"Using Football to Touch the World"

Abstract

A transforming world The world is transforming as geographical locations are becoming less important as communication and transport facilities are expanding their domains, becoming increasingly efficient. The trend is clear; nations are opening their doors for people, trade, and knowledge in order to get involved in the world economy. We are now confronted with the phenomenon of globalization and Global Cities. London, New York, and Tokyo are examples of such cities as they represent a strategic space where global processes materialize in national territories and global dynamics run through national institutional arrangements. (Sassen, 2001) But the main question arises how African cities cope and what the (dis)advantages are for countries that is not participating in the global network (yet). One of the means for a city to position itself is through a mega event. A Global Event; the 2010 FIFA World Cup The Olympics, the FIFA World Cup, the World Expo, Rugby World Cup are famous events. As spectators we usually experience these events powerfully as our nationalistic pride gets put to the test. We watch proudly how our warriors reach the battlefields and subsequently win international recognition or lose their national honor. These events warrant the title of a ‘Mega Event’, a large-scale event with a high profile and global publicity. A mega event, also known as the ‘hallmark event’, is officially defined by Ritchie: “Major one-time or recurring events of limited duration, developed primarily to enhance the awareness, appeal and profitability of a tourism destination in the short and/or long term. Such events rely for their success on uniqueness, status, or timely significance to create interest and attract attention” (Ritchie, 1984). In 2004 South Africa won the bid and was granted the opportunity to host the 2010 Federations Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World CupTM. This was celebrated throughout South Africa and the African continent. There is a common belief that a mega event gives the host endless benefits and opportunities. Of course, this can be true, but the risks are often underestimated. To summarize, a Mega Event like the FIFA World Cup, brings new features to a hosting city; worldwide publicity, a stadium, infrastructure, accommodation, public spaces, upgrades of neighbourhoods, visitors, and therefore a great deal of business. However, when the event is over, the host city/region is left with infrastructure built to transport millions of travellers, a venue built to host thousands of spectators, and accommodations meant to house thousands of visitors. The new structures are often oversized or do not fit in the wider urban context of the host cities leaving them unused after the event, making them white elephants. Therefore the question is what the impact was of the global event, the 2010 FIFA World Cup, on the host city Cape Town. How did Cape Town develop its strategies in the preparation phase and how were the strategies realized? Problem Statement The legacy of the 2010 FIFA World Cup (2010 FWC) has not been effectively used to ensure a continuation of the developments created by World Cup and enhance the host city’s global position. Main research question What urban strategy should a host city of the FIFA World Cup in South Africa execute in order to trigger further developments and gain full benefits of the legacy of the FIFA World Cup 2010?