The African Sports & Creative Institute (ASCI) Newsletter - Week 44
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(Hallo? How are you? in Amharic) from the Editor’s desk - welcoming you to our weekly brief. Amharic is the one of the more commonly spoken native language in Eritrea taking us to the Horn of Africa - our feature country today. Hope you noticed the Amharic characters above? More on that later.
In early November, we examine the projected 3.6% annual growth in sports sponsorship by 2030, the record 17 African players in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the impact of climate change on sports in Africa.?
Drop us a line on [email protected] - say hi, let us know if we’re doing a good job. Ready to enjoy the ride? Let’s go!
?nkwan d?hna m???a??hu!
The global sports sponsorship market is projected to grow from $68.4 billion in 2023 to $87.9 billion by 2030. This is driven by sports commercialization, digital media growth, and e-sports' rising popularity, opening significant revenue opportunities for sports entities and brands. The possibilities for sports expanding even in emerging markets such as Africa is endless. This report is available courtesy of Research and Markets
TKO is set to acquire Professional Bull Riders On Location, and 国际管理集团 from Endeavor Group Holdings in a $3.25 billion all-equity deal, expanding its Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and WWE portfolio and deepening its presence in the premium sports market with direct involvement in partner leagues and events.?This is a boon for the sport which has a growing fan base. The strategic investment into On Location and IMG - one of sports marketing and events organizing brands is a step in the right direction.
The state of mental health of any human being including sports people is of paramount importance. Building on the success of mental health services provided to athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee – IOC is now sharing this approach across the Olympic Movement. This can be trickled down all the way to the grassroots sports activities.
With record attendance and record sponsorship, the 2023-24 season was a banner year for the National Basketball Association (NBA) , producing some $13 billion in league-wide revenue.The Warriors are the top team for the third straight year, worth $8.8 billion—twice the league average. Interesting to see how some of the franchises have grown from strength to strength. It will be more interesting in the new season as realignments and investments in the game continue.
Keeping it with the NBA, the past two seasons have seen an interest of players born of African natives or based in Africa make their debuts and contributions in the NBA. According to SEMAFOR , there are over 35 players with at least one African parent, giving hope to future basketball talent. This shows with the much-needed investment and infrastructure, players from the African continent can match any from across the world.
Despite contributing only about 3% of global cumulative CO2 emissions, Africa is the continent most vulnerable to climate change impacts, which extend to its running tracks and football pitches, prompting discussions about reorganizing the sporting calendar to address the health and performance challenges faced by athletes. How exactly is sport in Africa being affected??
Silverbacks Holdings announced its latest investment in African Warriors Fighting Championship (AWFC), Nigeria's leading Dambe boxing promoter, at the inaugural New Africa Summit during the exclusive Future Investment Initiative (FII8) in Riyadh.
What We Loved
Botswana's Letsile Tebogo and Saint Lucia's Julien Alfred, champions in the 200m and 100m events at the Paris 2024 Olympics, were honored with the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) award for best male and female athletes on October 30 in Cascais, Portugal. Their historic victories marked the first Olympic gold medals for their countries, and Tebogo expressed gratitude for the recognition, stating, "It means a lot to me to be recognized by ANOC; it motivates me to keep on pushing," as reported by Olympics.com
The sprinter from Botswana will be a focal point for African sprinters in the coming years as the sport seeks the next generation of athletes. This is another feather on Tebogo’s cap!
What are We Reading
This book delves into sport communication in Africa and the African diaspora, highlighting the significance of sport in African society and the increasing influence of the diaspora in global sports as athletes, scholars, and media professionals. Featuring contributions from prominent African researchers across various disciplines, it covers diverse topics—from the role of radio in promoting the Olympic Games in Nigeria to the effects of Colin Kaepernick's protest on journalism at Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the USA—while examining critical issues such as racism in European football and the link between sport, communication policy, and sustainable development in Africa, making it a compelling read for anyone interested in the socio-cultural aspects of sport, business management, and African studies.?The book is published courtesy of Routledge
Country Focus
Eritrea was named Mdree-Bahree which means ‘land of the sea’ by the locals. The word ‘Eritrea’ is derived from the Greek ‘Sinus Erythraeus’ which means Red Sea;
*Eritrea is a member of the African Union, the United Nations, and the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and is an observer state in the Arab League;
* It is the hottest country in the world in terms of average annual temperature;
* It is an archaeologist’s paradise including Qohaito; Nabta Playa region; ancient port city of Adulis and Keren region;
* The country's national currency the Nakfa is the 10th strongest currency in Africa;
* Asmara - the capital city is called Africa’s little Rome. It has many remarkable buildings built by the Italians who wanted to create a ‘Little Rome’ in Africa.
Population: 6.7 million GDP: $6.42 billion Per capita: $1,835
A Brief Preview of Sports:
Cycling: Cycling is one of the most popular sports in Eritrea. The national cycling teams of both men and women are ranked first on the African continent, with the men's team ranked 16th in the world as of February 2023.
There are over 500 elite cyclists in the country.
Birniam Girmay Hailu made history as the first African to win any jersey at the Tour de France when he won the Green Jersey. He also made history by becoming the first black African rider to win a Tour de France stage – winning stages 3, 8, and 12.
In 2022 Giro d'Italia, he became the first African cyclist to win a Grand Tour stage after winning stage 10 in a reduced bunch sprint.
Football: Though popular in the country, none of the national teams are ranked on the FIFA Rankings despite the country being a member of FIFA.
Olympics:
Eritrea takes honour once again with its cyclists including;
*Mosana Debesay became the first African female cyclist to compete in an Olympics, representing Eritrea in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, having been a multiple African female champion.
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Writer
3 个月Hi Will, I’m a big fan of the impactful work you’re doing at the African Sports and Creative Institute—the newsletter is a great resource! Please accept my connection request as I'd love to speak with you for a story on the rise of sports investment in Africa. Thanks.