Duvet Musings: City showed it can host major events

Attending the EUFA women's football championship semi final at Bramall Lane and more recently the British Transplant Games in Leeds, was a reminder how sport has the potential to enthuse, raise civic profile and not least boost the local economy.
Graham Moore on the staff roof terrace at Westfield HealthGraham Moore on the staff roof terrace at Westfield Health
Graham Moore on the staff roof terrace at Westfield Health

Indeed the winning of the UEFA Women’s Football Championship by the Lionesses will be the catalyst for the acceleration of women’s participation in sport and not least in Football.

The UEFA semi final and final was a delightful experience, very family orientated and clearly attracted many to experience perhaps for the first time a spectacle which will leave a lasting legacy, for many to want to experience again, both as spectators and some not least as participants.

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The economic benefits of the World Snooker Championship is well documented but no doubt similar local boost will have been given during the recent UEFA series of matches as well as publicising our city on national and indeed international media.

England's teammates celebrate with fans after winning at the end of the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 semi-final football match between England and Sweden at the Bramall Lane stadium, in  Sheffield, on July 26, 2022. - England won 4 - 0 against Sweden. - No use as moving pictures or quasi-video streaming. 
Photos must therefore be posted with an interval of at least 20 seconds. (Photo by Lindsey Parnaby / AFP) / No use as moving pictures or quasi-video streaming. 
Photos must therefore be posted with an interval of at least 20 seconds. (Photo by LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP via Getty Images)England's teammates celebrate with fans after winning at the end of the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 semi-final football match between England and Sweden at the Bramall Lane stadium, in  Sheffield, on July 26, 2022. - England won 4 - 0 against Sweden. - No use as moving pictures or quasi-video streaming. 
Photos must therefore be posted with an interval of at least 20 seconds. (Photo by Lindsey Parnaby / AFP) / No use as moving pictures or quasi-video streaming. 
Photos must therefore be posted with an interval of at least 20 seconds. (Photo by LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP via Getty Images)
England's teammates celebrate with fans after winning at the end of the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 semi-final football match between England and Sweden at the Bramall Lane stadium, in Sheffield, on July 26, 2022. - England won 4 - 0 against Sweden. - No use as moving pictures or quasi-video streaming. Photos must therefore be posted with an interval of at least 20 seconds. (Photo by Lindsey Parnaby / AFP) / No use as moving pictures or quasi-video streaming. Photos must therefore be posted with an interval of at least 20 seconds. (Photo by LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP via Getty Images)

So our city now has a real opportunity to build on the enthusiasm generated by the matches, to promote greater public participation in active sports and physical activities, as well as maximising the economic and increased opportunities for attracting more major national and international events both sport and cultural.

After all we have had the vision to build for the World Student Games to put in place a civic sporting and entertainment infrastructure that coupled with the substantial facilities of our two universities will present an attractive proposition for national and international events.

Such facilities are competitive with other cities and successful bids will give much needed boost to local economy, put Sheffield on map and not least raise local participation in physical activity in sport.

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As a patron of the British Transplant Games I was impressed with our near neighbours provision of facilities for the athletes and their supporters generating 6,000 bed MBE nights and feel we could similarly benefit from a future games when bidding for future games opens and indeed similar large sporting events.

We have demonstrated our capability to host them and the facilities to cater for them.

To come out of shackles that the cost of living crisis and the legacy of the pandemic has precipitated requires us to be bold and imaginative and why should we not put forward a bid for the Eurovision Song Contest with our musical heritage, cultural infrastructure and not least links with Ukraine.

There is learning to be extracted from failing to attract Channel 4, Football Museum and Royal Armouries to renew our efforts in the future not view the wider benefits as an investment not just a cost.

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That we were able to attract England’s UEFA semi final and Rugby World Cup should give us confidence to deliver future major events and competitions.

Also we should be buoyed by the emergence of our Olympic Legacy Park, with it’s Community Stadium, Advanced Health and Well Being Centre to be enhanced by Child Health Technology Centre and New Canon Basketball Arena to be shared by the Sharks/Hatters.