Communications Manager of Banks DIH Limited Troy Peters says the lack of planning and know-how by sports associations is responsible for their inability to attract funding from big companies to attend major competitions.
He is also calling on the government and the Guyana Lottery Company to devise ways in which sports associations can benefit from lotto funds.
Speaking at the Titans Table Tennis Club’s Player Development Seminar Saturday at the Red Cross Building, Eve Leary, Peters, a former national hockey player,
said some sports associations failed to plan properly when it came to seeking sponsorship.
“On most occasions athletes and associations struggle to raise funds for international competitions and this could be a distraction and a setback on performance,” Peters said.
He highlighted inadequate planning and the lack of knowledge in securing sponsorship, as the main reasons for the failure of sports associations to attract significant sponsorship deals.
“Sport is big business and until we take sport seriously the returns will be minimal. Most associations do not have the structure to run like a business. I believe only cricket and maybe football may have marketing personnel as part of their structure. Many associations rely heavily on influential persons on the executive to approach someone they know in a company to get assistance,” said Peters, a former sports journalist with this newspaper.
Peters said the relationship between sports associations and companies should be a symbiotic one.
“A company has the finances and is looking for visibility and brand recognition and the association has the means of giving that company the visibility through its events. The problem is negotiating for a good deal.
If I had to wear two hats here as a sports administrator and a business executive. I would say that corporate entities many times reap most of the benefits because associations go with a begging bowl instead of the necessary negotiating skills to sell their events and this is where marketing skill is needed,” he charged.
The fact that sports administrators have regular jobs may be a detriment to their overall performances, he suggested.
“Some serve because they were former players and are passionate to see the sport grow. Others help because they were approached due to their expertise. Some may serve because they think it’s prestigious and could boost their CVs, while others assist because of children and other close relatives that they want to see succeed.”
He questioned how many sports officials elected to office make meaningful contributions to the sports disciplines.
“Many times it boils down to just one or two active members working tirelessly to keep those associations together.
“Associations must prepare themselves to run their affairs like the businesses the seek funding from.
“Knowing when to approach a company is critical. Associations believe that they can send a letter to a company anytime for sponsorship….Wrong.
“Most companies financial year starts on October 1 and they start preparing their budgets from as early as the end of the previous financial year and unless those proposals are submitted during that window period, you will be unable to secure the size of sponsorship requested,” he declared.
Peters also questioned how many associations have five-year or 10-year strategic plans or how many associations budgeted properly to suit their needs.
“If an association is going to seek sponsorship just weeks before a major event rest assure that association will likely fall short of expectations. We hear so many times of athletes having to take letters to companies for assistance just days before a major event. On many occasions these letters are open letters that are not properly prepared and are not taken seriously by companies, “he added.
Peters said that companies look for talented, committed and consistent in performance athletes to sponsor and said that if associations are unable to penetrate the big companies they should seek the services of reputable advertising agencies that manage the marketing and sponsorship programmes for many corporate entities.
He criticized the way sponsorship letters given by some associations were written.
“The way sponsorship letters are structured is also important. Associations must be in a position to let a company know the benefits that it will receive from its sponsorship, and possibly a programme or timeline when the sponsorship programme will be rolled out to ensure it get the visibility as expected.
“Associations must also be honest in discussing their financial needs for an event. Why ask a Company for 1000 dollars when you really need a million? How are you going to garner the remaining funding for your event?” he questioned.
Peters said that associations must also ensure that they have a written commitment/contract from companies to ensure that what they agreed upon is what they receive.
Peters, who highlighted the recent
excellent performances by some of the nation’s top athletes said the improvement in facilities were partly responsible.
“Over the past four months we have observed Guyana’s sportsmen and sportswomen excel in regional and international competition – a trend that has been developing and growing rapidly in recent times.
Earlier this week Guyana’s athletes captured 10 medals including four gold at the Junior Carifta Track and Field championships in the Cayman Islands and at the same time our swimmers were also making headlines in the pool led by young Aleka Persaud who captured three gold and two bronze medals at the Junior Carifta Swimming in Barbados.
Our cricketers have also done well at this year’s regional tournaments and Guyana’s Golden Jaguars footballers have booked a place at the CONCACAF Gold Cup for the first time, a feat that was achieved by the Lady Jags a few years ago. We have also seen the rise of the Ramdhanis at Badminton and Guyana’s hockey players performing well.
“Our sportsmen and sportswomen have made tremendous strides and what has been the reason for their success…The answer is the development of facilities that meet international standards,” he said.
“Since acquiring world class facilities Guyana hosted the ICC Cricket World Cup Men’s Group stage in 2007 and the ICC Cricket World Cup T20 in 2010. And if this wasn’t enough Guyana once again hosted another major event the ICC Women’s World Cup last year.
The Providence Stadium is a world class venue, the Leonora Athletic Stadium has already hosted the South American Youth Games and is likely to host the Junior Carifta Games in two years’ time. “Our Aquatic Centre and Cliff Anderson Sports Hall have provided the opportunity for our athletes to train for international events and have been the venues for regional competitions.
“Other facilities are being developed in rural communities which will lend to the further development of our athletes.
Peters, a former administrator of the Guyana Hockey Board called for the resuscitation of the Scratch Game.
“One major project I can recall was the board participating in a Scratch Game prior to the Guyana Lottery Company being established here. This fund raiser helped to give hockey a head start in generating much needed funding for international engagements.
“The Scratch Game was a great fund raiser for cricket over the years, hockey and rifle shooting too. Associations could have acquired a quarter game or half game and the tickets were sold by those associations to generate funds. I was very disappointed when this initiative was shelved when the Lottery Company came. I look forward to hearing about discussions between the government and that company to facilitate a similar arrangement like in the past.”
Associations, he said, can work together to help popularize their sports.
“I would also like to touch of spectator support…The family and friends of players should be the bedrock of support. If every player attends with his or her family, we can start to fill those empty stands.
Peters praised the Titans Table Tennis Club for the initiative.
“Titan Tennis Club is a torch bearer
which is setting the bar very high and which has set out to move sports forward and to inspire young people to great success,” he declared.
