Account Director Lewis Scott explores whether the Commonwealth Games can survive in its current form.
As the curtain closed on the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, conversations quickly turned away from medal tables and record-breaking performances towards a much bigger question:
Can the Commonwealth Games survive in its current form?
When the Australian state of Victoria withdrew from hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games just three years before the opening ceremony, many questioned whether the event would survive at all. Thankfully, Glasgow saved the day – stepping in with a dramatically scaled back Games which reduced the programme from 19 sports to just 10. While the decision ensured the event went ahead, it also highlighted the financial challenges facing one of the world’s oldest multi-sport competitions.
For nearly 100 years, the Commonwealth Games has provided athletes from Commonwealth countries with their very own international stage, bringing together a diverse mix of nations and their athletes through the power of sport. But Glasgow 2026 looked very different to previous editions. With just 10 sports, four venues and a significantly reduced budget
While many have viewed the changes as evidence of decline, others see them as an opportunity to reinvent one of the world’s oldest multi-sport events.
For those working in marketing and public relations, the Games offer an interesting case study in how a global sporting event can adapt when financial pressures, changing consumer behaviour and shifting media landscapes threaten its future.
A smaller games, but a bigger challenge
As mentioned, Glasgow 2026 featured just 10 sports – the lowest number since 1994 – compared with 19 at Birmingham 2022. Sports including rugby sevens, hockey, cricket, badminton and squash were removed as organisers focused on creating a more financially sustainable event.
The budget reflected that ambition.
At £162.6 million, Glasgow’s Games cost around 76% less than Birmingham 2022 (£680 million) and half of the cost of the Manchester games back in 2003 (£300 million) – a feat achieved by using existing venues and reducing operational costs.
From a financial perspective, the strategy worked.
From a marketing perspective, however it created a different challenge.
Every sport removed from the programme resulted in fewer athletes, fewer fan bases, fewer sponsors and fewer stories for broadcasters and journalists to tell.
Does the brand still resonate?
One of the biggest challenges facing the Commonwealth Games may not be financial. It’s relevance.
Unlike the Olympic Games or FIFA World Cup, whose brands are instantly recognised around the world, the Commonwealth Games are built around an association that many younger audiences know little about.
Research consistently shows that Gen Z engage with sport differently. They are more likely to follow athletes, personalities and viral moments than sporting institutions themselves.
For marketers, that raises an important question of whether the Commonwealth Games is still a compelling brand proposition.
If audiences don’t understand what the Commonwealth represents, the event risks becoming defined by nostalgia rather than relevance.
This doesn’t necessarily mean abandoning its heritage. Instead, organisers may need to rethink how they communicate the Games’ purpose – celebrating diversity, inclusion and competition across 74 nations and territories – rather than assuming audiences already understand the Commonwealth connection. Without that knowledge, it does have the look of a Diet Olympics (or an Olympics on Ozempic!).
Why brand value matters
Like any major sporting event, the Commonwealth Games is ultimately a brand.
Its value depends on four key audiences:
If one of those groups begins to disengage, the entire commercial model becomes weaker.
This is where public relations became just as important as event management.
Instead of allowing the cancellation narrative to dominate, organisers positioned Glasgow as a story of resilience and innovation rather than decline. The messaging shifted from ‘smaller Games’ to ‘more sustainable Games’.
That subtle change demonstrates one of PR’s most valuable functions: framing the narrative before someone else does.
Digital media is changing the rules
Another challenge facing the Commonwealth Games is audience behaviour.
Traditional television audiences are becoming increasingly fragmented as younger viewers consume highlights through TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube and streaming platforms rather than watching live broadcasts.
For marketers, this presents an opportunity rather than a threat.
Instead of measuring success solely by television viewing figures, organisers can focus on:
Athletes themselves have become media channels. A single viral moment shared by an Olympian or Commonwealth athlete can now generate millions of impressions, often exceeding the reach of traditional news coverage.
This represents a significant opportunity for future Games to engage younger audiences without relying solely on broadcast media.
Reinvention through marketing
Perhaps the biggest opportunity lies in repositioning the Commonwealth Games themselves. Rather than competing directly with the Olympic Games, organisers could embrace a different identity.
The Games can become known for:
This is classic brand repositioning.
Many successful organisations have evolved without abandoning their heritage.
The Commonwealth Games may now need to do the same.
The verdict
The future of the Commonwealth Games remains uncertain.
Finding host cities is becoming increasingly difficult, rising costs continue to threaten financial sustainability and the event faces fierce competition for audiences, athletes and commercial investment. This sort of contradicts what the chap said on the radio earlier – at least in terms of host cities. Might be worth putting into context what the Games were up against this year – the biggest ever World Cup, Wimbledon etc.
However, Glasgow 2026 demonstrated something important.
The Games do not necessarily need to be bigger. They need to be more relevant.
For marketing and PR professionals, the Commonwealth Games provide a fascinating example of how strategic communications can reshape public perception during periods of uncertainty.
The next chapter of the Games may not be written by athletes alone.
It could equally be shaped by marketers, communicators and storytellers who can redefine what the Commonwealth Games stand for in a rapidly changing sporting landscape.
In the end, the biggest competition facing the Commonwealth Games may not be on the track or in the pool. It may be for attention, relevance and public trust. And in today’s world, those are won as much through effective marketing and public relations as they are through sporting success.
Whether the Commonwealth Games survive will depend not only on financial sustainability, but on their ability to remain culturally relevant. In an increasingly competitive sports market, the strongest brands are not always the biggest, they are the ones that continue to evolve.
Lewis Scott – Account Director
Lewis Scott is the Account Director at Source. He has been part of Source for over seven years, with a three-year break to successfully run his own cheesecake company. Returning to Source in August 2023, he has progressed from Account Executive to his current role. Lewis works primarily with B2B clients, delivering expertise across PR, social media, graphic design, website management, and media buying. His blend of creativity, entrepreneurial experience, and strategic insight helps clients tell their stories effectively and achieve measurable impact.
