Can London 2012 Inspire Mass Participation in Sport? - An Application of Popular Sport Motivation Theories

Sport England has been given the responsibility of delivering a mass participation legacy for sport from the London 2012 games. Delivering such a legacy will require a change in motivation for sport participation in the general public; one way this could be influenced is through a demonstration effect stimulated by media coverage of the 2012 games. This article has two purposes: first, to introduce to sport-policy scholars aspects of theories relevant to sport participation; second, to use this material to discuss the potential impact of viewing the 2012 games on viewers’ sport motivation, and therefore stimulate debate around this topic. The outcome of this theoretical investigation suggests there is some potential for at least a short-term positive effect of viewing the 2012 games on sport motivation.