Reimaging The City: The Value Of Sport Initiatives

A growing number of post-industrial cities are utilizing sport initiatives to present an attractive image to potential tourists. Despite insufficient evidence of (and explanations for) image effects, it is widely assumed that these initiatives have the capacity to enhance city images. The aim of this paper is to explore the value of sport as a reimaging theme for the contemporary city destination. This assessment is based primarily on evidence regarding the effects of initiatives adopted by three English cities: Birmingham, Manchester, and Sheffield. The findings suggest that, although sport reimaging does exhibit some advantageous qualities, there are also significant problems associated with this mode of place marketing.

Thanks to Chris Steins