At Vienna’s Kaiser Wiesn, Roswitha Stadlober, the president of the Austrian Ski Association (ÖSV), and other prominent figures from sports and business discussed why top events like the Ski World Championships are a crucial economic factor. The evening was organized in collaboration with the Snowsports Academy and the European Brand Institute.
Under the shadow of the Vienna Giant Ferris Wheel, numerous enthusiasts gathered at the Kaiser Alm to attend Brand Talk 2023 on "The Economic Importance of Major Events for Stakeholders in Sports Business," followed by networking in the rustic ambiance of the Wiesn.
Host Martin Dolezal, CEO of the Snowsports Academy, responsible for educating 2,500 ski and snowboard instructors annually, set the tone for this high-profile panel discussion. “Our motto is 'Snow Connecting People' – snow has a binding element, friendships are born here. With this event, we want to kick off this year's winter and look ahead to two upcoming top events: the 2024 Ski Jump World Championships and the 2025 Ski World Championships.”
“These two forthcoming major events represent a potent mix of emotions that we want to convey to the younger generation,” explained Roswitha Stadlober, President of Ski Austria / Austrian Ski Association. “That’s why it’s so delightful when these events are held in Austria, allowing us to communicate this atmosphere effectively.”
“For the ÖSV, such events are vitally significant as we are the organizers. While we bear the risk during a World Championship, we hope to make a profit to sustain our operation and promote young talents,” Stadlober added. “After all, we finance a staff of around 400 employees in winter and as many athletes.”
Sustainable Upgrading of Regions
For the organizing committee chief of the 2025 Ski World Championships, Bartl Gensbichler, the enhancement of his homeland is also paramount. “The boost for the region always comes after an event. Especially in skiing, there is no more efficient way for a tourist location to gain prominence than by organizing a major event – be it World Cup races or World Championships. The resources we deploy here are returned manifold through advertising, marketing, and customers, and not just in winter but also in summer.” Gensbichler’s conclusion:
“I organize a major event to advance my region sustainably. I want to live in a more beautiful place where I call home.”
The 2024 Ski Jump World Championships at Kulm in Bad Mitterndorf will unfold even sooner. Volksbank is at the forefront, as marketing head Barbara Bleier-Serentschy emphasized: “We have been partners of the ski jumping national team for 16 years and are very proud of it. Our motto for 2024 is ‘We are Kulm’ because it’s our biggest event next year. Hence, we want to attract as many visitors as possible.”
Analyzing the economic importance is essential but not the whole story, according to Bleier-Serentschy. “We evaluate every sponsorship we undertake. But it’s not just about logo visibility, but about long-term collaborations. We also support young talents to inspire children for this sport and movement, for example, with the Goldi Cup and the Wiener Stadtadler, the largest ski jumping club in Austria. A Viennese has already become a junior world champion.”
Different Formats, New Technologies
The situation is slightly different in Austrian golf, as explained by Niki Wiesberger, Director of Marketing & Business Development of the Austrian Golf Association. “We hope to host a tournament of the highest category of the European Tour again in the future. However, with the Challenger Tournament in Adamstal in Lower Austria, we pursue a different direction: primarily promoting young golfers and offering them an opportunity to play in the international field.”
Austria is well-positioned as a golfing nation, Wiesberger reported. “The nearly 160 golf facilities generate direct value-added in the mid three-digit million range. The sport’s inclusive value addition even amounts to around one billion euros.”
Discussing the future of major sports events, Tom Berger, Head of LAOLA, opined, “We live in a society where dynamics are higher and faster than ever, becoming more fragmented. Fewer general guidelines and orientation points exist, and sport is one of the few sectors connecting people across nations, religions, continents, and industries. People have always celebrated in all cultures when topics change, or when they are anxious or overwhelmed. Celebrations reduce stress and unite – making major events ideally suited for this purpose.”
Berger described the adjustment needed for organizers, companies, sponsors, and fans: “We need to translate these themes for the young target audience. That’s where we, as LAOLA, come in – also engaging with developments like the metaverse and creating digital winter sports landscapes. Congratulations to the ÖSV for the Ski Challenge, as gaming initiatives like these reach young people.”
Image of the “Austria” Brand
Gerhard Hrebicek, of the European Brand Institute, also a co-organizer of this panel discussion, reported on the high importance of Austria’s location. “Overall, tourism and sport provide value-added of 42 billion euros – nearly 10% of the GDP. They create 330,000 jobs and nearly 47,000 catering businesses exist in the country.”
“But the ‘Austria’ brand is also about identity,” added Hrebicek, who leads Europe’s premier institute for brand evaluation and certification. “And the winter sports brand is crucial for Austrian identity. The chalet magic at the Kaiser Wiesn is also representative of this. One of the co-owners of the Wiesn produces such wooden chalets and sells them worldwide – exporting our image and tradition.”
In conclusion, host Martin Dolezal of the Snowsports Academy highlighted the multifaceted impacts of major sports events. “Such events are extremely important for Austria because they motivate children and teenagers to engage in sports themselves. They are a factor for fitness and health. They bring people together and are part of integration as they join in excitement and celebration. For a tourist country like Austria, major events are very significant – they could almost be described as an industry in themselves.”