A new window of opportunity

There are moments in history when a sport not only unites a nation, but also defines it. In 1995, South Africa organised the Rugby World Cup during the turbulent period of racial tensions. At that time, newly-elected President Nelson Mandela firmly believed that only sport could successfully unite the whole country and could bridge the racial division. The great thing was, that in the morning of the Rugby World Cup the vast majority of the population, white and black, got united. The whole nation stood by their team through thick and thin. Ultimately, South Africa won that World Cup. This is an example, of how massive the impact of sports can turn out to be.

As a developing country, Bangladesh has reached a certain level of economic development. Consequently, our residents have started enjoying their life through sports and entertainment after fulfilling their basic needs. Restaurants, cineplexes and stadiums are getting filled with crowds. Although sports have already turned into a huge sector of business worldwide, Bangladesh has a long way to go before turning it into a profitable one.

Present scenario of sports industry in Bangladesh: In Bangladesh, sport is the most saleable product at present. ICC Champions Trophy 2017, FIFA Confederations Cup 2017, Australia's Tour of Bangladesh, BPL 2017 are among the most trending topics in 2017. Excellent performance of our sportspersons is behind this increasing interest. Sports sections of Bangladeshi newspapers, online version of these newspapers and popular local and international websites are providing contents on sports to meet this demand of enthusiasts.

Sportspersons are getting priority over film stars, TV actors and singers in promoting different brands of products. Shakib, Mashrafe, Tamim are getting first priority as 'Brand Ambassadors' for big local and multinational companies.

However, the sports industry in Bangladesh is depending heavily on cricket due to its huge popularity. Despite being a country filled with football lovers who do crazy things during the World Cup Football to support their favourite teams, our domestic football has failed to attract them. Compared to the past, the standard of Bangladeshi football has slipped due to mismanagement, lack of proper patronisation and inadequate investment. During 1980s and 1990s, football had witnessed its golden period in Bangladesh. However, participation in the Cricket World Cup in 1999 and achieving the Test status in 2000 overshadowed the past glory of the nation's football. The rise of cricket has given Bangladesh a positive identity that unites the whole nation and it has given an entire generation the encouragement to dream.

Apart from cricket and football, other popular sports in Bangladesh include hockey, kabaddi, chess, handball, basketball, table tennis, shooting, golf, etc. Although Bangladesh has produced genius players like Niaz Murshed, Ziaur Rahman, Zobera Rahman Linu, Rani Hamid, Asif Hossain Khan etc., unfortunately these sportspersons are not being nurtured properly and are not getting enough attention as the cricketers of present time. Therefore, we are failing to capitalise on their talent on the global stage.

If we consider our big local clubs like Abahani and Mohammedan, they are far behind the Asian standard in terms of infrastructure, professionalism and other facilities. Most of our clubs do not have enough grounds for holding matches and for practice. Very few online and offline activities are being done by their fans and followers for cheering their favourite clubs up. Most of the clubs lack digital presence, though it is essential for creating a strong brand image of a club nowadays.

How marketing turns sports into a big business: Cricket has been the most favoured sport in India for quite a long time. But, of late, they have come to patronise other sports as well. Noticeable involvement of investors, sponsors and broadcasters helped the other games generate interest among the masses. Recent U-17 World Cup, Pro Kabaddi League, Indian Football League (ISL) prove that sports marketing can make things happen, make sports get noticed, increase the number of fans and followers. That is what sports marketing is all about. The involvement of celebrities and star stakeholders in these sport events has made them popular. Over the years, the Tata Group in India has supported sports in many ways - by building sports infrastructure and institutions, providing employment to sportsmen and through sponsorship of sports personalities and events.

Organising different sports events can help generate interest of the masses. For example, after organising the Mini World Cup in 1998, the popularity of cricket rose substantially in our country. Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) has also gained popularity following the trend of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Other niche sports can also be promoted following the branding techniques applied by our neighbouring countries to create the hype.

Challenges in sports industry: a) Mindset of advertisers and stakeholders

Even though we are living in a digital era, advertisers are still not spending enough on digital platforms to cope with the pace of technological innovation. People nowadays are more available on digital platforms for their social communication and entertainment purpose. But in reality, advertisers still prefer traditional media like TV, Radio, and Print Newspaper for promotion of their products. Lack of digital mindset is the reason behind this digital marketing myopia. Therefore, digital publishers like 'Pavilion' are facing difficulties to generate revenue through digital media buying. Despite the huge public demand for sports contents, advertisers are still not being able to address and utilise sports-based digital platforms. Decision makers of different sports federations and club owners are struggling to develop the overall sports eco-system due to various limitations in many sectors.

b) Old-fashioned club culture

Local sports clubs are not maintaining some common standards and professionalism. Most of them lack business mindset to generate revenue by building their clubs as a brand. Top clubs in our country are not improving due to lack of proper infrastructure, sponsors, merchandising, marketing, fan engagement activities etc. Professional leagues are not being arranged on the home and away basis. Due to absence of a fan community, big matches like those between Abahani and Mohammedan can not draw crowds these days, which is really disappointing.

c) Lack of specialised sports marketing agency

Sports marketing agencies can provide innovative branding solutions for the existing sports clubs in Bangladesh. Specialised sports marketing agencies are playing an important role in promoting the sports business worldwide. Apart from providing branding solutions for different sports clubs, global sports marketing agencies like 'Project 11', 'WePlay' assist clients in achieving the most effective results across a vast array of mediums, from advertising to sports sponsorship, digital displays to social media. 'Playmaker', a sister concern of 'Pavilion', is serving as a sports marketing agency for clients. The other emerging sports management agencies in Bangladesh, like Total Sports Marketing, Imago, N9ine etc., are working on player management, event management, media buying, in-stadium advertising, social media marketing etc. However, our sports industry needs more specialised marketing agencies to tap the sports business.

d) Lack of sports expertise

Bangladesh is still struggling in the sector of sports broadcasting and sports show due to lack of experts, commentators, analysts, anchors, and also due to quality sports contents. As a result, we do not have any specialised sports channel despite having a great demand for it. International cricket matches and BPL matches are being broadcasted by traditional TV channels. In order to develop the overall sports eco-system, specialised sports channels are needed to broadcast domestic leagues as well. However, traditional channels have failed to produce quality sports shows for viewers due to lack of sports expertise.

e) Career after retirement

Career after retirement is a major concern for our sportspersons. There are limited opportunities available for players after retirement to keep them involved in sports. In Bangladesh, most of the retired players either join private firms or start running their own business. Very few of them adopt coaching as a career or in serve in the commentary box. If we can utilise the retired players' talent and experience by providing them proper training, they can contribute as sports experts, analysts, anchors or commentators. Eventually, quality sports shows will be produced and there will be enough of them for running a sports channel.

Considering all these facts, 'Pavilion' has stepped into the sports industry to help in building a sports eco-system by providing quality contents. 'Pavilion' believes in changing the way of thinking towards sports by creating a sports-oriented nation that can logically think about the sports and support passionately but in a reasonable manner.

Sports business is a new arena of untapped opportunities in our country. However, it is a matter of concern that sports business has fallen prey to mismanagement. Stakeholders should take necessary steps to save this sector for the sake of both economic and social development.

Priyom Mozumdar is Co-Founder of Pavilion and Shadman Habib is Brand & Business Development Executive, Pavilion.

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