Sandru Narayanan’s Post

🏅 Some reflections from myself, richard baka & Tracy Taylor on recent Olympic funding proposal. The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has unveiled a bold new strategy to boost financial support for sports, from table tennis to basketball. By allowing individual sports to market the Olympic rings independently, the AOC aims to inject much-needed revenue into sports facing financial challenges. However, challenges lie ahead, including capability gaps and governance hurdles. Nevertheless, with an estimated $2 billion needed by 2032 for high-performance sports, innovative funding solutions are crucial. Learn more about this dynamic shift in Olympic funding and its potential impact on sports across Australia. #Olympics #SportsFunding #Australia2032 🇦🇺🏓🏀🏊♂️ The University of Queensland International Olympic Committee – IOC

In this Olympics we had 15-16 serious medal contenders and we had a 40% hit rate. We had hoped for a 60-70% hit rate but I think other nations have upped their game, literally. Last Olympics, Covid made it somewhat a level playing field and we had 70% hit rate. India needs to have 30-35 serious contenders next time around to have a shot at 15 medals. 2 in cricket 4-6 in shooting 3-4 in wrestling 2-3 in boxing 1-2 in badminton And of course Javelin & Hockey :) Each of these federations need to start their work now!! Choosing fewer sports but going deeper has to be the goal for IOA. Of course this list will be different for world championships, CWG and Asian games. Need to have a dedicated budget for Olympics only to get to 15 medals! Other sports and athletes can have have a separate funding funnel. By 2026, we need to identify these 30-40 athletes who can win us medals. Across different sports NGOs currently, there are 100 Olympians but probably only 20 real contenders. We need to separate out sports development budgets and Olympic Medal budgets. It has to be multi tier- Tier 0- Olympic medal contenders- top 35-40 athletes - program spearheaded by a top ex-athlete and able sports administrators. No netas pls. Govt to provide key funding and rest can come from sponsors. Has to be run like a crack team with clear goals and milestones. These players should be on contract with a good retainer and all expenses paid for. The only aim has to be an Olympic medal. Need to get this group together in max 12-18 months. This itself should be run like a body which get sponsorships and funding. Think of it like a mini BCCI. The fact that all Olympic contenders are supported by 3-4 different sports NGO, it’s not turning into a full fledged program. A consolidated independent body has to be step up which can achieve the above. Government should provide the seed funding and a framework and step aside. Tier 1- next 100 athletes - this is where sports NGOs can step in to support next 100 athletes. This will also act as a funnel to tier 0. Needs to be a scouting program. NGOs aim should be to put athlete out there in Olympics to compete. Preparation for medal for serious prospects should be the job of the crack team as mentioned above. The current TOPS scheme can also focus on this on addition to what the other sports NGOs are doing. Tier 2- Grass-root development by federations, SAI etc. this is a long term development program with its own challenges. This requires a much deeper work and rewiring. More on this later.

Local Sporting Champions grant available for competitors aged 12-18: Local Sporting Champions (LSC) is an Australian Government initiative designed to provide financial assistance for coaches, officials and competitors aged 12-18 who are participating in state, national or international competitions. The LSC program commenced in November 2008 and has supported over 75,000 junior sportspeople to achieve their sporting goals. The Australian Government recognises that junior sportspeople, and their families, find it difficult to meet ongoing costs associated with participating in state, national and international sporting championships. The LSC program aims to support these junior sportspeople to participate at various sporting championships, which they may not be able to without this financial assistance. The objectives of the LSC program are to: * Provide financial support to junior sportspeople to assist with the costs associated with competing at elite or sub-elite level competition. * To provide financial support through this program to families so that financial considerations are not a barrier for junior sportspeople to continue participating in sport. If successful, applicants will receive between $500 and $750 towards the cost of attending their nominated championships. * Base Grant: $500 * Applicants travelling 800km - 1999km to their nominated championships: + $100 * Applicants travelling internationally or greater than 2,000km to their nominated championships: + $200 * Applicants residing in a rural electorate: + $50 Examples of expenses which are eligible include, but are not limited to: * competition registration/entry fees/levies * transport costs (e.g. airfares, petrol) * accommodation * transport and accommodation costs for parents/guardians can be accepted where the parent/guardian must attend the championship * uniform * sporting equipment This grant specifically in football is important with junior participation on the steep rise and the crucial foundation being set for the sport's sustainable future in the country. A common barrier for participation in football across this age group is financial issues and so this grant is extremely valuable for families who want their children aged 12-18 to enjoy playing football without it feeling like too much of a financial burden. Round 4 2023-24 Applications are now open and is eligible for competitions held between 1 January 2024 and 31 August 2024. The applications close: 11.59pm AEST on Tuesday 30 April 2024 To apply, click here: https://lnkd.in/gx3K3BrG The post Local Sporting Champions grant available for competitors aged 12-18 appeared first on Soccerscene. #Football #Soccer #FootballNews

