Asian Sponsorship Association to be launched at Sports Matters

The association, according to Jasper Donat, CEO of Sports Matters co-organiser Branded, is set to inject vibrancy and sophistication to this sector to help energise event partners and sports associations in the region to boost their appeal and gather more support for their events and activities.

“This association will not just benefit the sports industry, it will also help event organisers in the entertainment, music and lifestyle industries,” he added.

Branded is the co-producer of Sports Matters, together with Haymarket Media (publisher of Campaign Asia-Pacific). The event is co-presented by Samsung and Fox Sports and supported by Singapore Tourism Board and Singapore Sports Council.

The launch of the new Asian Sponsorship Association will help fuel the growth of this sector and the conference will bring together broadcasters, sponsors, sports governing bodies and industry leaders from digital platforms, venues, specialist agencies and professional service firms related to the sports business.

The programme will include keynote interviews, expert insights and interactive expert panels, while the current sports industry landscape will be analysed and areas of growth will be identified.

The first day will focus on the conference and the second day will centre around two breakout sessions, namely Sports TV Matters (produced in association with Lightning International) and Sponsorship Matters.

Among the speakers for Sports Matters will be chairman and CEO at Women’s Tennis Association Stacey Allaster; CEO at World Sport Group Andrew Georgiou; global director alliances & ventures at The Coca-Cola Company Prinz Mathew Pinakatt; group head of sponsorship and events at HSBC Giles Morgan as well as executive director at Singapore GP Michael Roche.

Poh Yu Khing, COO at Singapore Sports Hub, said the Sports Matters conference could attract and connect sporting industry experts to power the growth of the local and regional sporting industry to the next level.

Jean Ng, deputy director (F1 & Sports) at Singapore Tourism Board, meanwhile noted that the event will highlight the country’s appeal as a premier destination for business events and reinforce its leadership position in the region for hosting international sporting events such as the Singapore Grand Prix and the upcoming Women’s Tennis Association Championships in 2014.