweigh the signing cost of Woods playing. In total it was thought that Woods would earn the Victorian state $12.54 million in economic benefits, which would offset Woods' $3 million appearance fee.

Positive aspects of hosting events/identities
Higher economic growth, job creation, influx of foreign visitors (tourism) and encouraged enhanced transport and infrastructure are some of the major positive factors. Locally, positive factors include the building of relationships and connection with events and identities, country unity, entertainment, crowd numbers and publicity. All factors construct a great basis as to why bring major sporting events/identities to Australia.

Economic Growth that has occurred from 2006 can be identified by the estimated $1.5 billion dollars revenue from the Commonwealth games, while the Australian Tennis Open continues to increase revenue as it is forecasted to grow to $152 million in 2010, up from $84 million in 2005. This growth put into perspective the amount of revenue a major event such as its self can bring in to the economy.



The likes of preparing for major event and identities especially if the event is a number of years away e.g. the commonwealth games, jobs will be created which will provide a great employment rate boost and opportunity for those unemployed. For the Commonwealth Games, Melbourne's premier sporting ground, the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), was redeveloped in preparation for the Games. An athlete's village in the inner suburb of Parkville housed approximately 7,000 athletes and support staff during the Games, and has been transformed into commercial housing with a distinctly eco-friendly image. Due to the securing of the games, this outcome expresses the positive nature of governments securing major sporting events.

Other positives that are to come out of louring international events and stars is the connection and relationships that are formed. More recently Tiger Woods has agreed to come back to Australia to play in the 2011 presidents cup golf tournament in Melbourne, this time bringing basketball legend Michael Jordan with him as US presidents cup team assistant captain. What this identifies is that Woods’s appearance in 2009 was a major success and built a relationship which lead to his return with Michael Jordan. While Jordan won’t be playing, his international stardom will attract even more publicity, supporters and income to the event based on his NBA credentials. More examples of relationship and connection gained is the Gold Coast bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, after seeing the success it bought Melbourne and David Beckham returning to our shores for a third time to play soccer against Melbourne Victory. Beckham’s first visit

attracted 80,000 fans to ANZ Stadium for the game against Sydney, thrilling the faithful when he scored with a trademark free kick. Seeing that one player can sell out 80,000 seats at ANZ Stadium and having the chance to host the commonwealth game again, it demonstrates the positives nature of securing these major sporting events and personality. Attendance numbers are also another major positive factor as seen by the 2010 Australian Open achieving the highest ever single-day day/night attendance record for any Grand Slam tournament of 77,043 and an overall attendance of 653,860.

Hosting the like of such major events and identities not only generate a relationship but also creates regeneration and produces a feel good factor buzz in society. It is hard to measure the size of buzz, but what is created is a huge uprise in Country pride, unity and excitement. Every time the Australian tennis open is on, all of Australia rally’s and gets behind every Aussie that is participating, willing the players to win for Australia. The inclusion of new surfing event ‘The Australian Open of surfing’ for 2012 in Manly by the NSW Government portrays the positive factor of building relationships, social buzz and national pride. The event will be global, multifaceted youth and sporting event that will showcase the best in surfing, skate, music, fashion and art with an expected spectator audience of 125,000 and is sanctioned by the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP). The buzz behind it and the support of many different aspects provide that positive vibe of something new and exciting coming to Australia to benefit everyone.

Negative aspects of hosting major events/identities


The major concern behind hosting these events and identities is the cost. What happens if it turns out to be a flop? How is it that you explain that the sporting event failed and you lose money? This is where the debate starts, is it worth the risk of potentially losing millions of dollars for event that isn’t successful and doesn’t offer anything in the near future. In Australia, debate has raged over the future of the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park following Lord Mayor Robert Doyle’s comment that the race has no future beyond its current contract, which expires in 2015. This comes as an issue after annual losses will soon become around the $70 million mark.

You can understand why the argument to disperse of events that are not bringing in substantial positive income is continually growing stronger. Again Tiger Woods fee to play at the Australian Master cost around $3 million of Victorian tax payers money, a prime example of the cost it takes to securing these likings. Not to mention that David Beckham and the LA Galaxy’s fee has not been disclosed to the knowledge of tax players at present.

It is the tax players that are the ones that tend to support the cost of major sporting events, and continued of this again features the 2006 Commonwealth Games. It was projected that the games cost would be $1 billion Australian (the majority of expenses paid by Victorian taxes payers) but later was found to actually cost for hosting the games $1.144 billion dollars. Still a significant amount of money which lead to the statement by National Party leader Peter Ryan saying that the Labor government should win "gold (medal) for burning money". This is an indication of the thoughts of bring such major events and identities with large sums of taxes payers money.

Another factor that needs to be identifies is whether or not the event/identity will come or take place again or with the infrastructure built for the event, will it be used in the future. While they may bring a buzz for a short period of time, in the long run will it be beneficial for society. Will it attract the same numbers as it did in its inaugural year or first appearance i.e. Australian Grand Prix, or Beckham’s second appearance which attracted only 24,000 people to the Newcastle Jets home ground? These factors must be taking into consideration when making a bid to host and event or sports start celebrity.

Major Sporting Event/identities in Australia since 2006
2006 events and identities:

Melbourne Commonwealth Games,Australian Grand Prix,Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix,Australian Open Tennis Championship,Fernando Alonso, Sydney to Hobart Yatch race

2007 events and identities:

Australian Superbikes World Championship round, Australian Motor GP Grand Prix, Australian Open Tennis Championships, Sydney to Hobart Yacht race, David Beckham, FINA World Aquatics Championships

2008 events and identities:

Australian Open Tennis Championships, Roger Federer, Australian Superbike World Championship round, Australian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton, Australian motorcycle Grand Prix, Sydney to Hobart Yacht race, Rugby League World Cup

2009 events and identities:

Tiger Woods,Australian Grand Prix,Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix,Australian Open Tennis Championship, Sydney to Hobart Yacht race, Rally Driving Australia race,Australian Superbike Grand Prix

2010 events and identities

David Beckham, Michael Schumacher, Australian Grand Prix,Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix,Australian Open Tennis Championship, Sydney to Hobart Yacht race, Rally Driving Australia race,Australian Superbike Grand Prix

2011 events and identities:

Lance Armstrong,David Beckham, Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Australian Grand Prix,Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix,Australian Open Tennis Championship, Sydney to Hobart Yacht race,Australian Superbike Grand Prix

Conclusion
We know that sport ventures onto Australian shores quiet a lot. We as Australians love sport; it provides us with a sense of unity and enjoyment. The events that the government bring into Australia through the paying of taxes in numbers seem like an issue. However the revenue that it is generating back from these events/identities is too greater to stop them from occurring. Sure there are times when it doesn’t seem worth it, but Australia has a long list of successful event and stars that have come here to participate, show of their talents and entertain us. What we pay for the securing of these high profile events and stars we get back in not just economical growth but in enjoyment, experiencing a once in a life time opportunity, and in some cases a life time of opportunity as Australia keeps hosting and securing. If we didn’t provide ourselves with the chance to invite and be host to some of the biggest stars and events in the world, then where would be today.