Leap for London and the Olympic Legacy

Ideology and the Olympic sport spectacle London 2012 Legacy Pledges - Is the legacy achievable? The Volunteer’s Story

Why do politicians want to attract the Olympic Games to their cities? What is the ideological role of the Olympics and Paralympics? Are the Olympics an Opiate for the People?

Jean-Marie Brohm “The competitive sportsman is a new type of worker who sells his labour power – that is to say his ability to produce a spectacle that draws the crowds – to an employer. The exchange value of his labour power, governed by the law of supply and demand on the market, is determined by the labour time socially necessary for its production. Amateurism ceased to exist a long time ago. All top level sportsmen are professional performers in the muscle show. They are very often advertising ‘sandwich- board’ men”. Sport: A Prison of Measured Time (1978)

The Olympic Opiate Brohm (1978, p. 114)

Affect, investment & ideology Affect identifies the strength of the investment which anchors people in particular experiences, practices, identities, meanings and pleasures, … Mattering maps… like investment portfolios Affect is the missing term in an adequate understanding of ideology. (Grossberg, 1992: 81-2)

London 2012 Olympic Games Legacy The most ambitious intentions in history of Olympic Games Scope of change to include behaviour and structural change

The Legacy Pledges 1.World- leading sporting nation Inspirational elite success – increase participation 2. Transform heart of East London

The Legacy Pledges 3.Inspire a generation of young people Expanding horizons, intro new opportunities/experiences, engaging children in learning and sport 4. Sustainability Olympic Park to become model of sustainable living – blueprint for energy efficiency 5. Global Image Demonstrate that the UK is a creative, inclusive and welcoming place to live

What Legacy? Bidding cities operate under an “unquestioned assumption that the Games will bring economic and social benefits to those who host them” (Burstyn, 2000)

Legacy Generation from Mega- events? Optimistic Outlook Regeneration/rapid city development …but? Tourism/sports tourism …but? Spirit of optimism or national/local pride …but? Pessimistic Outlook Huge cost overruns Facility use Negative public opinion Failure to target the ‘intended’ audience West Ham v Tottenham Hotspur v Leyton Orient

UK Sports Participation

Why do so few people regularly participate in sport? Think about: gender/class/race habitus resources and constraints What would you plan to get more people doing sport and exercise? How could the Olympics address these issues to affect participation?

No previous Olympic Games or other major tournament has ever led directly to an increase in people taking part in sport. If anything, the opposite seems to happen: Sport England research has shown that ordinary mortals watching, from their sofas, "models of perfection" performing on the elite stage can actually be put off trying to do more exercise. Conn, D. (2008). Games promise to generate only ripples when Britain needs to splash out. The Guardian (23/7/2008).

The Volunteer’s Story 70,000 “Games makers” in London ,000 volunteers in Sochi 2014 What was it like to take part in the London Olympics as a volunteer? What has happened since? Is there a legacy for the volunteers?

Explored some of the reasons and assumptions behind hosting a mega event Considered the legacy pledges for London 2012 Reflected on the personal impact of volunteering for the games