ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors examine how sport events may contribute to the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11). Sport events have the opportunity to catalyze the development of infrastructure, public space, and contribute to a community's urban growth strategy. The authors examine how sport events of various sizes may contribute differently to objectives related to SDG 11. They suggest that smaller, non-mega sport events (NMSEs), as opposed to MSEs (e.g., the Olympic and Paralympic Games), have greater potential to produce sustainable social and economic outcomes for host communities. The authors begin by outlining current progress made toward SDG 11, as reported by the UN. They then explain how sport events have been framed and measured in relation to sustainable outcomes to date. Next, drawing upon Smith's ten principles of sustainable event regeneration, they demonstrate how NMSEs may have more potential than MSEs to contribute to sustainable development. Finally, the authors highlight the potential for future NMSE research and suggest that, while sport events can contribute to the achievement of SDG 11, they are but one aspect of a complex social system.
