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5th International Sport Business Symposium/Olympic Games

When: —
Venue: Birkbeck Main Building, Malet Street

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The Olympic Games is the most prestigious sport event in the world which provides extraordinary sporting, social, cultural and environmental opportunities for the host city, region and country. This host city must make a colossal effort to not only fulfill all requirements to stage the Games, but also maximize the economic, social, environmental, political, and structural benefits that an Olympic Games can offer.

This “call for abstracts” is directed to researchers of all disciplines.

Hosting an Olympic Games can boost businesses, create new enterprises and improve upon existing city relations, promote the international image of host cities, accelerate urban redevelopment, and much more. It can enable changes, which might normally take several decades. This opportunity, however, is directly shadowed by risks and challenges during the preparation, operation, and legacy phases of the Games. Mismanagement, crowding-out, sunk costs and displacements of parts of the community are also possible effects from Olympic Games that need to be considered.

It is already a tradition for Olympic scholars to meet for a symposium during the Olympic Games.  Birkbeck College, University of London, is hosting the 5th International Sport Business Symposium on Tuesday 7th August, 2012, during the London Olympic Games fortnight. A strong programme of 24 research papers covering all the key aspects of Olympic related sport (business) research will be presented. In addition a number of leading figures in the Olympic Movement will present keynote speeches.

The location of the conference is the main Birkbeck building in Torrington Square, London WC1. For information on how to locate the conference venue please see: http://bbk.ac.uk/maps/ 

For information of wider involvement of Birkbeck students in the London Olympics see: http://www.bbk.ac.uk/news/birkbeckians-play-their-part-at-the-olympics 

Symposia often were held for specific occasions, the first famous one in 416 BC. The Greek symposium was a key Hellenic social institution. It was a forum to debate, plot, boast, or simply to revel with others and that is also our intention. Olympic scholars from all over the world will gather to exchange thoughts, present their Olympic work and to spend a good time together. In that spirit the conference is open to attendance by anyone with an interest in Olympic studies – it is not a requirement to be one of the presenters at the programme.

The conference fee is £35, which covers all catering during the event inclusive of the evening reception.

We look forward to seeing you in London on the 7th August.

With kind regards,

  • Holger Preuss Professor, Sport Sociology & Sport Economics, University of Mainz
  • Iain MacRury Associate Dean, School of Arts and Digital Industries, UEL
  • Sean Hamil Director, Birkbeck Sport Business Centre, Birkbeck College, University of London
  • Jean-Jacques Gouguet Professor, Economist, Centre de Droit et d’ Economie du Sport (CDES), University of Limoges
  • Benoît Séguin, Professor of Sport Management, University of Ottawa

NOTE: Please be reminded that many visitors are expected in London for the Olympic Games. The Symposium Organizing Committee cannot offer any service to find accommodation, hotel bookings, flights or other logistics.

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