2023-07-27 00:09:14
Focus this week on trade relations between the African continent and the United States, following the business summit in Gaborone, Botswana, which took place earlier this month. And in the world of sport, partnerships are also emerging, with basketball in particular, and the American NBA which is deploying its operations on the continent. Several African countries are now betting on using this sport as a lever for economic development.
From our special correspondent in Gaborone,
The NBA has been established on the continent for more than 10 years, with the opening of offices, then more recently of an academy in Senegal. But a major milestone was reached 2 years ago, with the creation of the NBA Africa, valued at $1 billion and attracting investment from orange ball stars, as well as the launch of Basket-ball Africa. League which has just completed its third season. Victor Williams is at the head of this NBA Africa: “ It helps to already have credibility in terms of execution. And, on the matter, the NBA has been in the business for a while and has already proven that it can grow the business outside of the United States. People have witnessed it, they have seen the infrastructures that we are ready to deploy, and they wanted to be part of our projects. We want to continue to demonstrate that sport in Africa can represent good business, it is possible to invest in it over the long term, and have good returns on investment. »
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Economic benefits at all levels
Sport on the continent has potential given the demographic context: by 2050, Africa will bring together a quarter of the world’s population, with half of the inhabitants aged under 25.
And some countries now want to take advantage of the economic benefits of basketball, as detailed by Will Mbiakop, president of the African Sports and Creative Institute (ASCI) and former executive of NBA Africa: “ The countries participating in the “mega events”, whether it is the Basketball Africa League, whether it is FIBA, or AfroCAN, immediately benefit from these spin-offs, from a hotel point of view, from a tourism point of view, from a “merchandising”. That’s the direct spinoffs, and the indirect ones are all about transport, “the entertainment” or “hospitality” that will be generated through the different events. »
Soon other sports on the same model?
Senegal or Egypt intend to do well, as does Rwanda, which, in a more global strategy, wishes to become a hub for sports competitions in Africa, according to Clare Akamanzi, head of the Rwanda Development Board : “ This year we are expected to bring in $90 million from organizing events, and sport contributes 15%. It’s a start, but it should increase according to our expectations. And thanks to our investments, people approach us to tell us: “What you are doing with the NBA and the Basketball Africa League, would you like to do it for another sport as well?” We have thus built a foundation that will ultimately make all of this economically and socially viable for Rwandans.. »
Sport currently represents only 0.5% of GDP in Africa, compared to 2% globally.
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