Sport for Business’ Coverage of the 2016 Olympic Games is supported by Team Ireland Official Partner Electric Ireland #ThePowerWithin
7,000 fans turned up in Smithfield at the weekend to watch Ireland’s defeat to France at the Euro’s as part of a family friendly gathering hosted by Dublin City Council.
The fan zones across France have been a major element in the atmosphere for fans that travelled over and the planning for such zones was also a key element in the winning Dublin bid to host matches as part of Euro 2020.
Could the same appeal hold true for the Olympics this summer and beyond?
In Japan, which will host the 2020 Games, there is a belief that it will and they have announced that there will be special fan zones set up in Tokyo and a number of other cities where fans can ‘come together to share a love of sport’ according to Tokyo 2020 Sport Director Koji Murofushi.
The Olympics will attract huge TV audiences and when Katie Taylor fought for Gold in London 2012 a massive ‘fan zone’ was set up in her hometown of Bray to allow people watch together and celebrate together.
The timetabling of events in Rio means that many of the events will be at primetime evening hours and while most will be watching at home there could be a case for developing a fan zone that could be quickly switched into gear for the bigger moments of the games.
It might not attract many from the comfort of the couch but it would provide a focus point for tourists in the city.
The Rock ‘n Roll Half Marathon will attract up to 15,000 runners into the City during the opening weekend of the Games while All Ireland Quarter Finals and Semi Finals will be played at Croke Park in front of an aggregate audience of well over 100,000 over the two central weekends of the Games.
There couldn’t be a better way to gather irish support behind those most likely to win medals, most likely in boxing, and it would also serve to show the power of sport in bringing people together.
Sport for Business’ Coverage of the 2016 Olympic Games is supported by Team Ireland Official Partner Electric Ireland #ThePowerWithin
