Basketball league moves on without Sponsor
Sport
Local basketball drivers have defied the odds and ensured that the basketball elite league reaches its mid season break despite lack of a financial sponsor. The league went into break in the second week of June. The local Basketball league comprises of two leagues which are the ladies and men’s leagues. The men’s league encompasses two divisions.
The outgoing mouth piece of the association James Kalebwe told Weekend Sport that the failure to acquire sponsorships is highly attributed to the ongoing clean up at the association. “The committee is currently on a cleanup campaign, the main aim is to ensure that basketball is attractive enough before we can negotiate any sponsorship,” articulated Kalebwe.
Kalebwe however pointed out that the lack of financial muscle to run the league hurts the participating team’s pockets as they are forced to dig deep from their pockets to cover all their expenses. He said that the major stumbling block hindering teams from generating their own income was that most of the players were students with no income.
All the participating teams are supposed to pay a compulsory three thousand three hundred pula (3.300 pula) in order to register with the Basketball mother body. However Kalebwe told this publication that the registration fee is channeled to cover the administration costs. “The registration fee is mainly used to cover the costs of running the league, it is used to pay for the basketball courts since our teams do not have their own courts and also to pay the officials,” stated Kalebwe.
Even though the Botswana National Sports Council, as the mother body assists all the affiliated sport codes with funds, the basketball association indicated that the financial aid is not enough because it has been the same over the past five years.
“The money we get from BNSC is mainly directed at assisting teams that are on national duties, we pay for the national team’s trips and coaches. We also use the portion of the money for grassroots development programmes like Re ba Bona Ha. We once brought in two international referees, which is also expensive,” added Kalebwe.
The first round of the highly competitive league went into the break with Men’s Troopers at the helm of the log in the men’s division one. On the other hand BDF boys are also at the summit of the Division two log. The women section is only competing in one division and Police ladies coupled by Dolphins are currently in a bitter saw battle for the Crown.
Kalebwe however expressed gratitude to the media for their pivotal role in ensuring the survival of the basketball league. He also said that plans are underway to fully package the Basketball product to be attractive and appealing for any future sponsors. The second stanza of the league is expected to resume in the first week of August.
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Orange injects P350 000 into Phikwe marathon
Mobile network Orange Botswana is committed to supporting the development of local sport. Through its sponsorship, the company will be able to promote and market the sport. According to Maano Masisi, the company believes that sport can unite people from different backgrounds.
He stated that through the sponsorship of the marathon, the company will help promote healthy lifestyles and unity among the people of Selebi Phikwe.
The Selebi Phikwe Marathon is scheduled to take place on July 29, 2023. It is expected that it will attract international, regional, and social runners. A total of P216 000 has been allocated for the prize money for the first ten places in the 42.2 km race. For the 15km and 10km races, the LOC will give away prizes to the first five places.
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Sport
AFRICA’S RECOVERY: Sports as game changer
The year 2022 witnessed unprecedented phenomena. Several Africans- Gotytom Gebreslase, Sharon Lokedi, Victor Kiplangat, Tamarit Tola and many others- swept the World’s marathons records.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting control measures implemented in several countries, led to many high-level sports competitions being cancelled or shelved, the Dakar 2022 Youth Olympic Games was moved to 2026.
Founder and Executive Chairman, African Sports and Creative Institute, Will Mabiakop, says the inability to hold traditional and amateur sports events have had a serious effect on public health overall, including mental health, sparking a revolution whereby athletes began to talk more openly about stress, mental overload and performance anxiety.
“Africa is home to the fastest growing economies before the crisis, no longer on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). COVID-19 deepened interdependence between SDGs, making them harder to achieve, especially SDG 10 (reducing inequality) and SDG 5 (gender equality_ as the pandemic had a disproportionate impact on poorer countries, and heavier burdens (such as care work) fell to women.”
Mabiakop stresses that as policymakers contemplate actions to speed up recovery and build resilience, they must argue that sports and creative businesses should play a central feature in this effort.
“The sports economy worldwide is estimated at 5% of GDP, but only 0.5% in Africa. If exploited, Africa’s sports and creative industries can offer policymakers innovative solutions. Especially, as regards job creation, and providing employment to the 15 million people entering the job market annually.”
HOW CAN THE INDUSTRY DO THIS?
By leveraging the two-for-one concept: past studies shown that a 1% growth in the economy delivers a 2% job increment in this sector (these ratios are calculated using data from 48 African countries and adjusted to the reality of the sports economy in Africa by the authors). There are between 30 and 50 job types, in sports and creative industries, respectively. These jobs do not fade away with the first major shock.
Mabiakop indicated that policymakers can use these industries to tackle multiple crises- jobs, poverty, and climate risks. Sports diplomacy- defined as communication, representation and negotiation in or through the prism of sports- has proven effective in building inclusive and cohesive societies. Moreover, sports and the creative industry can support better mental health and well-being, both important for productivity.
“Policymakers can also be true to the game by leveraging culture and tradition to celebrate identity and reap commercial value in sports, textiles and jewelry. Creative sectors allow deeper connection with culture, are not easily copied and provide great economic potential.”
He said supporting grassroots sports has powerful distributional effects. “Fortunately, technology has made reaching wide audiences easier, generating higher rates of success when talent is discovered.”
However, Mabiakop held that potential pitfalls must be highlighted. “First avoid build it and they will come policies with infrastructures denuded from the rest of the ecosystem. Like the many sports stadiums left largely unused.”
“Policymakers must remain mindful of how these sectors move the needle in human capital development. Also, align the requisite public policies needed for progress from grassroots participation to professional sports, and even to international sporting events. They should also support investment instruments to render these sectors performant.”