MAY | OPINION
Private interest
According to the Association of Summer Olympic
Federations, private enterprise is looking to capitalise
on the paralysis of International Sports Federations
‘L
ook to your laurels or someone else
will be eating your lunch’.
The words of the summary findings
of a major, ramification-inducing report
from the Association of Summer Olympic
Federations are slightly more sophisticated,
but this seems to be their astonishingly
candid warning.
The report, entitled ‘The Future of Global
Sports’ was recently published and can still
be downloaded from the ASOIF website.
It was compiled in conjunction with a
number of stakeholders from across the
world of sport and highlights a significant
opportunity for suppliers to the sports event
industry to help Rights Holders adapt to the,
“increasingly disruptive and competitive
sporting landscape”.
Traditionally Federations and Governing
Bodies have had a rather aloof attitude to
engaging with suppliers, concentrating
instead on pushing responsibility for the
organisation of their events down to host
cities and local organising committees
(LOC’s). But this report calls for a greater
level of accountability and consistency
amongst ASOIF members- and beyond.
The part-catalyst for this advice is the
litany of disputes and legal cases which have
haunted the Federations which represent
swimming, basketball, skating and many
other sports over recent years.
ASOIF which, as a representative of the 27
Olympic Federations (including financially
independent governing bodies for football,
golf, tennis, and cycling) is a powerful
organisation. Across a four-year period, its
members run approximately 8,000 events.
Increasingly now, if the report’s findings are
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Andy Rice, COO, Major Sporting Events (MEI)
to be heeded, there is going to be a joined-up
and more entrepreneurial approach to these
events- providing suppliers with a greater
opportunity to promote their USP’s.
If you can mitigate risk, reduce cost,
or maximise revenues, the lines of
communication with sporting Federations,
both large and small, will be soon be
opening.
Andrew Ryan, ASOIF Secretary General
commented that the report sends a “clear
message” to International Federations on
how to deal with commercial entities and
private companies, “For us, the message the
report gives is crystal clear - it is no longer
acceptable for IFs to just automatically
assume they can operate in a monopoly
position.”
Around the Games reports Ryan as saying,
“This, in the future, must be a cooperation
between the IFs, commercial entities and
Governments where all three would equally
share risk.
“The way forward is that IFs are more
entrepreneurial and commercially-aware
and that the way to deal with this would be
to enter negotiation and find the common
ground to develop the sport.”
“Where IFs do not assert themselves,
business may sweep in and capitalise on
missed opportunities, or the public sector
may feel the need to make up for ineffective
governance” asserts the report.
This is a landscape of increasing
opportunity, but one fraught with pitfalls:
wasted time and resource. It is Major Events
International’s role to navigate and make
sense of this space; providing our members
(and delegates) with access, insight and an
increased profile amongst decision makers
who have the influence and the budgets to
help you capitalise on this new, ‘open-for-
business’ attitude.
Andy Rice is a sports business professional
with 20 years’ experience, and is currently
COO of Major Sporting Events (MEI) arice@
majoreventsint.com