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Sri Lanka is way behind in Sports Marketing - Nalin Attygalle
Sunday, 11 June 2006 - 5:01 AM SL Time
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Sports Marketing though an important phenomena in today`s context where money plays a significant role in sport promotion, Sri Lanka has rather taken a back-seat in this aspect as rightly pointed out by Nalin Attygalle, Chairman Sponsorship and Marketing Committee of the South Asian Games organizing committee.
`It`s sad that we don`t utilize these opportunities to build the image of the country, promote tourism and especially for greater utilization of facilities,` said Attygalle, a Chartered Marketer by profession.
Sri Lanka is on the brink of hosting the 10th South Asian Games in Colombo in August this year, but he questioned Sri Lanka`s plans, if there are any, for the utilization of these facilities after the mega event comes to an end.
`We need to develop a strategy to market our venues and facilities. If not it`s an utter waste to dump several millions of rupees in acquiring these highly sophisticated equipment and other facilities,` he noted.
Sri Lanka hosted country`s first international event 15 years back in 1991 and Sri Lanka Asian Athletic Championships in 2002, by far the second major event after the 91` SAF games.
`Look at the condition of our stadium; it needs a complete facelift. The officials in-charge of the Sugathadasa Authority pays a little or no attention to the proper maintenance of it, saying there`s no money. It`s ridiculous how these political appointees act. They should come out with a plan to earn revenue and promote these venues internationally,` he reasoned.
Attygalle also said that he had brought this to the notice of authorities.
`I don`t know what the response would be, but I certainly showed them its importance,` he added.
Meanwhile, Attygalle expressed his confidence of achieving the target of Rs. 300 million needed.
`It was a gigantic task but I always believed that this was a good product to market. So I took up the challenge and I am on the verge of getting it,` he said
Accordingly he had managed to get little over Rs. 150 million which includes both kind and cash.
Attygalle however lamented that most of the government sector profit earning organizations have shown reluctance towards the effort.
`We have sent dozens of letters to several government sector profit making entities. Some have verbally agreed, but so far I haven`t got anything in black and white to say that they are really behind us,` he lamented.
He urged those organizations to come forward to support in this national effort.
`Sometimes you may have to chip in considering the occasion rather than refusing. My appeal is even for other companies to support, because we ultimately raise the standard of the country,` he explained.
While the government is the biggest sponsor of the tournament pumping Rs. 600 million, Sri Lanka Telecom offered the country`s biggest sports sponsorship amounting to Rs. 75 million including cash and kind and became the principal sponsor of the tournament.
`We received Rs. 50 million as tangible but they will be spending another Rs. 25 million as intangible expenditure,` he added.
While most aspects of organizations are steadily progressing, he called for government intervention in getting the vital television coverage of the games.
`We have got a very lethargic response from Rupavahini. I believe it won`t be easy for one organization to cover the entire games. We lack equipment. So we need all the media houses to come up with a plan that would solve the problem,` he said adding that he was looking at a foreign telecaster even though the event isn`t a hot selling product.
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Source(s)
• Independent Journalist
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