Sports events and project managent. A PM2 proposal

Abstract

Purpose: To use the project management approach for the management of the events and, particularly, to adapt the PM² methodology to sports events.

Design/methodology/approach: Theoretical analysis about whether a sport event is a project, and what must be fulfilled for it to be so. Theoretical analysis approach into the roles of the event manager and project manager. Theoretical adaptation of the PM² to sport management.

Findings: Event management could benefit from PM² with several adaptations. The main ones imply separating the execution phase in two separate ones due to simultaneous and mass involvement of participants and spectators in the event; introducing a marketing orientation in the management of the project to maximize the economic return of the event, or introducing the concept of extended customer to include the owner of the event, the participant and the spectator and including this concept into the governance model.

Research limitations/implications: Further empirical research is needed to analyze the implementation of this adaptation of PM².

Practical implications: We offer an adaptation of PM² for the event managers that allow them to apply project management standards in their particular events. We made the particular case of sport events sector by introducing the marketing approach and the market orientation of the event manager to the PM² methodology.

Social implications: The redefinition of the role of sport event managers with a project management orientation allows to introduce the cost-benefit analysis in the development of a sport event, and by measuring the relative efficiency sport events could be not only successful, but also profitable and sustainable.

Originality/value: For the first time, PM² is applied to events, in particular, to sport events. The specific characteristics of PM² makes it interesting in any sector, as sports events, where managers do not have extensive experience using project management standards and methodologies.