{"id":85842,"date":"2024-09-30T10:28:24","date_gmt":"2024-09-30T10:28:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/how-can-rwanda-leverage-sports-for-economic-growth"},"modified":"2024-09-30T10:53:24","modified_gmt":"2024-09-30T10:53:24","slug":"how-can-rwanda-leverage-sports-for-economic-growth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/sport\/how-can-rwanda-leverage-sports-for-economic-growth","title":{"rendered":"How can Rwanda leverage sports for economic growth?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>As Rwanda sets sights on expanding its sports industry, the inaugural SportsBiz Africa Forum, held in Kigali from September 26-28, revealed the immense potential of sports as a key driver of economic growth.<\/p>\n

Themed “Nexus between Sports and Business towards Africa\u2019s Development,” the forum brought together key sports stakeholders to discuss how to position Africa, and Rwanda in particular, to generate significant revenues and create jobs in an industry that remains largely untapped.<\/p>\n

Key discussions centred around strategies for integrating business investments with sports talent and innovation. Rwanda’s potential to harness sports tourism, technology, and international partnerships emerged as focal points to drive sustainable development and elevate the sports sector\u2019s contribution to Africa\u2019s Gross Domestic Product(GDP).<\/p>\n

Driving Economic Development Through Sports<\/p>\n

Dr. Kamila Swat Aris, the Associate Professor and Programme Director of the Masters of Sport and Entertainment Management at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, highlighted the role of sports in economic development. She emphasized the importance of forums like SportsBiz Africa in fostering collaboration and sharing insights on how sports can drive societal transformation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis kind of gathering is only the beginning of the journey. It\u2019s vital that the knowledge shared here translates into actionable steps. We need to focus on implementing what we\u2019ve learned, evaluating our impact, and considering the sustainability of the sports industry in all its facets,\u201d Kamila said.<\/p>\n

For Rwanda, Kamila believes alignment between the country\u2019s national development goals and the sports sector\u2019s objectives is crucial.<\/p>\n

\u201cRwanda has made a good start with its national vision, but it\u2019s important to ensure that any sports event or initiative aligns with broader development objectives. Building local capacity, professionalising the industry, and investing in sports education are key areas that can accelerate growth,\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n

Investing in Infrastructure and human capital<\/p>\n

During her stay in Kigali, Kamila attended the Youth Career Fair at BK Arena and visited ongoing stadium developments. She praised the integration of sports infrastructure with economic initiatives like the extension of Zaria Court and the construction of a nearby hotel. However, she stressed the need for continued investment in human capital to sustain such projects.<\/p>\n

\u201cHard infrastructure is critical, but we must also focus on developing soft skills in our human resources to support the long-term sustainability of these projects,\u201d Kamila concluded.<\/p>\n

Developing future athletes and exporting talent<\/p>\n

Jacques Kayisire is founder of Dream Team Football Academy, one of Rwandan active football academies.<\/p>\n

He emphasized the vital role sports academies play in developing athletes and contributing to the sports business ecosystem. He drew attention to how global stars like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sadio Mane\u0301 were products of sports academies, showing that exporting talent is a crucial opportunity for Rwanda.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the products that you can sell in the business of sports is athletes. Exporting talent is key to making Rwanda\u2019s sports industry more sustainable,\u201d Kayisire said.<\/p>\n

However, she pointed out the challenges academy owners face in Rwanda, where public institutions still play a significant role, unlike in more developed countries where the sports industry is predominantly private. He urged the government to help build infrastructure and open markets for exporting talent, which could bridge the gap between domestic and international sports markets.<\/p>\n

Reflecting on the outcomes of the forum, Kayisire noted that the event provided valuable insights into revenue generation, sports tourism, and sponsorship, knowledge that Rwanda\u2019s sports sector can use to close the gap with more developed countries.<\/p>\n

Leveraging data and fan engagement<\/p>\n

Jeroen van Iersel, an expert in venue commercialization from Circuit Zandvoort and Formula 1 Heineken Dutch Grand Prix, shared his expertise on how Rwanda can further develop its sports industry, especially from a financial perspective.<\/p>\n

He emphasized the importance of building and utilizing data infrastructure within sports venues to enhance fan engagement.<\/p>\n

\u201cI visited the new stadium and arena in Kigali and saw that one of the sponsors is a telco company. The biggest benefit you can have is building databases with the data you collect and connecting it on the backside to learn from fan behavior,\u201d van Iersel explained.<\/p>\n

He suggested that Rwanda could use this data to create targeted offerings, such as early entrance incentives, upselling catering packages, or offering merchandise ahead of time.<\/p>\n

Building a unique global profile<\/p>\n

In terms of expanding Rwanda’s international sports presence, van Iersel highlighted the importance of having a unique profile when pursuing major events like Formula One which Rwanda is currently bidding to host.<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s not just about the money. It\u2019s about what you\u2019re going to offer for the fans and value you add to the event itself. You need to tell your own story and make it an event with its own identity,” he noted.<\/p>\n

Van Iersel sees Rwanda\u2019s organized and welcoming atmosphere as a strong selling point for hosting global events.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat Rwanda is doing is great. You\u2019ve built a solid country, and that\u2019s something you have to bring to the negotiation table. It\u2019s about the story you want people to see from Rwanda, just like the \u2018Visit Rwanda\u2019 sponsorship with Arsenal,\u201d he said, underscoring that Rwanda’s cultural narrative is key to creating value beyond financial contributions.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Rwanda Follow Africa-Press<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. As Rwanda sets sights on expanding its sports industry, the inaugural SportsBiz Africa Forum, held in Kigali from September 26-28, revealed the immense potential of sports as a key driver of economic growth. Themed “Nexus between Sports and Business towards Africa\u2019s Development,” the forum brought together key sports stakeholders to discuss how […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":85841,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,18],"tags":[349,758,122,6584],"class_list":["post-85842","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-sport","tag-business","tag-rwanda","tag-sports","tag-sportsbiz"],"yoast_head":"\nHow can Rwanda leverage sports for economic growth? - Rwanda<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As Rwanda sets sights on expanding its sports industry, the inaugural SportsBiz Africa Forum, held in Kigali from Septem ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/sport\/how-can-rwanda-leverage-sports-for-economic-growth\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How can Rwanda leverage sports for economic growth?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As Rwanda sets sights on expanding its sports industry, the inaugural SportsBiz Africa Forum, held in Kigali from Septem ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/sport\/how-can-rwanda-leverage-sports-for-economic-growth\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Rwanda\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-09-30T10:28:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-09-30T10:53:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/sites\/23\/2024\/09\/sm_1727680980.134791.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"666\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/sport\/how-can-rwanda-leverage-sports-for-economic-growth#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/sport\/how-can-rwanda-leverage-sports-for-economic-growth\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"How can Rwanda leverage sports for economic growth?\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-09-30T10:28:24+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-09-30T10:53:24+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/sport\/how-can-rwanda-leverage-sports-for-economic-growth\"},\"wordCount\":889,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/sport\/how-can-rwanda-leverage-sports-for-economic-growth#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/sites\/23\/2024\/09\/sm_1727680980.134791.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"business\",\"Rwanda\",\"Sports\",\"Sportsbiz\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"Sport\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/sport\/how-can-rwanda-leverage-sports-for-economic-growth#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/sport\/how-can-rwanda-leverage-sports-for-economic-growth\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/sport\/how-can-rwanda-leverage-sports-for-economic-growth\",\"name\":\"How can Rwanda leverage sports for economic growth? 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