This research examines the overall effectiveness of both domestic and international social movements that form in reaction to a host nations success in acquiring a mega-event. I focus on this relationship in Mexico City (1968 Summer Olympics), Beijing (2008 Summer Olympics), and South Africa (2010 World Cup), which are all cases where each nations bid and subsequent preparations became a catalyst for varying levels of social movements at both the domestic and international level. Combined with an examination and evaluation of these three cases, I analyze instances in which a mega-event has occurred since 1970. From my analysis, I have concluded that due to the publicity generated by the mega-event the amount of social movements increase in the lead-up to the mega-event; nevertheless, these movement rarely have any significant effects and decrease dramatically after the mega-event has concluded.