The Private Sector Needs Re-Direction In Sports Development In Nigeria
When a national team returns with a laurel, every Nigerian celebrates. And when success appears unattainable, most people turn spiritual, seeking divine help. But not many play an active role in the painstaking process of building a virile, competitive national side or project
Significantly, a number of sports lovers blame the government for poor funding of the sector. But government appears overwhelmed with other priorities such as infrastructure, health and education to give much attention to sports development. And when it does, its efforts rarely go beyond tactical intervention such as payment of athletes allowances and logistics bills.
Building an enduring sports sector is not a quick-fix. It requires strategic and sustained investment. As demanding as this task is, the recreational appeal of its result presents a unique opportunity for corporate organisations and individuals to promote their brands_ a wider reason sports sponsorship has emerged both as a specialised investment window and as a robust corporate social responsibility (CSR) platform.
But sports investment might not be particularly an exciting subject in Nigeria, perhaps because the sector requires a long-term funding arrangement which is yet inaccessible. The loss to a cold investment market is seemingly compensated for by the fast-growing number of corporate organisations that are embracing the sector as a viable CSR vehicle…the bigger picture lies on these questions below:
* How can sporting organizations package and rebrand their services to attract sponsors ?
* How can sponsorship patterns be sustained on the long term?
Accountability is a reoccurring unmanaged scourge biting into the fabric of sports development- this should be closely monitored
WHATS THE WAY FORWARD?
@coach uni Dan kakwi
