ABSTRACT

In this chapter, I analyse the relationship between global capitalism and sport mega events. I start by studying the main current features of capitalism: the rise of transnational capital and the transnational capitalist class; the changes that formed the basis for the economic globalisation; the renewed flow of production and distribution of goods and services, structure and movement of capital; and circuits of capital accumulation. Then I discuss the influences that the global capitalist system exerts on the dynamics of sport mega events. I point out that sport mega events have adapted to global capitalist trends, extending their territorial base, externalising (offshoring) phases of the production process, but maintaining the centrality of control and profitability of operations. Subsequently, I link the more general characteristics of global capitalism that were incorporated by sport mega events to their expressions in the context of uneven and combined development within such events. Later, I use an analytical framework that borrows the concept of assemblages from Saskia Sassen (2006) to discuss the (fr)agile assemblages of sport mega events, that is, the discussion of the imbrication of sport mega events from its international origin to its developments on national grounds. Then, I finally engage in a discussion that argues that the urbanist approach is necessary to understand the current stage of development of sport mega events.