Jens Flatau is a sports economist at the University of Kiel. He observes that sport is becoming an increasingly important factor for people: “Accordingly, the cities must also create the basis for pursuing sport as an important part of life.”
Whether it is a well-developed network of cycle paths in Kiel or whether sports facilities are integrated into the planning of new development areas in Frankfurt. But top-class sport also has an influence on society.
“The sport has an unreservedly positive image,” emphasizes Flatau. And that across borders. Migrants also follow sports in their countries of origin and so top-class sport also has an integrative effect: “An identification effect that comes about through a club.”
Sport increases the quality of life
In addition to identifying with top sports clubs, popular sport is also becoming increasingly popular among the population, says Flatau on Dlf. The realization prevailed that “sport increases the quality of life.” Sport has the effect that people’s well-being increases, directly:
“Sport has an immediate impact and that matters to people immediately. In this respect, the cities must also offer this to the citizens in order to make the city attractive for its residents.”
After all, the city also benefits from residents who play sports, as this also means a certain level of education and income.
Olympic bid should be well thought out
In the eyes of Flatau, however, the hosting of the Olympic Games for the host cities is not an income, but a negative business. You not only have to fulfill the wishes of the IOC, you are also in competition with totalitarian states that implement the hosting of the games more ruthlessly. Instead of pursuing the original Olympic spirit, today the Games are about business:
“Ultimately this commercialization and making money with the Olympic Games is in the foreground and the host venues suffer from it, they don’t make big money with it.”
Flatau pleads that one should carefully weigh up the certainly high expenses and the intangible values of the event.