The Sunday Mail
Online Reporter
LOCAL sport is expected to embark on a fresh trajectory following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) and the Marketers Association of Zimbabwe (MAZ) in the capital on Wednesday.
The SRC is lobbying to have marketing embraced as a major driver of success in sport. There is a general belief local sport is not being properly marketed, hence the dwindling interest from fans in some codes such as football.
SRC acting director-general Sebastian Garikai believes the partnership with MAZ is capable of repositioning sport, “not just as a social contributor, but as a business”.
All the 64 sport associations affiliated to the SRC are set to benefit from this partnership.
“We have got the product, our national sporting associations have the numbers,” said Garikai.
“At this stage, some of the products we have vary from one sport code to the next.
“Some are at semi-elite level in performance and some are emerging. So the big part of this project is actually trying to bring together the product that we have and marketing avenues to make sure that we reposition our sport, not just as a social contributor, but for it to grow into a business.”
He added: “By partnering MAZ, we believe that this is the only way that will not leave anyone or any place behind, as we move towards the trajectory of making sure that sport is treated as a business.”
Gillian Rusike, executive secretary of MAZ, reckons that sport can only grow if it embraces marketing.
“Embracing marketing allows sport to grow. The demand is there and the product is there, but it is the synchronisation of the offering that we are coming in to assist and offer,” he said.
A number of local sporting associations have had their fair share of controversies.
Boardroom squabbles have often chased potential sponsors away, as individuals engage in nasty fights for top positions in some associations.
