free space

Sports Governance (1-2)

Faisal Mohammed Al-Shamry

17 July 2021

The revenues of professional sports globally amount to more than 91 billion dollars annually, and the value of goods and related purchases from sales in the sports sector was estimated at 14.2 billion dollars in 2017, this number is double the amount obtained by professional sports in 2005, which was then 46.5 Billion dollar.

Most of these revenues and incomes come from the sports industry globally, where an article in Forbes magazine in 2015 estimated that the US sports market share will return to $73.5 billion in 2019, mostly from media and television broadcasting rights.

It monitored the increase in the returns of these rights from $14.6 billion in 2014 to $20.6 billion in 2019, which consequently contributed to the growth of this vital economic sector, as a result of the huge volume of liquidity that doubled, which led to the conclusion of new deals. By exchanging and selling players, developing and investing in new players, it will certainly contribute to the development of the professional sports sector.

Sponsorship revenues were estimated at $18.3 billion, and the 100 most expensive athletes around the world, together, earn nearly $3.8 billion annually. And to make sure of the impact of this, it is enough for us to follow what we hear or read about the returns of the contracts of some coaches, some of whom do not complete a few months, unless their contract is terminated, either because the concerned administration in the club he contracted with is not satisfied, or the fans are angry at the team’s bad results, or for other reasons It is revealed later, such as the entry of another club into the negotiations, and its desire to seize this coach, who, as we look at the numbers and read the details, feels as if he had never been born like him in the world! As if he will bring all the world championships on a plate of gold to the club that contracted with him!

Professional sports, like any other economic business sector, require professionalism in work and management, and high readiness represented in the players’ physical fitness, the necessary skills, the presence of ready substitutes, effective plans to face competition, professional management and their commitment to training, exercises, medical and sports rehabilitation, and nutrition. Health, their media identity, and the image of the players, which, as we see in other countries, has become generating billions, or losing billions. We also witnessed in the price of the shares of an international soft drinks company, when an international athlete removed two cans of soft drinks in front of him, contented with drinking water.

The professional industry is not only related to the value and amounts of salaries paid monthly, but rather it is an integrated ecosystem, which requires the integration of elements to achieve the desired success, and the assignment of the Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium Enterprises, Dr. Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi, who handles important economic files, headed the Board of Directors The General Sports Authority, to make us assure that the wise leadership, which always strives for excellence and competitiveness in all sectors, aspires to achieve a quantum leap in the professional sports sector.

The functions of the Council are concerned with developing plans, programmes, regulations and regulations to ensure the organization, revitalization and development of the sports sector in the country, and working on proposing legislation for the organization of this sector, as well as forming boards of directors of sports federations, issuing decisions about publicizing sports entities, organizing and developing work, and adopting policies and general strategy and systems and regulations.

This means unremitting government efforts to raise efficiency levels, develop the government's administrative sports system, and provide the best services.

Rather, it is also the responsibility of this body, under its new leadership, the tasks of setting strategies and policies related to the development of professionalism and professionalism in all sports activities, whether for players, administrators, coaches, physiotherapists and rehabilitation specialists, as well as for players’ business managers, standards for developing their media identity, and corporate governance for sports. As well as sponsorship contracts and television broadcasts, in order to achieve a qualitative development of the integrated professional economic sports ecosystem, to apply the concepts of entrepreneurship in the sports sector, and to open the way for citizen entrepreneurs in related activities.

We still note the limitations of citizens working in this sector in all its activities, despite it being a favorable opportunity for industries and professional activities in parallel and complementary activities to the role of the professional player, as we note in some clubs and federations, our return to the zero point in the matter of mandatory dependence on the citizen coach, at least As a coach for the age groups, or an assistant coach for first-class teams and teams, let us work together so that sport becomes a model and role model in professionalism, professionalism, transparency, localization and results.

Digital Transformation Consultant, Lecturer, and Certified Corporate Excellence Expert

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