Temporal Variations in the Relationship Between Legacies and Support: A Longitudinal Case Study in Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to describe temporal variations in Rio residents’ support for the 2016 Olympic Games and in the relationship between perceptions of legacies and support for the event. Drawing on social exchange theory, perceptions (expectations and evaluations) of tangible, intangible, and environmental legacies should affect support intentions. A longitudinal trend study was designed. Four multistage stratified random samples of Rio residents were surveyed in 2012 (n = 900), 2014 (n = 900), 2016 (n = 723), and 2018 (n = 550). Results showed that perceptions of legacies and support for Rio 2016 Olympic Games decreased progressively from 2012 to 2018. In the early stages of preparation (2012 and 2014), expectations of intangible and environmental legacies were predictors of support. In the year of the event and 2 years after the event, perceptions of tangible legacies were predictors of support. Longitudinal findings show that, to gain support, organizers promise unattainable legacies, which then lead to dwindling support, as they fail to deliver them. Findings suggest that organizers’ plans and actions of sport mega-events must change.

Involvement with the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the values of sport

“…The IOC can adopt a broader perspective and promote respect and excellence beyond sport performance. For instance, recent investigations have shown that social and environmental legacies are the least expected ones by local residents as a consequence of hosting the Olympic Games (Rocha, 2020;Rocha et al, 2017). This seems to indicate that people do not see much excellence in the Games to promote respect for social and environmental issues.…”

The social impact of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games: comparison of residents' pre- and post-event perceptions

“…Furthermore, despite previous studies with more than one wave of data collection tend to show participant attrition (e.g. Rocha, 2020; Lee et al , 2013), it is important that future studies maintain contact after the first data collection and provide positive survey experiences (e.g. acknowledgment messages, information about the progress of the study, etc.)…”

“…Identifying host city residents' perceptions is vital for the sustainable development of sport events and cities (Ma et al , 2011, 2013). Notwithstanding, with the exception of one recent publication (Rocha, 2020), previous studies on the 2016 Rio Olympic Games have focussed on short-term social consequences for the local community. From a theoretical point a view, understanding citizens' perceptions of the event throughout time is important to help clarify social exchanges.…”

Does the Olympic legacy perceived in the host city influence the resident support after the games?

“…As result, our findings contribute to the lack of literature on post-event resident perspectives, reinforcing their role as an expression of mobility (perceptual or cognitive mobility) and on staging such events (Hiller 2018). In addition, the importance of post-event resident studies should remain to be strengthened, allowing a better understanding the process of how support is constructed and/or deconstructed in host communities (Rocha 2020).…”