The impact of sport events on the brand image of the country – focusing on mega-events: Signaling nation brand value through sport events in a comparative analysis of Hungarian and international cases

This study applies signaling theory to analyze how host countries strategically use sport events of different scales to communicate brand value to international stakeholders. The study aims to identify and compare branding signals generated by recurring, regional, and global mega-events within nation branding and event tourism. A comparative qualitative case study with maximum variation sampling is employed, examining the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix, the 2017 European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Győr, and the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games. Each case is assessed across economic, social, sustainability, and symbolic dimensions to capture scale-specific signaling mechanisms. Results indicate that event scale fundamentally shapes branding signals. The Formula 1 Grand Prix primarily signals organizational reliability, policy continuity, and infrastructural maturity. EYOF conveys authenticity, community embeddedness, and investment in human capital. By contrast, Paris 2024 emphasizes sustainability leadership, urban innovation, and global normative positioning. Long-term branding effects depend less on event magnitude than on strategic alignment between event typology, governance capacity, and national branding objectives. The findings suggest that Destination Marketing Organizations should manage diversified event portfolios to optimize signal credibility and reduce reputational risk. Medium-sized regional events may generate more trusted and socially resonant signals than highly commercialized mega-events globally today.