SPOT ON: Successful use of space in and around sports

Vrouw op klimmuur
Photo: istock.com/Boris_Zec

"If sport does not come up with innovative solutions and does not create new functions or manage to involve new partners in the use of its accommodations, it risks losing out in the spatial battle." – Maarten van Bottenburg

In many municipalities, sports facilities and public space remain underused, while the pressure on the available space is increasing. Yet there are places where things are different: so-called 'hotspots' where sports locations are used more intensively and meaningfully. What makes these places successful? What organisational principles underlie this? And how can other municipalities, sports providers and policymakers learn from this?

The SPOT ON project investigates 28 such successful locations in the Netherlands. By analysing these in depth, we map out which innovative organisational forms, revenue models and partnerships contribute to a better and more socially valuable use of sports facilities and the surrounding public space. The goal: to develop insights and solutions that are not only cost-effective, but also contribute to public value creation.

Current

  • Interview withMaarten van Bottenburg: 'Our sports culture is at stake' (in: Sport & Strategie, in Dutch):
  • Column Maarten van Bottenburg: 'Save our sports culture (in Dutch)': 

Duration

2024 – 2027

Researchers

  • Maarten van Bottenburg
  • Sacha de Groot

Partners

ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ of Amsterdam, Mulier Institute, The Hague ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ of Applied Sciences.

Contact

Would you like to know more about this project? Please contact Sacha de Groot: S.A.deGroot@uu.nl.

More information

Read more about this project on the ZONMW website: