“A Business Model for My Dream: Sports Entrepreneurship in Action”

Key points by Ioanna Georgia Eskiadi

In this webinar, we discussed sports entrepreneurship and sustainable business models in sports.

• Build a sustainable grassroot sports organization
• Gender inequality in sports.
• Sports can develop from a passion to profession that you’ll make a living from.
• Entrepreneurship is a unique experience.
• Sports lead to self-learning.
• Follow strict rules and implement them in your life.
• Find the right and suitable facilities for a safe environment.
• Sports are powerful and bring development to a community.
• Sports are part education and key points for development.
• Unity, discipline, safety and goal-setting are basic principles in sports.

In sports, it is hard to build sustainable grassroot organizations and to gather resources and attract support for social enterprises. The social role of sports enterprises is increasingly recognized at both local and global levels. Sports can influence community cohesion, physical and mental health, and social inclusivity. Sports can also provide positive role models across society. All of these goals can be achieved only through building functioning and efficient organizations, adjusted to fit specific environments. Entrepreneurs and athletes are similar in many ways. In sports businesses, it’s important to have knowledge of the sector and to be efficiently trained. People should have the opportunity to learn how to make money and be employed from sports. The most important thing in sports business is to find the right and suitable facilities and provide a safe environment. This can be achieved only by working and achieving great results, so the community will trust you and will support you.

Kids and young people are the most important group that sports businesses should be focused on, because kids can learn leadership and integrity from sports. It’s important for kids to develop fundamental values through sports like passion, tenacity, vision, self-confidence, flexibility, boldness, and tolerance for fear, among other characteristics. Sports-based youth development is very impactful, but this work needs grants. It is important to build programs that will teach children to become responsible, to be the best of themselves, and to expand their capacity of capabilities and choices. From a young age, kids must learn the values of equality and equity; both boys and girls can play sports, improve their skills, and learn to manage their life without assistance. Parents can encourage, support, and provide their children the opportunity to practice sports and become a better version of themselves. At the same time, sports are powerful and can bring development in a community through power and partnerships. Sports can be part of education and a key point of development since sports change people’s lives and lead to more positive thinking and a leadership mindset. “You don’t need to know everything; you can learn as you go, but it is important to know your sector. Then the pathway can be clear. Stay creative, stay resilient and stay resolute. It’s important to know what you do is impactful and that it will make a difference”, says Brandi Chastain, former US national team player from U.S.

Speakers:

Brandi Chastain is a former U.S. National team player, two-time gold medalist, and two-time Olympic gold medalist from San Jose California, US.

Carolina Pohl is a businesswoman, expert in women’s football, and the Owner/Partner of Sow Sport from Brazil.

Marvin Asimwe is the Director of Kids for Africa Sports Academy in Uganda. The organization works with at-risk children to get involved in sports from different places of Uganda.

Abigail Smith is a Master’s student at the University of Nottingham, Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Management MSc in U.K.

Rita Williams is a former WNBA Player and founder of Elevate Sports Academy in USA.

Rekha Dey is a community development specialist in India.

This webinar is part of World Learning’s International Sports Programming Initiative for Middle East, North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa Program (ISPI) — Virtual Together program, a series of virtual events, launched in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. ISPI is a program of U.S. Department of State’s Sports Diplomacy division. The series aims to engage the sports community globally, to creatively problem solve, share digital tools and work together, follow health guidance, and continue to promote active, healthy lifestyles both physically and mentally throughout this crisis. Additional modules related to these objectives are being developed and will be announced.

The webinar is produced by Digital Communication Network, a diverse professional coalition in the digital space.