The impact of mega-sport events on social media [Impacto dos megaeventos desportivos nas redes sociais]

Abstract

This research stay was conducted at the Centro de Estudos e Formação Avançada em Gestão e Economia (CEFAG), Universidade de Évora, between January and December 2024, within the postdoctoral project Impacto dos megaeventos desportivos nas redes sociais. The main objective was to analyse how mega-sport events are communicated through social media, with a specific focus on the representation and visibility of female athletes and their impact on user engagement, integrating perspectives from sport management, tourism, and digital management. The methodological approach combined a comprehensive literature review, conceptual model development, and quantitative content analysis of social media platforms associated with major sport organizations. Empirical data were collected from Instagram and Facebook posts published by National Olympic and Paralympic Committees in several Ibero-American countries, applying statistical analyses such as Chi-square tests and ANOVA to examine gender representation patterns and engagement differences. The research stay generated significant scientific outputs, including the publication of a Q2 JCR article analysing gender representation and engagement during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and the submission of a second article focused on the Paralympic context. Results indicate that gender equality in athlete participation does not necessarily translate into balanced social media visibility for female athletes. These findings underline the need for more intentional, equitable, and strategically designed digital communication practices by Olympic and Paralympic National Committees. Overall, the research stay exceeded its objectives by producing internationally visible scientific contributions, strengthening international collaboration, and advancing empirical knowledge on gender representation and digital communication in mega-sport events, with clear theoretical and practical implications for sport and tourism stakeholders.