Veteran sports journalist Deji Omotoyinbo has explained that the upcoming Sport Impact Africa Conference, is about stakeholders looking for solutions to issues bedeviling the sport industry not only in Nigeria, but in Africa.
Omotoyinbo, who is the initiator of the Sport Impact Africa Conference, stated this as a guest on Sports Zone on Lagos Talks 91.3 FM.
Sport Impact Africa is a two-day event billed for The Zone, Gbagada Industrial Scheme from Thursday 3rd to Friday 4th November, 2022.
The event will feature heavyweights in the sport industry in Nigeria.
Among the big wigs expected to be at the event are Group Managing Director Complete Communications Limited (CCL) Dr. Mumini Alao, Dr Larry Izamoje, CEO Brila FM, former Nigeria international Chief Segun Odegbami, Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medal winner Enefiok Udo-Obong, former D’Tigers captain Olumide Oyedeji and Remi Ogunpitan.
While shedding light on the importance of the Sport Impact Africa, Omotoyinbo said:“I’m hosting a sports business and media conference, November 3rd and 4th called Sport Impact Africa. I have gotten to a position where I don’t want to speak problems. I want to seek solutions in my own little sphere, what can I do to make structures better.
“This conference is about those of us in the industry getting together, talking about the issues we have, trying to find a solution to those issues without necessarily depending too much on government. Of course, we have a government official coming to talk to us about private, public partnership which is crucial, but it is not a government backed event. It is purely private sector driven. We need to start looking in that direction because government will not solve all our problems because sport is not the only thing on the government’s table.
“Those of us in the industry and have made a decent living in the industry, I think, it’s time we get together and start discussing sectoral issues and trying to find solutions. So, it’s a two-day conference and it’s meant to be a Pan-African event eventually. It’s us talking about a lot of topics, sport and the girl child, the e-sport revolution, Africa’s sport tourism, about how do you raise talents to become global champions.
“We have all kinds of panellists, hosts and moderators. It’s an industry event and anybody involve in any aspect of our sport industry should be there.
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“We also have media master classes and let me mention names, we have Dr. Larry Izamoje, Dr. Mumini Alao, Remi Ogunpitan, Emeka Enyadike, my humble self – we will be giving media master classes over the two days and a whole host of other people who have given great support.”
Omotoyinbo continued: “One of the smartest lines I have read in the last three years has been collaboration is the new competition. I think we all need to collaborate to make the industry better and I have tried to give back in other ways. So this is one of those ways I try to give back to the industry that I have made a decent living from and we thank God for where all of us have gotten to.
“It’s a paid event and you get a tea break and a lunch each day and it’s N60,000 and I always tell people you need to invest in yourself. This kind of conference that is over two days is usually $300 to $400. We are charging N60,000 which is roughly a little over $100. And what you get are two power packed conference days and a whole load of networking with the bigger players in the industry.
“So, anybody interested in the sports industry or already in the sport industry, you are a sport brand manager, you need to be there. A strong panel of people will tell you, yes, we do sponsorship but are we maximising those sponsorships for all those who are supporting sports franchises? For instance, Super Eagles are not going to the World Cup, we are not hearing anything from the sponsors. How are we maximising that? Are they licking their wounds? Should you actually run your sponsorship around one particular team and does it matter if that team is doing well or not? If you do proper relationship sponsorship so to speak, it won’t matter if the Super Eagles are doing well or not because there is no football team in the world that don’t have their ups and downs. Italy are not going to the World Cup back-to-back but I don’t think it affects their national team sponsorship.
“So you must have to think through this things. I have to say that the sport industry guys have given me great support and I’m really thankful for that. So November 3rd and 4th at The Zone in Gbagada and go to the website Sportimpact.com.ng and get everything you want to know about the conference.“
