Major sporting events are having positive social impact across the UK
Together with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the National Lottery we are proud to have supported two World Cups which have shown the power sporting events can have to improve the lives of people and local communities across the UK .
In 2022, the World Gymnastics Championships were held in Liverpool while the Rugby League World Cup was held in cities across England.
Both impact reports have been released, showing the incredible impact of these events on the UK economy and local communities.
New report shows long-lasting social impact of Rugby League World Cup
A new report released today praises the significant social impact last year’s Rugby League World Cup (RLWC2021) had off the pitch. Pioneering a unique social impact delivery model, UK Sport has hailed RLWC2021 as an exemplary social impact program that will set the standard for future sporting events by using an approach that puts social impact at the heart of planning and execution.
The report, commissioned by RLWC2021 and prepared by The Sports Consultancy and Substance, concluded that RLWC2021 and its social impact programs “have demonstrated meaningful impacts for those who watched, engaged, attended and participated”. Given the geographic footprint and the impact of the tournament’s social impact programmes, 96% of the public believe that hosting the RLWC has benefited the north of England.
With an investment of £30m, the tournament has achieved its goal of making a positive difference in communities, grassroots rugby league clubs and the lives of people across the country, particularly in the most disadvantaged areas of England.
The Rugby League World Cup social impact program focused on six main areas:
- Creating strong communities through new community centers, new social connections, more civic pride and more volunteerism
- Growing the game through increased participation and interest in rugby league
- Promotion of physical activity and health
- Improving mental well-being and increasing awareness of mental fitness
- Develop people through new skills and knowledge
- Stimulating the economy, particularly in disadvantaged areas, creating more financially sustainable community clubs and increasing commercial interest in rugby league
Specifically, the report highlighted the positive impact RLWC2021 had on community cohesion and how social impact programs “bringed communities together, broke down barriers, shifted perceptions and gave people something to be proud of.”
As a groundbreaking, purposeful tournament that focuses on having a positive impact on people, RLWC2021 was truly groundbreaking in its approach to social impact. By focusing on social impact before and during the event rather than a legacy after the event, 300 mental fitness workshops were delivered to 11,922 young people. Volunteers worked with rugby league clubs in the community before the tournament even started Most facility improvement projects were completed before the ball was even thrown – using the tournament’s platform to maximize community involvement and make a tangible social impact achieve.
DOWNLOAD FULL RLWC2021 REPORT
2023 World Gymnastics Championships Major Event Impact Report
An independent impact study of the 2022 World Gymnastics Championships (WGC2022), held October 29-November 6, 2022 at M&S Bank Arena, has been published. It contains some impressive results and proves that the event was a defining moment for the city.
The event is said to have raised a whopping £5.6million in the local economy, welcomed 35,406 spectators who spent an average of £249.47 per person and booked 25,033 nights’ accommodation during the Championship.
Analyzing the audience, 82 per cent of attendees came from outside the Liverpool City Region, with 60 per cent staying overnight. Overseas visitors accounted for 8 per cent of visits and for almost 11,000 people it was their first visit to Liverpool.
As for the legacy of the event, funds have already been allocated to ensure that a further 20 schools will be trained in 2023/24, bringing the total number of young people participating in gymnastics activities to over 3,000. British Gymnastics’ Love to Move scheme, which works with people with dementia, has 11 people trained to become trainers and a further 12 are on the way – all will work in care homes and community settings across Liverpool. And more than 30 of the volunteers who signed up for WGC2022 have subsequently received national coaching and personal development accreditation and will work with four gymnastics clubs across the city.