Concerns over the future feasibility of the Commonwealth Games have led a regional daily sports editor to suggest that the ‘friendly games’ could be held across the north of England.
Yorkshire Post sports editor Nick Westby believes the White Rose County, together with Newcastle, Liverpool and Manchester could come to the rescue of the multi-nation event which faces an increasingly uncertain outlook.
The Australian state of Victoria pulled out of hosting the 2026 Games earlier this summer, while the Gold Coast announced just last week how it would not be stepping in to take over due to the finances required.
The idea, outlined by Nick in a back-page lead and inside feature on Saturday, had previously won the backing of one of Yorkshire’s greatest ever Olympians, triathlete Alistair Brownlee.
The back page of last Saturday’s The Yorkshire Post.
Nick argued that the infrastructure and facilities were largely already in place for the north to host an event of such magnitude.
And just as Birmingham stepped in for Durban in 2022, he feels ‘the conversation is worth having’.
Wrote Nick: “At The Yorkshire Post, where we have covered major events like the Tour de France, the Tour de Yorkshire, the Ashes, rugby World Cups and an annual snooker world championship, we think Alistair Brownlee is right.
“We want to start the conversation.”
The genesis of the idea was a blog by Northern sports journalist Michael Weadock of the Anything But Footy podcast, which Nick then expanded on with a comment piece for The Yorkshire Post in late October.
Double Olympic and Commonwealth Champion Brownlee had similar ideas in a column he wrote for the International Olympic Committee and was happy to contribute his own views, while the CEO of the West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, James Mason, confirmed there would be benefits to the idea.
Nick told HTFP: “The theme of the piece was let’s explore this, let’s have a conversation. None of us are naive to the current economic climate and the challenges local authorities face, but equally we all know the civic pride engendered by huge sporting events on our doorstep, the uplift it can give a community and a local economy.
“Since Saturday, the story has progressed to Rob Parsons, editor of the Northern Agenda newsletter, also raising the idea.
“Hopefully, those people in the corridors of power at sporting bodies and local authorities in the north can get around a table and look into whether this is feasible.”
Brownlee, who was recently elected chair of the European Olympic Committee’s Athlete Commission, strongly believes in the role major sporting events play within communities and feels an integrated proposal from the cities of Northern England could set a new standard for how future Games could be organised.
Speaking to the YP, he explained how crucial it was for sport that a more cost-effective solution be found to hosting the event.
“I really believe in the importance of these international multi-sport events, whether that’s the Commonwealth Games or the Olympic Games,” said Brownlee, who won two gold medals at the 2014 Games in Glasgow.
“There are all kinds of ideas such as using existing venues and accommodation. That seems the pragmatic approach to making these events sustainable in the future.
“And we’re trying to have a more combined North of England region… I think it would be fantastic if it was talked about. Right now I don’t know what the logistics are but as a concept I think it’s worth exploring.”
The inside feature from The Yorkshire Post on the future of the Commonwealth Games.
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