The bidding for the right to host huge events like the Olympic Games and the World Cup took an a more competitive feel after the Summer Games in LA in 1984 were able to turn a strong profit and Barcelona put on a great show in 1992. Seems that cities and countries began to look at the Games as a key tool in infrastructure development and their overall marketing to the world.

However, rampant spending to win the bid and then to create the infrastructure to host the event did not guarantee a profit or lasting impact on the host city or country.  LA and Barcelona were special cases – many of the facilities already existed in LA and Barcelona developed and executed its plans extremely well.  The norm, i.e. the blight of unused stadiums and arenas after major sporting events, particularly the Olympic Games, encouraged the IOC and other major sanctioning bodies over the past 10 years to push bidding cities and countries to lay out more concrete plans for post-event use of infrastructure created for the event in question. Sometimes referred to as “The Legacy Question” or better yet, “The Legacy Answer” the IOC, FIFA (for the World Cup), and others said that the locale must be able to articulate how having the event will provide a lasting benefit to the populace in that area.

It seems to better answer the legacy question, cities will not just have to say how the physical facilities will be used but also how the event can also contribute to the broader social/economic/humanitarian development of the area.

With that in mind and in anticipation of FIFA’s decision next year on who gets to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, England has created a board of advisors to help drive its goal of enhanced inclusivity regarding the bidding, hosting, and legacy of the Cup. To learn more about who is involved, you can find the full article can be found at World Football Insider at http://www.worldfootballinsider.com/Story.aspx?id=32643, with an excerpt below.

(Excerpt)

England 2018 establishes Inclusivity Advisory Group

England 2018 ltd. has appointed 11 specialists to a new Inclusivity Advisory Group (IAG) to further the bid’s commitment to inclusivity, embracing all communities across the country.

The group comprises members who will ensure that the England 2018 bid demonstrates that a World Cup hosted in England will enthusiastically celebrate diversity and promote inclusivity of all members of society.

The group will be chaired by non-executive board member Paul Elliott MBE, and will advise England 2018 on all aspects of inclusivity to ensure that England’s bid builds on English football’s positive record of inclusion.

England 2018 Bid Chairman, Lord David Triesman said: “An England World Cup is uniquely positioned to provide the passion and diversity that guarantees a genuine welcome to visitors from across the world. The Inclusivity Advisory Group has been established to ensure we maximise all the attributes we have at our disposal, and that we are planning a World Cup that embraces and celebrates our diverse communities, and considers their various needs.

“The make-up of the group is very strong as it represents all areas of our society and strengthens our resolve to ensure that groups across the spectrum have a voice through the process. We are determined to prove that England 2018’s bid is focused on ensuring that all our communities in every part of the country are involved. This panel strengthens our commitment to inclusivity throughout the bid process.

“England’s multi-cultural society means there will be a “home” welcome for every competing nation and the work we do now to integrate these communities into the process will be invaluable. Our bid to FIFA will promote inclusivity and embrace all areas of the global football family, and England 2018 is committed to exceeding FIFA’s expectations of a host nation and to providing a compelling legacy to go with it. This group will play an important part in achieving our aims.”

(The article continues at http://www.worldfootballinsider.com/Story.aspx?id=32643)