The social impacts of college sport events in the local community’s quality of life: Understanding residents’ perceptions

Rocha De Oliveira, Jonathan

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129574 Copy

Description

Title

The social impacts of college sport events in the local community’s quality of life: Understanding residents’ perceptions

Author(s)

Rocha De Oliveira, Jonathan

Issue Date

2025-05-01

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Sato, Mikihiro

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Sato, Mikihiro

Committee Member(s)

• Payne, Laura
• Liechty, Toni
• Rocha, Claudio M

Department of Study

Recreation, Sport and Tourism

Discipline

Recreation, Sport, and Tourism

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• College Sport
• Event Management
• Host Community Development
• Social Impacts

Abstract

This dissertation research investigated community members’ perceptions of the social impacts of NCAA Division I college sport events, particularly men’s and women’s basketball and football, and their role in the quality of life (QoL) of residents in Champaign, Urbana, and Savoy (Illinois) community, using a constructivist Grounded Theory methodology. The study sought to explore how these recurrent events influence the local community’s social dynamics, with a particular focus on leveraging positive impacts and mitigating negative consequences. The research was framed around the Social Leverage Framework, Social Exchange Theory, Needs-Based Community Development approach, and Stakeholder Theory, providing a comprehensive theoretical foundation. By examining diverse perspectives within the community, this research aimed to explore residents’ perception regarding the social impacts of hosting college sport events in their local community. Data collection involved qualitative semi-structured interviews with 36 residents. Residents will be split into event attendees and non-attendees to explore how (if at all) participants’ attendance on these events shape their perceptions. Data analysis employed four stages for coding the dataset: initial coding, focused coding, axial coding, and theoretical coding. The study addressed key research questions on how college sport events can foster community development, influence social cohesion, and contribute to residents’ QoL while considering diverse participants’ perspectives and backgrounds in their relevance to the strategic planning of sport events. The findings indicated that college sport events unite people, make them feel at home, and support the economy but are encumbered with access, cost, facility, and local management issues. The study identified 15 prominent themes that explain residents’ perception, which fall under four principal concepts that form a Community Perception of Sport Social Impacts ii(CPSSI) model: (1) The Community Integration-Exclusion Duality, (2) A Twofold Socioeconomic Commodity, (3) Infrastructure and Accessibility Disparities, and (4) The Stakeholder Engagement Paradox. Drawing from these four concepts, the CPSSI model reflected the varying and at times conflicting perceptions of community members regarding sport events and the way that benefits and drawbacks of hosting college basketball and football games are perceived and balanced. The study complemented and contributed to Social Exchange Theory by demonstrating how residents weigh the benefits they perceive—such as community building, enjoyment, and local economic gains—against the problems they experience from practical concerns and business choices. The study contributed to Stakeholder Theory by taking a close look at residents as key stakeholders in event management. It demonstrated that residents tend to have a limited and passive role in decision making. The study applied the Needs-Based Community Development approach to demonstrate the necessity of incorporating community views in planning events. This assisted in ensuring long-term support and diminishing resistance to bringing sport events. For the Leverage framework, this dissertation shed light on insights for event organizers to promote better strategies for leveraging positive social impacts in host communities while alerting that significant portions of residents do not want to engage in managerial processes at all. The CPSSI Model designed in this dissertation provided practical guidance for individuals who manage sport events, athletic departments, and local government officials. It assisted in equitable decision-making, enhanced community engagement, and intelligent strategies for ensuring events are accessible. The research further illustrated the significance of developing sustainable event management strategies that not only account for the institution's needs but also the general well-being of the local community. This study illustrated the relationship between sport and society as well as the way that sport events benefit the host community.

Graduation Semester

2025-05

Type of Resource

Thesis

Handle URL

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129574

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2025 Jonathan Rocha De Oliveira

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