We need to harness sports for marketing
She Cranes clocked in their best finish at the Fast Five series in New Zealand. PHOTO/COURTESY
What you need to know:
- The issue: Sports
- Our view: Clearly, investment in sports, an old and unending cry, is a no brainer. This is one of the easiest ways to get our bulging youth population playing and sell this country to the outside world.
It is quite a busy time for Ugandan sports teams. The national netball team – She Cranes – is in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Uganda was invited to compete in the prestigious Fast Five series – one of the biggest tournaments for the sport as it only attracts the best teams.
This year, six nations have taken part in the women's event — Australia, England, New Zealand, Jamaica, South Africa and Uganda.
The national men’s rugby team, Rugby Cranes spent the past few days in Nairobi, Kenya facing their hosts in the annual Elgon Cup.
The Elgon Cup is contested between the rugby union teams of Kenya and Uganda.
The competition, which started in 2004, is named after Mount Elgon, a mountain on the border of the two countries.
Across the continent, the national women’s sevens rugby team, the Lady Cranes 7s, have been in Accra, Ghana playing in the Africa Women’s Sevens.
Recently, the national motocross team was in Morocco braving the heat at the Africa Motocross Championship.
The national table tennis team has also been in Paraguay at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Challenge.
Back home, the Uganda Cricket Association (UCA) is hosting five other countries for the World Challenge League Group B tournament.
The International Cricket Council (ICC)-sanctioned event, a pathway to the 2027 World Cup, is being held at the lakeside Entebbe Oval and the Lugogo Cricket Oval.
Singapore, Malaysia, Italy, Bahrain and Hong Kong-China are here.
In addition, the weekend also had two of the biggest local football games – Express facing SC Villa and Vipers hosting KCCA.
These are only a precursor to this week’s crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying games between Uganda and South Africa at Namboole on Friday.
All these events and many not articulated here in handball, volleyball, hockey and all the other sports are a reminder of what many youth are doing.
From the athletes who compete to the fans in the stands or online, this is a money stream and an opportunity to position our country in a positive light.
Clearly, investment in sports, an old and unending cry, is a no-brainer.
This is one of the easiest ways to get our bulging youth population playing and sell this country to the outside world.
Perception is an important element of everything that leads to tangible benefits for the economy.
There is so much good in sports that we can harness to create opportunities for many.
