Managing Successful Mega Sports Events

Abstract

Mega events are large-scale occasions that are widely publicised to draw visitors domestically and from abroad (Hall, 2006). With considerable improvements in home viewing content and technology the audience who prefers to stay at home and enjoy first-rate experiences without having to deal with the inconvenience of physically being at the event venue has become a rival to the growing quantity and variety of mega events. This suggests, from the standpoint of event management, that mega-events should be planned to involve the physical audience and provide a memorable, transformative experience that makes them want to come back and find more opportunities for interaction (Bowdin, 2011). Saudi Arabia is a new entrant into the world of mega-events with strong government support and finance from the sovereign wealth fund. Technology's accessibility and ease of use suggest that it is affordable and available to everybody, even to new entrants such as Saudi Arabia. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether providing audiences attending mega events in Saudi Arabia with an enhanced experience may be achieved via the use of digital technologies and engaging tactics. The results, which were obtained through the use of a comprehensive survey instrument distributed to the target audience in Saudi Arabia, indicate that going to a mega-event is motivated by more than just a keen interest in the topic, sport, or artist; it's also a way to try something new and get away from social and personal pressures. The results of this study indicated that while both the hard and soft elements of the physical environment are significant, they were not equally so. According to the survey, comfortable furnishings and good visibility are important for the hard physical environment, while convenient scheduling, plenty of clear signage, good service, the availability of event staff to help with problems, and reasonably priced, high-quality food and beverages are important for the soft aspects. The study concludes that safety and security are the most crucial factors for any mega-event. According to this research, when a mega-event is presented in an immersive and interesting way, people have an extraordinarily positive experience. Furthermore, this study discovers that positive attendee experiences result in more positive word-of-mouth. Attendee satisfaction increases the likelihood that they will tell their network about the mega event, which will contribute to its continued success. The study's findings indicate that Saudi Arabia's mega-events have been effective in providing captivating and immersive experiences.