Manila, Philippines - The 2nd edition of “The Business of
Football” Conference, organized by
MMC Sports and sanctioned by the Philippine Football
Federation, concluded successfully on 10
November 2023, at Raffles Makati. The one-day conference
brought together key stakeholders
from the Southeast Asian football community, fostering
dialogue on critical topics shaping the
future of the sport.
The event aimed to stimulate discussions and transfer
knowledge on topics such as Asian football
sponsorship & investment trends, the use of blockchain
to develop community building and fan
engagement, the Impact of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup on
Southeast Asian Football, as
well as lessons learned from FIBA World Cup hosting experiences
in the Philippines.
More than +30 regional and international speakers, including
experts from governing bodies and
rights holders from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore,
Thailand, Vietnam, the UK, United Arab
Emirates, New Zealand, Australia, Geneva shared insights and
perspectives on the challenges and
opportunities in the football industry, while the
Philippines was represented through officials of
government entities such as the German, New Zealand,
Spanish, and British embassies, the
Philippine Sports Commission, the Philippine Olympic
Committee, Games & Amusements Board,
Philippines Football League, representatives from the
respective men’s and women’s national
teams, Philippines Basketball Association as well as the
Philippine Football Federation.
Asia Trends in Sponsorship and Investment in Football
According to Asia Sponsorship News, football is
unequivocally the most valuable platform in Asia,
constituting nearly 31% of all sports sponsorship sales in
2022. The platform's value was almost
2.5 times that of its closest competitor, the 'Olympics,'
with a remarkable +21% increase over the
four-year football average. Football, topping the charts at
$1.6 billion, dwarfed the Olympics at
only one-third of that, with $639 million, and Cricket
trailing at $529 million. This data
underscores the unparalleled dominance of football over
other sports sponsorship platforms in
the region.
The Role of Sport in Building Bridges in Governmental Relationships
In a poignant exploration of the transformative power of
sports as a catalyst for unity and
reconciliation, the panel on 'The Role of Sport in Building
Bridges in Governmental Relationships'
features government officials from the German, New Zealand,
and British Embassies.
"Sports (football), in my view, is something that
should unite people; that should unite countries.
It should serve as a tool for reconciliation. Global sports
should bring people together regardless
of the color of their skin, regardless of age, even
regardless of sex, so everybody can play football."
- HE Dr. Andreas Michael Pfaffernoschke, German Ambassador
to the Philippines.
"Sport is a fantastic platform for building connections
between governments, countries, societies,
and communities." - HE Peter Kell, New Zealand
Ambassador to the Philippines
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Addressing the Urgency for Adequate Sports Facilities
Funding
During a short interview with Mr. Richard Bachmann, Chairman
of the Philippine Sports
Commission, he articulated a pressing concern regarding the
funding of sports facilities: the
deficiency in funding is not exclusive to football but
extends across all sports. He also
acknowledged that the country is currently lagging in
providing the necessary financial support
for sports infrastructure. His commitment is to rectify this
shortfall and to collaborate with
National Sports Associations (NSAs) to expedite the process
of securing such funding. Looking
forward, Bachmann disclosed of having requested a
substantial budget allocation that aims to
address the critical need for facility improvements across
various sports, including football,
underlining the need for development of sports at all levels
at every local government unit.
Monetizing the Fan Experience through the Power of
Blockchain & Web3
'Monetizing the Fan Experience through the Power of
Blockchain & Web3, presented by Mr.
Samir Ceric, Chief Operating Officer of Blocksport, unveiled
an innovative and holistic solution to
bridge the gap from Web2 to Web3 in the world of sports.
Providing a glimpse into the
transformative potential of this cutting-edge technology, he
emphasized the importance of a
solid foundation and community-building exercise, where Web3
technology enables a deeper
connection with fans and the creation of substantial new
revenues for sporting properties
globally.
Obstacles in Sustainability in Professional Club &
League Football
The panel discussion of 'Obstacles in Sustainability in
Professional Club & League Football,'
provided profound insights into the challenges faced on both
the buy and sell sides with brands
and clubs. Mr. Paul Poole, Founder & Managing Director
of Paul Poole (South-East Asia) Co., Ltd.
The Sponsorship Experts, commented on the intricate dynamics
surrounding the commercial
rights of football clubs and the struggles they face as they
often don’t understand the value of
their assets while also not using agencies to package and
ell the rights.
Awards and Recognitions:
The conference also honored individuals and organizations
for their significant contributions to
the football community. Notable awardees included:
• Token of Appreciation: His Excellency Dr. Andreas
Pfaffernoschke for his support and
contribution to The Business of Football 2023 Conference.
• Token of Appreciation: Mr. Jefferson G Cheng, Team Manager
of the Philippines Women's
National Football Team, for his dedication and contributions
to the development of Women’s
Football in the Philippines & Asia.
• Token of Congratulations: Philippine Football Federation
for its inaugural participation in
the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023.
• Token of Congratulations: New Zealand Football &
Football Australia respectively for the
successful hosting of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.
• Token of Congratulations: Malaysia Football League for the
successful implementation of
its digital transformation process.
“The Business of Football” conference aims to become an
annual event in the Philippines “as
regular football discussions and knowledge transfer are
essential elements for the development
of the sport. And since not everyone can travel around the
region, we will bring the football
industry to the Philippines stakeholders”, explains Eric M.
Gottschalk, CEO of MMC Sportz Asia
explains the future plans of the conference. “We might add
more local elements to the event and
conceptualize proper football awards to become the highlight
of the Conference.”
MMC Sportz extends its appreciation to its partners –
LALIGA, BLOCKSPORT, Capital Block, ASN,
and Raffles Makati – for their extended support in making
the conference a resounding success.
The event's official hashtag, #BOFPH2023, continues to be a
platform for sharing insights and
engaging discussions on social media.
Stay tuned for updates on future events and initiatives from
MMC Sportz.
