Sporting Experts in Kngston - May 3 - 4

The Business of Sport is an international forum for leaders in business and commerce in the sport industry; and an opportunity for movers and shakers to exchange ideas regarding a sector which has now been recognized to be an industry. It also provides managers and athletes an insight into their own business and how they can best leverage talent, expertise and value to achieve personal and corporate success. There will be special presentations by Ministers of Sport, Youth & Culture and Tourism - Hon Natalie Neita Headley, Hon Lisa Hanna and Dr. Wykeham McNeill. Conference starts at 8:30 on both days Underpinning of Contracts ■Milton Samuda ■Mike Townley ■Christopher Samuda Maintaining the Competitive Edge ■Dr. Jason Scott Hamilton ■E. Patrick Miller ■Dr. Wendel Abel Image and Dollars ■Ato Boldon ■Bernard Stewart ■Oliver McIntosh ■Kim Bernard Day 2 - Friday, May 4 Money Management in Sport ■Horace Madison ■Steve Wyche ■Scott Kamisnky ■Ryan Strachan Sport and Culture ■Kam-Au Amen ■Dr. Christopher Charles ■Benjamin Bailey Athletes - Up close and personal ■Sandie Richards ■Corey Hicks ■Robbie Earle You can register at www.thebusinessofsport.org and it is US$150 or J$13,000 There is also an impressive list of moderators - Patrick Anderson, Kai Morgan, Michael McMorris, Stephen Bell, Lisa Simone Bell, Robert Richards, Sonjah Stanley with lunch time presentations by Stocks and Securities Limited and Team Jamaica Bickle. The event is brought to you to by Carole Beckford & Associaties and Strategic Corporate Interventions - sponsored by Jamaica Tourist Board, FLOW Jamaica, Supreme Outdoor, Stocks and Securities Limited, Supreme Ventures, BMW, Jamaica Pegasus, KLAS Sports Radio, Wisynco, Sportsmax, Samuda and Johnson, Island Car Rental, Usain Bolt Tracks and Records and Alhambra Inn

Sporting Experts and Professionals meet in Jamaica

April 22 - Not wanting to be left out of the multi-billion Business of Sport industry, Carole Beckford and Associates & Strategic Corporate Interventions have teamed up to host over 17 Sporting professionals and experts to talk strategy about The Business of Sport. The two-day sit down which will be held at the Jamaica Pegasus in Kingston, starting May 3 will focus on some key areas of contracts, psychology, image and money management, culture and sport and will have former athletes who have been successful. The conference in its second year has attracted among several experts, Bernard Stewart - ESPN; Mike Townley - international solicitor; Horace Madison and Scott Kaminsky - money management experts; while NFL commentator, Steve Wyche and NBC expert track and field Ato Boldon will talk about image and sports. The list, though not exhaustive, will include branding experts, Benjamin Bailey and Kam-Au Amen; while the athletes to tell their side will include USA decathlete, Corey Hicks, Jamaican Olympian, Sandie Richards and ESPN Expert analyst, Robbie Earle. One key area added this year is Sport Psycholgy, and NBA expert psychologist E.Patrick Miller; IOC certified, Jason Scott Hamilton and Jamaican expert psychiatrist, Wendel Abel, complete the list of speakers for that session - Maintaining the Competitive Edge. Registrations can be done online at the fee is US$150 or J$13,000. The conference in the last year, has attracted attorneys, business and marketing professionals, students and sport administrators. The registration so far has highlighted this group again, but conference organisers would like even the curious to join the discussion. The two-day conference will be powered live by Flow Jamaica who has partnered with the conference since last year. The list of sponsors who are from private and public sector, have also been supported by Stocks and Securities Limited, Wisynco, KLAS Sport Radio, Sportsmax TV, JAMPRO, EXIM Bank of Jamaica, BMW, The Jamaica Pegasus and the Branding arm of Government, the Jamaica Tourist Board. The conference combines plenary sessions, business to business matchmaking and special addresses to include the Minister with responsibility for Sport, Natalie Neita Headley; while key partnerships are being established with Island Car Rental, Supreme Outdoor Advertising, Tracks and Records and key media personnel from Jamaica and the region. The world is preparing for the Summer Olympics, less than 100 days away and the World Cup of Football to be held in Brazil in 2014 among a host of other major sporting events over the next five years. "Economies are developing because of earnings from Sport and Jamaica has to be a part of this melting pot," says Milton Samuda, who is doubling as organiser and presenter.

