Measuring What Matters? The social value of sport and physical activity

Nelson Mandela once famously remarked that “Sport has the power to change the world”. Since he articulated this claim in his address to the Laureus World Sports Awards in 2000, many countries have witnessed a shift in community sport policy - from being justified primarily on intrinsic grounds such as participation and performance, to positioning sport as a contributor to wider societal good. In this lecture, Larissa examines the social outcomes generated by sport and physical activity – both positive and negative. She explores the changing ways in which sport and physical activity are measured and the extent to which current methods capture what really matters to individuals and communities. She also considers the domains of social value that remain difficult to measure yet require prioritisation in the future.

Biography

Larissa Davies is Professor of Applied Sports Economics in the Faculty of Business and Law at Manchester Metropolitan University. She joined the University in February 2024, from Sheffield Hallam University. Larissa is a global thought leader on the societal impact and the social return on investment of sport. Her scholarly research is situated at the interface with policy development and professional practice. She works extensively with stakeholders from across the wider sport and physical activity system to understand, measure and value the contribution of sport to individuals, communities, and wider society, in the UK and internationally.

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Host or Publisher Man Met University, Faculty of Business and Law