Syracuse Sun

The 2024 Paris Olympics is approaching, bringing both glory for world-class athletes and excitement for spectators. This event is crucial not only for the success of these Games but also for the longevity of the Olympics.

The sustained legacy of the Olympics is a high priority for host countries and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Jeeyoon (Jamie) Kim, an associate professor of sport management at the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, focuses on this aspect by studying how young people are drawn into the games as participants and viewers.

With the median age of Olympic viewers in their 50s, Kim emphasizes that now is a critical time for the IOC to create excitement around the games for younger audiences. One approach includes adding new sports, such as break dancing, which will debut at this year's Olympics.

For her project “Building a Sport Participation Legacy Through the 2018 Winter Olympic Games,” Kim received funding from the IOC’s Olympic Studies Centre to better understand how to attract young people to the Games. Her research revealed that "social influence" from friends and family was a significant factor in drawing younger individuals in Asia to participate in or watch the Games.

Kim has experience working with the Korean Olympic Committee during its bid for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. She will present her research on youth engagement at the International Sport Business Symposium in Paris this August.

In an interview with SU News, Kim discussed her research and strategies for involving youth in the Olympics.