Was Glasgow 2014 inspirational? Exploring the legacy impacts of a mega-sport event via the theorized demonstration and festival effects

The potential legacy of mega-sport events to increase physical activity and sports participation among the host community has been recognized. As part of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014, a longitudinal dataset was collected, focusing on the ‘Active’ legacy domain, which aimed to help the Scottish population become active and lead healthier lifestyles. The study investigated if the event changed behaviours and attitudes towards sport and physical activity among the host community through two theorized legacy pathways: (1) demonstration; and/or (2) festival effect. Results showed that the demonstration and festival effects were relevant to the community but they were largely ineffective in changing attitudes or behaviours, suggesting that, the mechanisms were operative but not effective. It is essential that future mega-sport events implement effective promotional campaigns to engage the host city and implement initiatives alongside the event to increase physical activity and sports participation in the longer term.