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Bayern Munich Defends "Visit Rwanda" Partnership Amid Human Rights Criticism Bayern Munich's board chairman, Jan-Christian Dreesen, has staunchly defended the club's new sponsorship deal with the "Visit Rwanda" tourism campaign, in the wake of criticism from Human Rights Watch over the East African country's troubling human rights record. The partnership, agreed upon until 2028, has sparked controversy due to Rwanda's noted issues with government oppression and threats against critics. Despite these concerns, Dreesen highlighted the club's transparent approach to the deal and emphasized Africa's potential as a "continent of opportunities." This collaboration comes on the heels of Bayern Munich ending its partnership with Qatar Airways, a move that had been the subject of significant scrutiny and dissatisfaction among the club's fans. Critics hoped that the club's decision to disengage from Qatar Airways signaled a shift towards more ethically conscious sponsorships. However, the choice of Rwanda as a new partner has been met with disappointment and criticism, with Human Rights Watch labeling it a "very, very poor choice." Dreesen countered the criticism by pointing to Bayern Munich's ambition to contribute to the development of youth football in Africa, with the ultimate goal of uncovering talents who could play for the club. He argues that Bayern Munich is neither the first nor will it be the last to embark on such engagements in Africa, indicating that the partnership with Rwanda is a strategic part of the club's internationalization efforts. Furthermore, Dreesen made references to Germany's longstanding relationship with Rwanda, mentioning that the two have been partners for over 60 years. He highlighted the visit of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Rwanda in 2022 and pointed out existing development and climate partnerships, as well as cultural projects like the Goethe-Institut operating in Rwanda. These points were raised to underscore the multifaceted engagement between Germany and Rwanda, suggesting a broader context to Bayern Munich's decision beyond mere football or tourism promotion. Despite the club's justification, the deal has reignited debates about the ethics of sports sponsorships, especially when involving countries with contentious human rights records. Bayern Munich's initiative to support Rwandan football and tourism through the "Visit Rwanda" campaign reflects the complex intersection of sports, business, and socio-political considerations, setting the stage for ongoing discussions about the responsibilities of global sports entities in their partnerships and sponsorships.

This is interesting content for SMU Applied Physiology and Sport Management future #Sportsbiz pros to check out

These are interesting stats from Profluence Sports and Andrew Petcash about how important sports events are in the global events market. If anyone has similar TAM stats from each event's big segments (Sports, Music, Trade Shows/Conferences, Corporate, Associations, etc.), please share!

Let’s harness the power of sports. It can serve as a tool for economic and social development. I am not talking about football (clubs) only as wonderful as it is. Sport is beyond football. I’m talking about a billion dollar ecosystem from manufacturing to entertainment, mega events to M.I.C.E to training to school sports and so on. The United States is the world leader in terms of number of sporting events hosted including capacity and turnover from those events annually. Let’s use sport to stimulate growth. Data never lies #sport #growth #entertainment #development

This is pretty wild... Sports make up 24% of the 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 revenue market (and it's a huge one): 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 = $𝟗𝟓𝟖 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 👀 𝟮𝟴%: Business Events 𝟮𝟰%: Sports 𝟭𝟴%: Music Concerts 𝟭𝟱%: Conferences 𝟭𝟬%: Festivals 𝟬𝟱%: Others 𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺? 💸 • Sponsorships ($441B) • Ticketing ($325B) • Other ($192B) 𝙏𝙬𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨: 💭 ❶ Sports will soon surpass business events as it continues to globalize. ❷ IP from events is extremely valuable (as there are huge opportunities for sublicensing around sports as more regions look to increase tourism). Lots of opportunities here.

