Director of the 2021 Namibia Annual Sports Expo (NASE) Tjeripo Musutua is adamant that going full-scale digital with this year’s expo will mark a huge turning point for the local sporting fraternity, as it will accord all stakeholders an equal opportunity to connect with the international community.
The inaugural edition of the sports expo was held as an open face-to-face event for the public in 2019 but the advent of the virulent Covid-19 pandemic has forced activities worldwide to adapt to a new way of life – and the sporting world has been no exception.
Musutua explained that hosting the 2021 sports expo across all online platforms might seem like a challenge to many, as it will not be an open event to the public but it now presents new learning opportunities for federations and all other participants to do things differently on a much larger platform.
“Preparations for the second expo has been well on track; the team has really been hard at work, gathering all needed materials and footage from the federations. The next process is the editing of those footages to ensure they fit accordingly in the allocated time slots,” he explained.
“With the footage, we will be showcasing the activities and products of our federations to the world – and since the event will be online, federations will have a unique opportunity to market their products and services as well as their star athletes to consumers in all corners of the globe. It will equally serve as a platform for the leadership of the various federations and stakeholders to exchange notes and ideas.”
The expo is set to officially kick off next Monday, 27 September, and will be live-streamed on all social media platforms.
It will also enjoy extensive coverage in print media.
The expo will run for about two weeks and will see sporting activities and services at all levels of Namibian sport being exposed to the world.
“On the business side of things, again federations and all stakeholders are being given an opportunity to connect with a larger audience through the digital expo. On an ordinary day, the expo would have taken place in Windhoek, for instance, and only attract those in that vicinity, meaning a person in Rundu or Oranjemund would have missed out. But now, with this year’s digital expo, all Namibians will have a chance to follow and connect with the exhibitors from the comfort of their homes and offices. It is going to be very exciting. I’m urging our federations to use this platform to connect with the outside world and expand their activities.”
The primary objective of the expo is to market the country’s resource-starved sports industry to the public, with the hope of increasing interest and investments in sport.
The expo is dedicated to the sports, fitness and health industries – and puts special emphasis on the local manufacturing industry to showcase and connect them with potential investors.
More importantly, the expo also aims to strategically bring together a diverse range of national and international sports organisations, sports goods and equipment manufacturers, technology and innovation providers, distributors, sports marketing professionals, sports media experts as well as internationally-renowned sports leaders under one roof. - ohembapu@nepc.com.na