ABSTRACT
This chapter provides Games-time areas of interest to researchers, namely spectator attendance, ticketing, crowd management, and athletes’ Games experience. It suggests other potential areas of research, namely transportation and co-hosting. The chapter explores what it looks like from the back-of-house as the Games starts; who and what is affected once the Games begin; how the demands of workforce change; and some strategies for dealing with the constant change. It focuses on transportation, egos, volunteer management, observer programmes, Games paradoxes, and tips for surviving the Games-time period. The chapter highlights how, despite all the planning efforts and the application of established plans and procedures, successful operations and experience largely boil down to leadership, communication, and human relationships. It examines the structure of venue team (VTeam) and Games-time decision-making. The actual Games-time period involves transferring decision-making power to the VTeams’ managers so that they may handle crises at the venue level.