MUST READ: Local Sporting Champions grant available for competitors aged 12-18: Local Sporting Champions (LSC) is an Australian Government initiative designed to provide financial assistance for coaches, officials and competitors aged 12-18 who are participating in state, national or international competitions. The LSC program commenced in November 2008 and has supported over 75,000 junior sportspeople to achieve their sporting goals. The Australian Government recognises that junior sportspeople, and their families, find it difficult to meet ongoing costs associated with participating in state, national and international sporting championships. The LSC program aims to support these junior sportspeople to participate at various sporting championships, which they may not be able to without this financial assistance. The objectives of the LSC program are to: * Provide financial support to junior sportspeople to assist with the costs associated with competing at elite or sub-elite level competition. * To provide financial support through this program to families so that financial considerations are not a barrier for junior sportspeople to continue participating in sport. If successful, applicants will receive between $500 and $750 towards the cost of attending their nominated championships. * Base Grant: $500 * Applicants travelling 800km - 1999km to their nominated championships: + $100 * Applicants travelling internationally or greater than 2,000km to their nominated championships: + $200 * Applicants residing in a rural electorate: + $50 Examples of expenses which are eligible include, but are not limited to: * competition registration/entry fees/levies * transport costs (e.g. airfares, petrol) * accommodation * transport and accommodation costs for parents/guardians can be accepted where the parent/guardian must attend the championship * uniform * sporting equipment This grant specifically in football is important with junior participation on the steep rise and the crucial foundation being set for the sport's sustainable future in the country. A common barrier for participation in football across this age group is financial issues and so this grant is extremely valuable for families who want their children aged 12-18 to enjoy playing football without it feeling like too much of a financial burden. Round 4 2023-24 Applications are now open and is eligible for competitions held between 1 January 2024 and 31 August 2024. The applications close: 11.59pm AEST on Tuesday 30 April 2024 To apply, click here: https://lnkd.in/gx3K3BrG The post Local Sporting Champions grant available for competitors aged 12-18 appeared first on Soccerscene. #Football #Soccer #FootballNews

In the past 3 months, 290+ new deals were inked across the Australian sponsorship industry, worth a combined total of more than $50M per annum, via Scout GWS GIANTS are investigating playing a home & away game in the US and sent a representative to scope out locations such as newly-built cricket venues built for Major League Cricket and T20 World Cup Victoria University renewed their sponsorship with Western United Football Club for a further two A-Leagues seasons Nedd Brockmann announced that Nedd’s Milk became the official front of jersey partner of the Parramatta Eels National Rugby League Club… trainers. The partnership aims to raise money for homeless charity We Are Mobilise News Corp Australia partnered with global SportNXT conference which has ambitions to become the “Davos of sport” Tash Sultana was announced as the Australian Open’s 2024 Official Pride Ambassador The Queensland Government announced a massive $125m deal with Surf Life Saving Queensland over 10 years, providing an immediate boost to infrastructure and equipment for every surf club in the state Tennis Australia and Chinese state broadcaster CCTV announced an extension of their long-term AO broadcast partnership until 2026 A full-length basketball court was installed in the middle of the Indianapolis International Airport to promote the 2024 National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Weekend (swipe left) Rafael Nadal became an ambassador of Saudi Arabia’s state tennis federation as part of their broader effort to exert influence on tennis and other sports Returning after more than a decade, and in line with the Australian Open, 2K revealed the return of TopSpin via an official trailer launch for TopSpin 2K25 The World Surf League renewed its long-standing broadcast partnership for 2024 with Foxtel and Kayo, taking the partnership into it’s 16th year A report from Brand Finance found that the brand value of the Indian Premier League India cricket grew 28% to $10.7 billion through 2023 Apple Music dropped a trailer for Usher’s Super Bowl Halftime show, teasing a performance that has been “30 years in the making” Corona Cero (zero-alcohol) has become the first ever beer sponsor of the International Olympic Committee – IOC in the 40-year history of its sponsorship program #sportsmarketing #sportsbusiness  

