Botswana football converses
The inaugural Botswana Football Summit is a response to the concerns and frustrations that have been expressed about the state of football and its future. Set for March 22-24, 2024 at the University of Botswana's Campus Indoor Sports Centre, the summit is an opportunity to have an open and honest conversation about the current state of football and how to move forward in a rapidly changing industry.
Given the current instability in Botswana football, with the Botswana Football League shareholders in conflict with the board and many other issues affecting the management of football, the summit comes at a crucial time. There is hope that the summit will lead to improved communication and cooperation in the future.
This week , Owe Mmolawa, co-organizer of the Botswana Football Summit, told BG Sport that the summit will serve as a platform for open dialogue and discussion with sports industry leaders on the future of football and the game's growth. He sees the summit as an opportunity to bring together different voices and perspectives on the sport.
Mmolawa highlighted that the summit will bring together professionals from both the local and international sports communities to discuss a wide range of topics, including sports sponsorship, contract management, sports administration, player development, and revenue generation, sports broadcasting, endorsement facilities amongst others. This event will be a unique opportunity to explore the future of football in Botswana.
“Blacksmith Communications and Power Play Sports Group came together and decided to create a platform that would contribute knowledge and skills to the growth of football. We created the simple and direct slogan 'For the Love of the Game' to reflect our passion for the sport and our commitment to its growth,” Mmolawa said.
The summit is expected to attract participants from across Southern Africa, including sports administrators, former players, coaches, technical staff, sports leaders, and corporate leaders. It will also attract members of the media. This diverse group of participants will bring a variety of perspectives and experiences to the discussion.
“Proposed line of activities for the summit commences on Friday 22nd March dedicated for arrival and accreditation of those who have registered to participate. The main day of the summit, which is Saturday 23rd March will be for the opening ceremony, presentations, plenary, panel discussions and networking. Sunday 24th March will be for the closing ceremony and community work as a legacy project of the summit,” Mmolawa mentioned.
In addition to the participants, the opening ceremony will also be blessed by a keynote address from the Vice President of the Republic of Botswana, Slumber Tsogwane, The Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Tumiso Rakgare, and the Minister of Entrepreneurship, Karabo Socraat Gare, will also be present. The line-up of speakers will set the tone for the summit and help to create a positive and productive environment.