Open AccessMega-events, expansion and prospects: Perceptions of Euro 2020 and its 12-country hosting format
Author(s) -
Jan André Lee Ludvigsen
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of consumer culture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.165
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1741-2900
pISSN - 1469-5405
DOI - 10.1177/14695405211026045
Subject(s) - mega , opposition (politics) , politics , sociology , event (particle physics) , globalization , china , political science , law , physics , quantum mechanics , astronomy
Mega-events occupy important roles within global consumer societies, and so, this article aims to advance the sociological understanding of mega-events by using UEFA Euro 2020 as a case. Traditionally, sport mega-events have been staged in one or two countries. However, for the first time ever, 12 European countries shared the hosting rights for Euro 2020, which was postponed for a year following COVID-19. In global sports, this temporary shift was highly remarkable and the 12-country format’s implications raised a host of sociological questions. Drawing upon qualitative interviews, documentary analysis and media sources, this article examines this mega-event’s distinctive format and its broader implications. The article explores the socio-political conditions under which Euro 2020’s format became a reality and examines stakeholder outlooks on this event format. It is argued that the event’s format was considered to limit negative ‘legacies’ for host cities, yet the format was perceived to generate logistical and financial difficulties for potential mega-event consumers. In an epoch characterized by growing opposition to mega-event hosting, such findings are particularly important.