If you followed the Paris 2024 Olympics broadcast, you’ll have noticed the breathtaking city backdrop to events, the festive atmosphere and active support of spectators. Touted as marking a new era, the games introduced several innovations in its planning and delivery – starting with an opening ceremony outside a stadium for the first time ever.
I was fortunate to be among the Paris crowd as both a researcher and a sport fan. I research and teach sport tourism and international events. I’ve studied event impacts, especially on city branding, and the legacies of sport mega-events, most notably the 2010 men’s football World Cup in South Africa.