Wow, this is truly fantastic stuff, Andrew‼️ I am a prospective Intellectual Property J.D. candidate, so anything regarding IP and sports definitely peaks my interest. Yet, this is something I have not thought of before regarding IP. I am first of all happy you brought this up and two, I agree with you about it! I love it man, keep up the great work‼️ #Sports #SportsLaw #IntellectualPropertyLaw

International Sports Events: The Economic Impact of AFCON The African Cup of Nations (AFCON), organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF): It unites the continent, showcases immense talent, and generates substantial economic benefits. The upcoming AFCON 2024-2025, to be held in Ivory Coast, is expected to attract millions of viewers, both on the continent and globally, driving revenue through broadcasting, tourism, and sponsorships. Economic Numbers & Impact of AFCON: Broadcasting Rights: AFCON is a huge revenue generator for CAF, with broadcasting rights alone bringing in over $80 million in previous tournaments. Tourism Boost: Host nations witness a surge in tourists during AFCON, with visitors increasing by as much as 15% during the tournament period. In 2019, Egypt saw over 500,000 visitors contributing millions in tourism revenue, benefitting hotels, transport, and local businesses. Stadium Investments: The host countries invest heavily in infrastructure. Ivory Coast has allocated over $150 million for stadium renovations and construction, which contributes to both the immediate job creation and long-term sports infrastructure development. Total Revenue Potential: AFCON is predicted to generate close to $200 million in revenue for the 2024 tournament, combining ticket sales, broadcasting, sponsorships, and tourism. Future Predictions and Long-Term Importance: The growth of international sports events like AFCON mirrors Africa’s increasing appeal as a global sporting destination. Future predictions indicate that the African sports industry could surpass $1.5 billion in the coming decade due to the rising popularity of global sports leagues in Africa, increasing investments in infrastructure, and partnerships with international sports bodies. AFCON and other international sports events contribute to the continent's GDP, foster social cohesion, and inspire future generations. Moreover, with an expanding middle class and a growing appetite for sports, Africa’s importance as a hub for global sports will only increase. Why International Sports Events Matter Sports events such as AFCON, along with talks of hosting Formula 1, athletics championships, and other global competitions, are crucial for Africa’s economic development. They create jobs, stimulate tourism, and attract global brands to invest in African markets. Additionally, sports have the power to unite diverse cultures and promote Africa on the world stage. Looking Ahead: The potential for Africa to host more world-class sports events is evident. Countries like South Africa, Morocco, and Kenya have made significant strides in hosting international sporting events and setting the stage for future growth. #AFCON2024 #SportsEconomics #AfricaSports #IvoryCoast #InternationalSports #AfricaEconomicGrowth

More often these days, we are seeing investors and city officials looking to traditional sports venues as a revenue stream and entertainment platform for the whole city. However, this has seen traditional "homes of sport", like Newlands Rugby Stadium, being replaced by multi-purpose venues like Athlone Soccer Stadium and DHL Stadium in the Western Cape, which both now serve the function of an events venue as opposed to a dedicated "home of a club". The commercials make sense for stadium owners, who now see their assets generating income throughout the whole year when sport is not being played; and club owners have the financial burden of managing a stadium taken away. In the short term, it makes sense for both parties, but in the long term it only benefits the stadium owners and the sports organization will lose out. In particular, they will lose out because they will lose a sense of belonging, a home, a place where loyal fans come to visit every other weekend and where traditions are shaped and formed and history is built. And in the long run this makes it incredibly difficult for sports organizations to build their brand and to grow their fan base. It's easy when your team is winning and things are going well, like with the DHL Stormers at the moment, but the moment that wheel turns and the team starts to lose again, the fans who were only at games for the entertainment a sports stadium offered will disappear, and you will only be left with the "old faithful", and they will be longing for a home; a place where a committed and loyal group of people gather each weekend to try make it back. If you don't have that during tough seasons, it will be very difficult to maintain a loyal fan base. So what's the solution? Well very simply, it's to invest billions of rands into sports organizations in South Africa. If sports organisations had the financial backing to build their own sports complexes, they would be able to create an economically sustainable sporting community. This would turn their own sports organisation into an economic machine that generated income throughout the year too. A most recent case study of this can be seen in what is happening at Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United Football Club. An economic report commissioned to explore the benefits of a world-class 100,000-seater stadium as part of a re-developed Trafford Park has found the project could deliver an additional £7.3 billion per year to the UK’s economy, including the creation of 92,000 new jobs, more than 17,000 new homes as well as driving an additional 1.8 million visitors per year to the region. The future of sports stadiums, if it is to consider the growth and longevity of the sports organization it houses, is not to turn existing stadiums into venues for hire. Rather, it is to become sports complexes, larger areas that offer goods and services packaged around the very sport and sports team the stadium was built to host.

