BOARD GOVERNANCE OF WORLD-CLASS ANNUAL SPORT CHAMPIONSHIPS: LEARNING FROM KENTUCKY TO CREATE TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES IN THE BAHAMAS

• Main Author: Burrows, Elvis V
• Format: Others
• Published: UKnowledge 2014
• Subjects: Sport Tourism; Board Governance; Annual World Class Championship; Strategic Capability; Effective Board; Sport Impact; Hospitality Administration and Management; Nonprofit Administration and Management; Organizational Behavior and Theory; Sports Management; Tourism and Travel
• Online Access: http://uknowledge.uky.edu/mat_etds/5; http://uknowledge.uky.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1005&context=mat_etds

The economy of The Bahamas relies heavily on leisure visitor tourism (cruise ships, resorts, holiday trips) which leaves the country vulnerable to changes in visitor travel habits. Because the country is so reliant on investments in resorts, casinos and cruise ships, it leaves a wide capacity of other touristic opportunities. One opportunity is sports tourism. The purpose of this study is to analyze the strategic board capability of the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event’s (RK3DE) board governance using the Ferkins and Shilbury (2012) model as the theoretical construct and make recommendations regarding the application of these successful aspects to the governance of world-class annual sport championships in The Bahamas. Members of the RK3DE board were interviewed using specific questions developed from the Ferkins and Shilbury (2012) model. Findings showed the Ferkins and Shilbury (2012) model concepts hold true however remained very broad in its prescriptions. On the other hand, a revised model provides a more specific guide to the necessary attributes and capabilities that need to be in place to run an effective and strategically capable board for world-class annual sport championships.