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Bright Prospects
10 October 2009
Not only will golf and rugby be able to look forward to featuring in the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games, the vote by the IOC Session should have a positive impact on the development of both sports - from today!
The sponsorship industry forecasts that the Olympic inclusion will provide a major boost to both sports.
Giles Morgan, head of sponsorship at HSBC, which has sponsorship programmes in both sports, said that the growth in the sports encouraged by the inclusion would inevitably attract sponsors, and so create a “virtuous circle” of investment and further growth.
"Rugby will develop at all levels", he said. "National Olympic Committees (NOCs) will fund sports they think they can medal in."
"Sevens is easy to pick up and relies less on physical size and strength, and more on skill, than the 15-a-side version, so will attract NOCs in emerging markets."
"You will see more rugby played there, more competitions, more participation, and when that happens, sponsors will follow."
"Golf is already very well funded at the top level, so the real focus for it is on grassroots. I think you will see more kids getting involved and investment in smaller facilities – 9-hole training centres as opposed to 18-hole courses."
However Morgan noted that there was work to be done by both sports in the run-up to the 2016 Olympics. Golf, for instance, had to spread awareness of its accessibility.
