Top level athletes like Olympic Champion Wayde van Niekerk enjoy big sponsors , lucrative endorsements and big retainers , but are the exception to the rule in the sport
Representing your country is a pinnacle achievement in the sport , but doesn ’ t always pay the bills after the racing is done increase in sales as well . Thus , when the athlete ’ s career ends , so generally does the sponsorship . This is the norm globally .
The view this sponsorship manager expressed is that it is not a sponsor ’ s responsibility to ensure that an athlete takes care of their finances and plans for life after sport . That is the role of the manager and / or agent . This is not necessarily incorrect , but I do feel that sponsors will get more in the long run from “ their athlete ” if they take a more proactive role in the athlete ’ s life development . Please understand , what I am saying is that the current normal arrangement between sponsor and athlete is not wrong , but I do feel it can be improved upon . I ’ ll come back to that later , though , as it is a thought that not only applies to sponsors .
Meanwhile , Athletics South Africa ( ASA ) is largely responsible for the elite element of the sport , and that means putting in place structures and events that will grow the sport , while allowing athletes to reach their full potential as well as earn a decent income during their career . That , in essence , means facilitating top flight events and races with good prize money – and that requires sponsorship .
As we have seen , not too long ago there was good cash in the sport , and that needs to be resurrected by ASA , be it through joint ventures with meet promoters and race organisers , or giving the promoters and organisers the freedom to make events happen . Naturally the latter would come at a fee , but there ’ s nothing wrong with that . But even if these meets and races are being put on , I believe the national federation still has a duty to enhance the life skills of athletes through training courses and sound advice . I ’ ll come back to that as well a bit later .
It also means that given the education to manage their lives better during and post their racing careers , these athletes will be better equipped to deal with the financial , social and psychological challenges to come . That in turn , will mean they are better equipped to contribute to the general economy , either by being able to transition to another line of work , or better yet , by staying in the sport and “ giving back ,” be it through coaching , athlete management , event organising or even public speaking . Everyone wins .
Ultimately , however , the athlete needs to understand that their competitive career has a short lifespan , and they need to be equipped to handle what happens once they hang up their spikes . The obvious starting point is to make sure they complete their basic education in school , and then grab the opportunity to study further , if possible , or learn a trade . Then , with the help of all in the sport , these athletes can be helped to transition smoothly when they can no longer race for a living .
Usain Bolt is one of very few global superstars that can afford to retire outright post-athletics
Role of Clubs , Managers and Agents
Twenty years ago it was the likes of Mr Price and Liberty Nike that carried the flag as top competitive clubs with the best athletes . These days it is Nedbank , Boxer , Murray & Roberts , Entsika and Hollywood Bets . Between them , these clubs have put athletes on retainers of various levels , depending on the calibre of the athletes – the better you are , the higher the retainer . However , as mentioned , the reality is that it is very rare for any athlete to earn a retainer that allows for a good living and some savings beyond their careers .
The sponsorships these clubs are able to secure from their corporate backers are simply not enough to be able to pay all athletes top dollar retainers . And to be fair , the standards in general need to improve in South African athletics and road running to warrant higher retainer packages . Again the question is raised , though , what are clubs doing to ensure their athletes have the skills to be economically active after their careers ? And is it even the club ’ s responsibility to do so ?
As mentioned earlier , those who take care of sponsorships rely heavily on managers and agents to not just represent athletes , but also to teach their athletes life skills and make sure they are looked after beyond their sporting careers . There are few issues here . The first is the presupposition that all athletes have managers and agents . That is simply not the case . Only the very best have those , and it is simply not necessary to have a manager / agent in South Africa . And even those athletes who do have managers / agents are very rarely given any form of life skills , as it is simply not seen as the agent or manager ’ s responsibility . Again , I believe this to be short-sighted .
It ’ s a Joint Responsibility
In short , the way the sport is currently structured means that nobody actually takes responsibility for the athletes once their careers come to an end . Ultimately , that is the responsibility of the athlete . Just as it is for anyone else who is not a professional athlete . We are all responsible for our own futures . However I believe that all of the above parties would in actual fact benefit from assisting in providing athletes with better life / business skills ... for the simple reason that it would teach them to be better ambassadors for their sponsors and clubs , and the federation .
About the Author
Manfred Seidler is a freelance sport journalist who has been in the industry since 1994 , in both print media and broadcasting , covering four Olympic Games for SABC Radio , and producing various athletics shows for the SABC . Follow him on Twitter : @ sportmansa ; Facebook : Sport Man SA ; Instagram : sportman _ sa .
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