Impact of the FBK Games

The FBK Games is the largest international track and field event in the Netherlands, held in Hengelo. It offers a unique opportunity for Dutch athletes to compete at world level in front of a home crowd. More than forty editions of the FBK Games have now taken place. Each year, thousands of visitors travel to Hengelo to watch their favorite elite athletes compete live.

MOVES Programme

The research on the FBK Games is part of the MOVES programme. This project examines the societal significance of elite sports events organized in the Netherlands. It focuses not only on annually recurring events such as the FBK Games, but also on one-off events such as World and European Championships.

Research

Researchers from the Impact of Sport research group attend several editions of the FBK Games to study the event’s societal impact. Using questionnaires, they assess how visitors, volunteers, and residents of the municipality of Hengelo experience the event. This includes questions about their experiences, levels of pride and well-being, and their own sports participation. In addition, the impact of the event on (surrounding) athletics clubs and on the Dutch Athletics Federation is examined.

Duration

Ongoing

Partners

• HAN University of Applied Sciences
• Mulier Institute
• Utrecht University

Funding

This project is funded by ZonMw.

Team

• Professor Koen Breedveld
• Researcher Wesley van den Breul
• Researcher Cem Tinaz

Contact

Wesley van den Breul ([email protected])