SPORTS MARKETING
The Power Of
Transcendence In Sport
By Richard Wanjohi
B
eyond
the
ambition
and
competitiveness,
sports
bring
amusement, excitement and a whole
new level of magic. It teaches us morality,
integrity and serves us faith and hope to live
to see another day. We are held in awe when
we watch our favorite athletes and sports
teams - they give us a sense of something to
look for beyond the challenges and hustles
of our daily lives - and that we can conquer
them.
A few weeks ago, the world of sports lost
Kobe Bryant who died in a helicopter
crash with his daughter. Having retired a
few years back, Bryant had been at an LA
Lakers game, one of the famed franchises
in the National Basketball Association
(NBA), watching his all-time scoring
record surpassed by James LeBron.
The outpouring of emotions and messages
from the sports world was overwhelming.
Some of the more outstanding ones for me
included New Orleans Saints quarterback
Drew Brees who called Bryant's death "a
tragic loss." "I had so much respect for him
as a competitor," Brees said. "I mean, one
of the great competitors of any generation,
not just with sports, but I think just the
way he approached a lot of things and
what he was doing now after basketball."
Another LA Lakers legend, Kareem
Abdul-Jabbar called Bryant a leader who
"inspired a whole generation of athletes."
After meeting Bryant as an 11-year-old,
Abdul-Jabbar, 72, watched Bryant grow
into a (basketball) shooter who once
put up an 81-points in a single game.
“Most people will remember Kobe as the
magnificent athlete who inspired a whole
generation of basketball players. But I will
always remember him as a man who was
much more than an athlete”.
Finally, the Mayor of Los Angeles, Eric
Garcetti, wrote this on his Twitter page
“Kobe Bryant was a giant who inspired,
amazed, and thrilled people everywhere
with his incomparable skill on the court -
and awed us with his intellect and humility
as a father, husband, creative genius, and
ambassador for the game he loved”.
Sports reach is universal, and it is now im-
portant that this reach be translated into ac-
tion. Partnerships through teams and clubs,
sports federations and governments need to
be strengthened with constructive projects
implemented on the ground. This is usually
espoused by the Olympic movement but can
be reinforced at more localized and grass-root
level.
90 MAL34/20 ISSUE
In his passing, Kobe Bryant showed
us the impact and influence of sports
and its place in society. There are many
instrumental objectives and lessons
realized through sports. Their value
maybe underestimated but whether
you’ve been in sports as a fan, athlete
or remotely involved, sports literally
reshapes the very foundation of our
world.
There is something about the sports
dynamic that transcends socio-political,
economic and ethnic barriers. Its element
cuts across educational backgrounds
and levels, religious preferences and all
language barriers.
Kobe Bryant was able to overcome this
when as a younger man and player, he
was playing with his friends and team-
mates in Rieti, Italy. Having been born
of a former NBA player, Joe Bryant, who
had trans-located his family and skills
to the lower rung basketball league in
Europe - this shows his resilience and
self-belief were built early and would
become enduring traits earning him
the moniker and title of his book ‘The
Mamba Mentality’.
Sports has a magnificent ability to
unite people making it a powerful
communication tool. Its reach is
unrivalled, promoting universal values
that transcend both language and
culture.
In July and August 2020, the world will
be treated to another sports spectacle
in the Olympics - taking place in the
Japanese capital, Tokyo. Events and