Abia NTTF to host First International Sports Business Conference


Ogbonnaya Ndukwe, Aba

Abia chairman of the Nigerian Table Tennis Association, Mr Dike Dimiri, has announced plans to host an International Sports Business Conference, in Aba, as a necessary step towards the attainment of globally acceptable standards in sports business management in Nigeria.

Dimiri, who is also the president of the newly established Aba Premier League Table Tennis tournament, said the conference, would bring sports business stakeholders together including sports equipment and kit manufacturers, broadcasters and financiers that provide funds for associated sports infrastructure.
He said the pioneer will discuss a range of topics relevant to the sports industry, like marketing, sponsorship, media coverage, branding, value chains benefits, sports technology, sports business/management and athlete development and remuneration are properly discussed and documented.
The Abia Table Tennis Association chairman, posited that "enthusiasm for sports was no longer enough to replace skills, when it comes to management and administration of the games proper," insisting that proper management was now the bedrock of every business including sports, stressing that today's sports industry is no longer a stand-alone affair.
"Today, the strong interconnection between sports, media and technology is evident for all to see. The actual playing of sports, requires technology to record, analyze and transmit it to viewers, using various media both digital and analog, across various devices - television, phones and computers and this is part of the justification for an international conference the kind of which we are planning for May 2024”
"This interconnection I have mentioned also requires skilled human capacity to drive it. All of these elements and stakeholders hardly operate individually, you have to deliberately bring all of them together under one roof to interact.
"The goal of the Aba International Sports Business conference is to do exactly this, bring these stakeholders together to build out the sports industry and help us do business easily in one place," he said.
Dimitri said his group was working with the State government to ensure its active participation in the project as a key player in sports business.
"The time frame being suggested for the conference," according to him, "will allow for all the required logistics and sensitization to be effectively executed, working actively with the Aba hospitality industry in readiness for local and international guests, casual visitors and other sports business game changers expected to attend."
The renowned sports business executive stressed that after the maiden edition of the conference, it is expected that it will become an annual event where every achievement will be reviewed and necessary adjustments discussed and applied to make the sports industry better.
Dimiri said that the organizers expect that the aftermath of the conference will push club owners across various sports to connect and grow with broadcasters, athletes, sports goods manufacturers, media generally and technology platform operators.
He said that they equally expect the conference to result in all the above mentioned stakeholders to hear and understand the government’s short and medium term plans which will enable them to plan their investments alongside the policies.
He ended by expressing the view that the synergy between the public and private sector participants in the sports industry will result in accelerated development of professional sports, growth for the Abia State economy and Nigeria generally.