A systematic quantitative literature review of empirical research on large-scale sport events' social legacies

Abstract

The potential to realise social legacies through hosting large-scale sport events has gained saliency in policy and academic contexts over the last decade. However, social legacies, such as enhanced civic pride, social inclusion, civic engagement, and quality of life remain largely under researched. This article presents findings from a systematic quantitative literature review of academic articles which empirically investigated social legacies and were published between 2000 and 2016. Seventy-seven articles were examined to find patterns and gaps in the research. Our findings show 34 social legacy types have been examined empirically. However, empirical research on social legacies comes from a limited number of geographic contexts, and the theories and methods employed to research such legacies are also limited, suggesting opportunities for innovation in future research designs. We highlight a role for leisure studies to contribute to richer understanding of social legacies. We also call for greater intentionality by researchers to consider what constitutes social legacy and more meaningful and unique ways to research social legacies and inform practice.