Myths about Public Relations

- It is all about press releases and press conferences
o PR is a cutting edge profession using more strategic approaches
- Once you breakthrough with publicity, you are good
o The same media which pulls you up will let you down hard
- Good products do not need publicity, only bad ones
o You will always want people to know how great your product is
- PR cannot be measured, hence it is not important
o You can’t pin the number down
- PR means controlling the press
o That is not possible
- PR is a job for old reporters
o UNTRUE
- PR is all about Spin, propaganda and slogans
o PR is really a strategy and requires much more
- PR is easy
o Did I say it was a strategy? Yes it is and requires careful thought
and finally, PR is not Marketing...no it isn't...PR actually complements Marketing

BOLT NAMED AMONG THE BEST (AGAIN)

Another online publication has ranked Jamaican star sprinter, Usain Bolt, in the topten of the most dominant figures in the history of sport. Goal.com analmost eight year online publication, specifically aimed at football lovingfans has come out in support of Lionel Messi being the greatest football everand has included the Jamaican as one of the best.


They went a step further and ranked ten other men in various sporting disciplineswho they think measure up to Messi’s fame and dominance. The release asked“What other sportsmen have enjoyed comparable spells of dominance over their respective disciplines? Below, we have compiled an admittedly subjective top10 list of the most dominant figures in the history of sport.”



The piece on Bolt which has a picture of him after his exploits in Berlin says “The fastest man in history, Bolt currently holds the world records for both the 100 and 200 metres; records he did not just break, but absolutely obliterated ...on a cakewalk. Indeed, the reigning World and Olympic champion has recorded times that few thought humanly possible. What's even more frightening is thatthere still seems to be even more to come from the 25-year-old Jamaican. Justlike Messi, really!”



Other great athletes the site listed were: Muhammad Ali – Boxing; Wayne Gretzky – IceHockey; Roger Federer – tennis; Michael Jordan – basketball; Jonah Lomu –Rugby; Michael Phelps – Swimming; Michael Schumacher – Formula One; Sachin Tendulkar – Cricket; and Tiger Woods – Golf.



Bolt,who has the World and Olympic Records in the 100 and 200 metres plans to defend his titles at the Summer Olympic Games in London, which begins on July 27. The records are 9.58 and 19.19 seconds respectively.

Who is a SPORT TOURIST? WHY SHOULD JAMAICA INVEST IN SPORT TOURISM

A 2007 study by the World Tourism Organisation reported that Tourism is the fastest growing industry. The study also revealed that international tourism grew by 6 per cent in 2007 to 903 million international tourists. Asia, as a region is expected to have the highest growth. The same study is also reporting that the tourism figure for the Americas is forecast to grow 4.79 per cent per year.

Studies have revealed that Sports Tourism is a multi-billion dollar business, one of the fastest growing areas of the $4.5 trillion global travel and tourism industry. It has become a vast international business attracting media coverage, investment, political interest, traveling participants and spectators. It is estimated that the sports industry can be responsible for as much as 2.5 per cent of world trade.
If sport then is such a decent chunk of the overall tourism product, then there should be a comprehensive effort to attract sports tourist to a destination. There are four distinct types of sports tourism

1. Hard – Olympics, World Championships, NASCAR and Soft – Hiking, Skiing, Rowing, Boating
2. Sport Events – Any type of organised local, regional or international competition which require general movement of people
3. Sports Hall of FAME or where FAMOUS people live
4. Active participants

Jamaica’s position today, gives it three out of four of the above-mentioned areas. We have enough cricket, football, tennis, golf, track and field, netball, basketball and horse racing facilities to have a plan in place for sporting events along with paid and unpaid staff to manage the events. The World knows we have enough famous persons from this country that people will go half way around the world to see…their homes, their place of origin and where they compete. Likewise a museum with the history would be equally exciting. The pool of athletes is increasing daily as Jamaica widens its horizon in sports from athletics to volleyball (A – Z of sport).

So whether it is cricket, track and field, football, golf, tennis, netball, triathlon or the marathon events, Jamaica could do with a Major Event Plan to accommodate events geared at earning, attracting visitors and media coverage strategically positioned in between other major events around the world.

What are we waiting for? Come July 27 to August 12 the rest of the world will watch keenly Jamaica’s performance in the London Olympic Games and all the products and services the island has to offer. How will the benefits be calculated? How will this speak to preparations for Russia in 2013; Brazil in 2014 and 2016 and by extension Jamaica 2012 and beyond?

The inter-agency private and public sector teams should now put their plans in motion with the expertise required to get the requisite funding and marketing support. The Jamaica Tourist Board, JAMPRO and the Ministry of Finance must have a handle in this. Let’s resuscitate the Major Events Attraction Programme (MEAP) which has the framework for this to work.



