Quantitative analysis of sport development event legacy : an examination of the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships

Research question: This study explores whether the conduct of an unleveraged major event, the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships, leaves a legacy in terms of making a contribution towards the ongoing sport development of surf life-saving. This is an area of event legacy research that has received little empirical research. Research methods: Secondary data sources from the event host organisation were used as indicators of sport development. Regression analysis, adjusting for changes in the outcome variable outside of the host location (Perth, Western Australia), was used to identify if hosting the event was associated with changes in indicators of attracting, retention and nurturing of sport members in the host location. Results and findings: The only significant adjusted results were a decrease in membership for the host club and an increase in competitor numbers for Western Australia and the Perth metropolitan area, suggesting hosting the event offered some retention and nurturing opportunities for sport development. Implications: This study contributes to sport event legacy literature through examining a non-mega, single sport event and its effects on sport development and suggests that hosting the event only had a limited effect on indicators of sport development. The study uses a regression analysis method that could be used to examine legacy from other events.