SportTech Summit to attract global stakeholders

ALKESH SHARMA / Emirates Business

Technology is casting its spell on almost all the industries, including unconventional sectors like sports. Industry experts say that technology, if used judiciously, can be a major revenue-churner in the sports field.
Positive impacts of technology could be felt on sporting venue designs that have the ability to drive performance through implementing out-of-the-box advertising ideas, boosting retail and ticket sales, enhancing seating design, improving capacity management and introducing eco-friendly systems.
Contemplating upon these 21st-century parameters, upcoming SportTech Summit GCC 2016, in Dubai, is all set to attract the attention of local as well as global stakeholders from various fields.
“Technology is the next big thing happening in the sports industry. We just need to look at things from a fresh angle and try to incorporate technology while optimising the facilities at the sporting venues. We only need to add attractive points for public and advertisers will follow us automatically,” Raghav Sharma, Chief Executive Officer of India-based Sports-Switch, told Emirates Business.
“We are looking forward to attend this summit in Dubai and take it as an opportunity to meet like-minded people who are working in the same field,” said Sharma, whose company specialises in managing sports venues and nurturing local sports talent.
Two-day SportTech Summit GCC is scheduled to be held in Dubai from November 15-16. This event will bring together the key stakeholders from the GCC and Dubai as well as international experts and professionals in sport events, management and clubs.
“This event will help in the transformation of the global sport and contribute in the improvement of global performance in all sports. Besides there would be a focus on the usage of new technologies and innovations in sport equipment and on how they can make the overall process better, safer and more efficient,” one of the organisers of this summit told Emirates Business.
This summit will also facilitate a dialogue to rope in big brands to open sports clubs, academies and towards nurturing local talent.
“There is a need to associate sports with pure business model. Sports venue is one place where we have people, of different backgrounds and preferences, gathering to cheer their favourite team. Therefore these venues are the place to exercise the perfect marketing campaigns and addition of technology could add more value to the overall process,” said the organiser.
Winning of Qatar’s bid to host 2022 FIFA World Cup has added more enthusiasm in the region. In the GCC region, investors have identified the opportunity and have heavily invested in the European Premier League Football clubs and in sporting facilities to capitalise on this commercial opportunity.