The Sport Tourist

The profile of a sport tourist is one is in the top ten spending tourists in the world, they are more adventurous, they like to travel, they tend to take family along since sport is such big entertainment and they also tend to return to the destination that offers a great experience.

Sport tourists also travel to destinations that are easy to get to, have great accommodation, fine restaurants and offer a great entertainment package. They also like to visit destinations with history and picturesque locations. Jamaica is an ideal location for Sport Tourists.

March 2012 ©

Experts coming in for The Business of Sport 2012

KINGSTON, March 10 – Experts in the areas of contracts, financial management, image building and psychology are among the over 20 presenters for the 2012 renewal of The Business of Sport, scheduled for Kingston, May 3 – 4 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.

The two-day event, in its second year has attracted veteran NFL commentator and journalist, Steve Wyche; NBC track and field expert, Ato Boldon; financial manager Horace Madison; Personal Growth Consultant, E. Patrick Miller and ESPN Vice President, Bernard Stewart among others.

The event organizing team is seeking to establish a formula for The Business of Sport which can highlight the values of a sporting industry, a sporting brand and an athlete. According to managing partner, Christopher Samuda, “this cannot be done without establishing what the critical success factors that drive value into the industry and what elements are needed to make the formula work.”

The six major areas of this year’s conference will look at
- Contracts
- Psychology – Maintaining the Competitive Edge
- Image and Dollars
- Money Management
- Sport and Culture
- Athletes – up close and personal
Each session is expected to delve into the how and why of the specific areas, but more importantly the implementation and action plan to build the sporting industry in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean – forming partnerships with international experts.
President of The Business of Sport, Carole Beckford is optimistic that in the next three to five years, Jamaica and the Caribbean will not just be seen as a place where great athletes are prepared, but a destination that will host major events and the business matchmaking will be the order of the day. “Investment in sport is inextricably linked to a country’s culture and can be enhanced once the framework is created,” Beckford added.
“As a special tribute to Jamaica’s 50th, the conference will feature a discussion about Sport and Culture – to identify how much more they can be effectively managed to develop bigger income streams for Jamaica. These two industries have consistently given Jamaica positive exposure and should be developed further,” said Beckford. The speakers confirmed for that session are noted brand strategists, Kam-Au Amen, Dr. Christopher Charles and Dr. Sonjah Stanley Niaah.
The conference last year was attended by over 103 participants from Jamaica, the Caribbean, Canada and the USA.
The event this year will be streamed live for a small fee. Early bird registration is US$150 at www.thebusinessofsport.org and if you register up to 21 days to the event it will cost US$175.
Partnerships are being established with FLOW Jamaica, Wisynco (WATA), Jamaica Pegasus, EXIM Bank, JAMPRO, KLAS Sport Radio, KOOL 97 FM, Island Car Rental, Samuda and Johnson and the Jamaica Tourist Board, so far.
The event is a production of Carole Beckford and Associates and Strategic Corporate Interventions.

Contact: The Business of Sport
thebusinessofsport@gmail.com
www.thebusinessofsport.org
(876) 754 5637/8

WICB and Caribbean Relevance

The recent unfortunate outburst in the form of a letter from the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to Prime Minister of Jamaica, Portia Simpson Miller, has caused me great concern in how today's leaders will impact on the next generation in terms of leadership, management, human relations and even how to relate to each other. We often think that the ones who shout the loudest are the ones with the most sense; but in fact they are most times the ones with less to contribute.

The community spirit which once existed with us being our brothers' keepers needs to return and I would like to see the Caribbean being posited as



destination for Business
destination for Sport
destination where people can grow their children and relate to each other respectfully
destination where visitors will want to come to, to relax and enjoy the rich culture
destination where our young entrepreneurs will thrive because elements of Government/Governance have been created to enable growth and development
...and I could go on

We ought to be able to work out what is best for us. Each region is doing what is requires to survive, however, the globalised economy does not require the kind of infighting that is showing its ugly head. We the Caribbean people have some areas that we have shown the world we are strong at and it is high time we maintain that status quo



Cricket is the one sport we have as a region and it should be worthy of proper and effective management. What Ernest Hilaire and Julian Hunte and the rest of the Board have done to cricket is worthy of punishment; however as we seek to resolve this in short order we ask that a mediation team be set up to come to closure.



Again I ask the question...What good is CARICOM or UWI for that matter, both Caribbean-wide organisation and institution?



Without calling names, I would hope we people with integrity and credibility in the region we can call to intervene. This is urgent matter and must be dealt with now. Two weeks ago I urged the WICB to resolve the Jamaica/Chris Gayle impasse within 30 days....there are 15 days left. I wish we would honour this and MOVE ON.



I wait patiently for an amicable solution.