Effects of risk management strategies on triple bottom line of football events in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

Football organizations have been facing various challenges in Kenya ranging from management problems and event security threats which have been addressed in various continents. However limited has been done to address these challenges in Kenya. Triple bottom line (TBL) measures are critical to any organization and paramount for successful planning and organizing of sports events in today’s world. The link between risk management strategies and TBL measures of football events seems to be unclear in Kenya. Furthermore, literature related to risk management strategies that need to be put in place to ensure TBL of football events in Kenya are limited. The main objective of this study was to determine the effects of risk management strategies on Triple Bottom Line of football events in Nairobi County, Kenya. The hypotheses of the study were that risk control strategies (H0 1 ), risk avoidance strategies (H0 2 ) and risk transfer strategies (H0 3 ) do not significantly affect TBL of football events in Nairobi, Kenya. The target population was 882 football stakeholders that comprised Federation of Kenya Football (FKF) organizers, Kenya Premier League (KPL) organizers, officiators, footballers and cheer leaders/fans out of which 268 formed the sample size. Instruments for collecting data included self-administered questionnaires, interview schedules and observation check list. Ten (10) managers of sports management bodies and administrative bodies were interviewed. The study employed both descriptive and explanatory research designs. Simple random sampling and stratified sampling techniques were used to select respondents to participate in the study. Data was analyzed using both descriptive statistics (frequencies, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (linear multiple regression). Hypotheses were tested using T-test. Instruments subjected to Cronbach’s Alpha were all reliable at a level of 0.7.The findings of this study based on hypotheses H0 1 and H0 3 revealed that risk control (p=0.000) and risk transfer strategies (p=0.000) do not significantly affect TBL of football events and were rejected while hypothesis H0 2 revealed that risk avoidance strategies (p<0.57) had a significant effect on TBL was accepted. R 2 value was 0.471 which means the independent variables explained 47% variation in the dependent variable. The study concludes that risk control strategies and risk transfer strategies significantly affect TBL of football events while risk avoidance does not. The study, therefore, recommends the need for football organizations to invest in risk control measures such as providing security in entry and exit points as well as insurance covers for both participants and spectators in order to transfer risks and attain TBL of football events. In addition sports management bodies need to sensitize football stakeholders on various risks that arise in football events. The findings from this study may benefit the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Arts, Football organizing bodies such as Federation of Kenya Football, Kenya Premier League and other football stakeholders in formulation of policies aimed at managing and minimizing risks of football events.