Spotlight: Why Aren't More Corporations Backing Athletes from Singapore?
In the vibrant world of Singaporean sports, elite athletes like Lee Kai Yang, the national team captain and a three-time Southeast Asian Games gold medallist, have faced challenges in securing private sector funding. According to Lee Kai Yang, brands often prioritized social media popularity over athletic achievements when partnering with athletes.
This potential disconnect between brands and athletes in Singapore has been highlighted in interviews with several stakeholders in the sporting ecosystem. Lee Kai Yang's experiences suggest that companies may view athletes as just another influencer, rather than recognizing their unique value as sports professionals.
However, despite these challenges, Singapore's elite athletes manage to secure private sector funding through a combination of strategic approaches.
One such approach is the One Team Singapore Fund, launched in 2017. This government-backed initiative matches dollar-for-dollar donations from corporations to support national athletes. Over 90 companies have contributed to this fund, including early notable contributors such as Deloitte and Fullerton Health.
Another mechanism is the Singapore National Olympic Council’s Major Games Awards Programme (MAP), which incentivizes athletes with significant cash awards funded partly by private sponsors. This programme helps attract corporate interest, addressing the funding challenges faced by athletes and National Sports Associations (NSAs).
Private sector backing also takes the form of scholarships and targeted sponsorship programs by companies. For instance, banks like EFG have developed scholarship programmes for young athletes, combining financial support with building a community of excellence. This approach attracts corporations interested in long-term investment in talent development rather than just immediate social media influence.
Companies tend to support sports sponsorship when they see value beyond short-term social media metrics, focusing on how the partnership helps Singapore sports broadly and aligns with their corporate values. Some CEOs emphasize a philosophy of doing "good business" and contributing to the wider sporting ecosystem rather than immediate monetary returns.
Athletes themselves can enhance their appeal by leveraging their professional attitude, competitive drive, and sometimes entrepreneurial ventures post-career. These factors increase their attractiveness as brand partners, even if they are not top social media influencers.
In summary, Singapore’s elite athletes secure private sector funding by engaging with government-backed matched funds, benefiting from structured corporate scholarship and sponsorship programs that value broader sports development, and by cultivating partnerships that emphasize long-term community and business impact over mere social media reach.
Experts' suggestions for solutions are aimed at addressing these funding challenges. They range from national-level initiatives like the One Team Singapore Fund and MAP, to a focus on individual storytelling and highlighting the unique value that athletes bring to the table. The uneven levels of visibility and interest in different sports are a significant contributing factor to the funding challenges, and addressing this disparity could open up new opportunities for athletes and NSAs in the future.
[1] Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. (2019). One Team Singapore Fund. Retrieved from https://www.mtc.gov.sg/OneTeamSingapore/Pages/One-Team-Singapore-Fund.aspx [2] Singapore National Olympic Council. (2019). Major Games Awards Programme. Retrieved from https://www.singaporeolympic.org/programmes/major-games-awards-programme/ [3] Sport Singapore. (2018). Athlete Career Programme. Retrieved from https://www.sport.gov.sg/sports-and-facilities/programmes/athlete-career-programme
