Why bring SportAccord to the West Midlands?
The West Midlands has a rich heritage in the sporting world, from inventing lawn tennis and the football league to crafting medals and trophies for the likes of Wimbledon and the FA Cup in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter. The region is also no stranger to hosting regular national and international sporting events, and it fully understands the positive impact these can bring from a reputational and economic impact. Recent research from West Midlands Growth Company revealed that sports tourism was responsible for one in seven visits to the region, adding more than £1.9 billion to the West Midlands economy. The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games alone contributed £1.2 billion to the UK economy, with nearly half of that being in the West Midlands.
Therefore, the chance to bring the sporting community to the region through SportAccord was not to be missed. The event was supported by Major Events Fund drawing on legacy funding from the Commonwealth Games.
Across an 18 month period, through a series of written proposals, meetings and visits to the region from the SportAccord team, Birmingham and the West Midlands was selected as the host for the 2024 event. A task made all the more significant due to the event having not been held since before the Covid Pandemic, and having only been in the UK once before in its 20-year history.
A collaborative approach
Like the hugely successful Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, delivering SportAccord was a collaborative effort between SportAccord themselves and regional and national stakeholders including DCMS, DBT, UK Sport, the West Midlands Combined Authority, West Midlands Growth Company and Birmingham City Council; and a team of volunteers, who performed their duties with the same energy and enthusiasm that lit up the games two years ago.
The result was an event which – as in 2022 – captured the imagination and highlighted what is possible in a young, diverse and growing region such as the West Midlands.
“The ICC was the ideal choice to host such a high-profile global sporting conference in the West Midlands.
“The venue’s central location at the heart of Birmingham city centre helped to create a unique ‘SportAccord village’ environment, helping to enhance collaboration and networking opportunities"
Joel Lavery
Strategic Lead - Major Sporting Events
