Sport the City

Sport & The City

Why Cities? Why Sport?

Urban Population Growth:

• As of now, approximately half of the global population, around 3.5 billion people, resides in urban areas.

• Projections indicate that this figure could rise to 5 billion by the year 2030, with estimates that 70% of the world’s population will be living in cities by 2050.

• This rapid urbanization presents substantial challenges and opportunities for city planners and policymakers as they look to accommodate an increasingly diverse and populous urban landscape.

Municipal Challenges:

• The swift pace of urban growth exacerbates pressure on critical resources, including fresh water supplies, sewage systems, living conditions, and overall public health infrastructures.

• In addition, neoliberal austerity measures have significantly reduced public funding for essential services, forcing cities to seek external capital sources for development.

• These challenges compel urban areas to innovate and adapt in their governance and service delivery.

Role of Sport:

• At the grassroots level, participation in sports can play a vital role in enhancing community engagement, social cohesion, and overall quality of life, helping to bridge cultural divides and foster inclusivity among diverse populations.

• From a professional standpoint, sports franchises and large-scale events are increasingly viewed as catalysts for economic growth and urban development, potentially attracting investments and tourism.

From Managerialism to Entrepreneurialism

Author: David Harvey

Main Idea:

• Urban governance has evolved from traditional managerialism, which focused primarily on service delivery and local community needs, to a more entrepreneurial approach centered on fostering development, competitiveness, and employment creation.

Historical Context:

• Previous governance models primarily aimed at providing local services, often responding reactively to community needs rather than proactively planning for future growth and challenges.

Mechanisms of Change:

• Inter-urban competition is a significant factor influencing urban outcomes and broader macroeconomic conditions, as cities vie for investment, talent, and resources.

• Harvey emphasizes the reciprocal relationship between urban change and economic development, particularly in an unstable political and economic environment.

Urban Studies:

• Urbanization is a critical area of study in social change, highlighting how economic development, capitalism, and urban interests intersect and shape urban environments and the lives of their inhabitants.

Continuing Discussion on Urban Governance

• Key authors such as Harvey note the rise of entrepreneurial strategies within urban governance amidst decreasing government support.

• Kipfer and Keil's work focuses on the implications of inter-city competition for capital and how it influences urban planning and policy decisions.

• Burbank et al. introduce the concept of a "mega-event strategy," where cities align their planning and policies with large-scale events (e.g., the Olympics) to spur economic growth and increase global visibility.

Implications of the Entrepreneurial Shift

Revenue Generation:

• As government funding declines, cities are compelled to transition from merely managing budgets to actively generating diverse revenue streams to ensure sustainability and growth.

• An entrepreneurial attitude is critical for cities to avoid stagnation and maintain competitive advantages in the face of declining public support.

Role of Mega-events in Urban Development:

• Events such as the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics serve as platforms connecting local interests with global visibility, often driving urban renewal, infrastructure development, and investment.

Resistance and Community in Rio

Study by Talbot (2024):

• This study investigates the community’s resistance to evictions associated with the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, providing an ethnographic analysis over 14 months.

• Activists framed their community as welcoming and safe, directly addressing and countering negative stereotypes often portrayed in media regarding favelas.

• The research illustrates the power of informal spaces to cultivate a sense of belonging and community action, emphasizing the impact of grassroots movements in urban contexts.

The Evictions Museum:

• Established in the context of community resistance, the Evictions Museum serves as a memorial space preserving the narrative of those affected, enhancing collective memory and awareness of the social ramifications of urban development.

The Impact of Commodification

Quote from Fullilove (2015):

• “Extreme commodification of land destroys habitats; it harms public health through displacing communities.”

Sentimentality Towards Places

Proposal by Fullilove (2016):

• Fullilove advocates for an emotional approach towards neighborhoods, emphasizing the importance of connection to place and community identity in urban studies and planning.

Understanding Root Shock

Definition:

• Root shock is defined as a traumatic stress reaction resulting from the destruction of an ecosystem or community, akin to the physiological shock experienced following a severe illness or injury.

Emotional Impact:

• This phenomenon triggers significant emotional upheaval, severing communal bonds and disrupting neighborhood dynamics, leading to a prolonged struggle for survival and adaptation that extends beyond initial recovery efforts.