In an electrifying keynote at the Eurafrican Forum, in Portugal, Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, Global CEO of SIGA and a member of the Portuguese Diaspora Council delivered an inspiring speech that set the scenes for the panel discussion “Sport: Fostering Integrity and International Cooperation for Sustainable Development”. Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros made a powerful call to action to Eurafrican leaders to act now to ensure the Sport Industry is governed under the highest integrity standards. “Sport is in the air. Sport is popular. Sport is appealing. Sport is gaining its role in today’s society and economy. But that comes with a responsibility,” Macedo de Medeiros stated as an alert. This responsibility, he argued, extends beyond mere entertainment. It involves using sport as a vehicle for social, economic, and cultural development, echoing the sentiment of Nelson Mandela, who believed in the power of sport to inspire and bring about change. Macedo de Medeiros acknowledged the challenges facing the sports industry. “We live, ladies and gentlemen, in a world, in a planet, in dire straits,” he said, pointing to issues like climate change, poverty, and social tensions. To do its job and overcome these challenges, “Sport must lead by example, demonstrating good governance, integrity, and accountability”. Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros emphasized SIGA’s efforts to usher in a new era of integrity, transparency, and accountability in sport: “We mobilized efforts, beliefs, energies, resources, knowledge and expertise to endow Sport with the most advanced set of Universal Standards on Good Governance in Sport, Financial Integrity, Sports Betting Integrity, and Youth Development and Protection.” SIGA’s Global CEO also highlighted the critical role of the SIGA Independent Rating and Verification System (SIRVS). “We have the silver bullet: a set of universal standards. Now, if Sport really wants to be recognized as a top industry, it needs to be accountable. And this comes with the SIGA Independent Rating and Verification System (SIRVS),” he explained. This system ensures that sports organizations adhere to and comply with the highest integrity standards, reinforcing the credibility and trustworthiness of the entire industry. One of the key announcements Macedo de Medeiros made during his speech was the development of a new set of standards on Environment and Sustainability. “Sport is much more than what we see on the fields,” he asserted, highlighting the broader social responsibilities of the sports industry. Macedo de Medeiros called on stakeholders to take decisive action, urging sponsors and organizations to invest in the integrity of sport: “We need deeds. We need results. We need reforms. We need change. So, don’t be a bystander. Pick your side. There is no room for neutrality. It’s time for action and this action must come now.” #SideWithSIGA

😢 Spare a thought this week for one of the region’s most trusted brands. The Co-op group prides itself on ethical values, sustainability and fair trade. Just four years ago it reset its brand to focus on those simple and trusted pillars. But in committing £100m to a 15 year sponsorship deal for the new Co-op Live arena, operated by Oak View Group (OVG), its name is now associated with the botched launch of a project it ultimately has no control over. 🎶 Cock-up Arena, Co-op Chaos, Co-flop Arena may be the phrases being bandied about this week by members of the public, after planned concerts at the new £365m Co-op Live Arena featuring Take That, Peter Kay and rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie were scrapped. 😡 The statement we shared with readers this week from the Co-op Group was laced with fury at the disastrous launch, demanding a clear plan of action. 😇 Reputationally, the city of Manchester has been rescued by the audacious actions of the rival AO Arena, operated by another American entertainment industry giant AEG. My hunch is that punters will be forgiving of the Co-op itself, and are savvy enough to know it’s not their fault. But where it really matters the reputation of Oakview is the one that will take the longest time to recover. Friends of mine who have sponsorship packages are getting anxious they’ve wasted their money. 🙏 But artists, their agents, tour promoters in the music and sports industries, will need some serious reassurance from OVG. As we speak, contingencies will be being made for artists who want to play a music loving city like Manchester, but avoid the calamity that may befall a commitment to the new venue. 🎭 Before all this chaos ensued, talk was all about whether Manchester could sustain two venues of such similar size. 🙏 The irony is that without the original Arena being there to bail it out, it could all have been far worse for everyone.