Deakin University announced a 3-year renewal of their partnership with Netball Victoria and the Melbourne Vixens SIXT announced a new 2-year partnership with Netball South Australia / Adelaide Thunderbirds, and became the official automotive partner of SA’s regional “Netball on the Road” program Hawthorn Football Club announced a new 4-year deal with ISC SPORT, whose logo will continue to feature across Hawthorn’s official on-field and training apparel The Ultimate Fighting Championship and PCYC NSW announced a new 3-year partnership focused on youth mentoring, MMA training sessions and fundraising Crown Resorts Perth became RAC Arena’s “first Integrated Hotel and Resort partner” as part of a deal that will run until 2027 Netball Australia announced an operating surplus of $235,657 in 2023, with revenue increasing 15% to $44.67m Suncorp Super Netball has had its biggest start to the season yet, breaking viewership & attendance records - 80,710 fans attended matches across the first 4 rounds, and significant audience increases were recorded on Kayo Sports, Foxtel Go and Foxtel National Rugby League clubs could potentially receive an additional $2m per year as part of a 10-year, $600m plan between the league and federal government to expand the competition into Papua New Guinea ENGIE Stadium (home of GWS GIANTS) underwent a significant $4m LED lighting upgrade Pat Cummins became an investor in SureVision, a company that operates DOOH screens in shopping centres, airports, office buildings, schools and at sports stadiums & events International Cricket Council Men's T20 World Cup ambassador Usain Bolt unveiled New York’s newly-built 34,000-capacity cricket stadium ahead of the tournament in June Brazil was named the host of the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup The National Football League (NFL) confirmed it’s considering holding a regular season game in Australia within the next 3 years The International Olympic Committee – IOC is producing 3 x new sports documentary series for the Olympic Games in partnership with Netflix Venu Sports was announced as being the new name for the Disney, Fox and Warner Bros Discovery’s sports streaming JV which launches later this year Lionel Messi’s famous napkin that linked him to FC Barcelona via a written in-principle agreement (when he was 13yo) sold for US$965,000 Want these updates delivered directly to your inbox? https://lnkd.in/gbmXPfrs #sportsmarketing

Para Powerlifting: Structuring the Paralympic ecosystem? In our dynamic world of sports, change is not just inevitable, it's essential for progress. The decision by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to transfer the governance of Para powerlifting to an independent body marks a significant milestone in the evolution of Paralympic sports. Para powerlifting has long been a cornerstone of the Paralympic Games. Since its inclusion in 1984, Para powerlifting has truly captivated audiences worldwide with awe-inspiring displays of athleticism from para-athletes representing over 100 nations. With the decision to spin off from the IPC, Para powerlifting gains the freedom to chart its course, set its priorities, and pursue initiatives tailored specifically to its development and growth. This independence will bring a sense of responsibility and accountability. As Para powerlifting assumes control of its governance, the teams will have to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and ethical conduct: governance structures, stakeholder engagement and priority to the welfare of athletes, from grassroots to Paralympians. But this decision of spin off isn't just about empowering the sport—it's a strategic move that could significantly impact sponsorship dynamics within the Paralympic movement. By transferring governance responsibilities, the IPC might be aiming to free up budget and administrative burdens, shifting the financial and sponsoring responsibility onto one of its disciplines. It's a pragmatic move, but it raises a hard-hitting question: Will sponsors follow? The answer isn't as clear-cut. While Para powerlifting boasts a passionate fan base and inspiring athletes, without the IPC's umbrella and the allure of multi-sport events, will sponsors still be as eager to invest? The reality is, Para powerlifting might struggle to attract the same level of sponsorship interest as before. Sport is a tough market out there, and brands are increasingly scrutinizing their investments. They want maximum visibility, impact, and alignment with their values. Without the IPC's backing, Para powerlifting may find itself fighting for attention against other sports with broader appeal and established track records. This spin-off presents a considerable risk but is also aligned with the values of sport: ambitious goal are served by consistent effort. I am confident Para powerlifting will definitely secure new sponsorship deals, differentiate itself in a crowded marketplace and will prove its great worth to skeptical brands. #governance #sport #budget #sponsoring #Paralympics #Parapowerlifting #strategy