Courting Attention: How Squash is Strategically Leveraging it's Location π
From the Pyramids to Grand Central Station, for sports like squash, which may not attract large stadium crowds, hosting at scenic locales or places with heavy footfall represents a savvy strategy...
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Thailand's reported bid for a Formula 1 race underscores the well-understood impact that sport can have on driving (no pun intended) new visitors to a country.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin proposal to host a street race in Bangkok reflects the nation's aspirations to enhance its standing as a major tourism destination in Southeast Asia.
Thailand is not alone in recognising the potential of sports as a tool for tourism promotion. Globally, numerous countries and tourism boards (see: Visit Saudi Arabia and Visit Rwanda) have employed sports events to similar ends.
The underlying concept is straightforward: sports have the power to move people, both figuratively and literally. By hosting major sporting events, countries can leverage the allure of competition to draw visitors to their shores.
While it's common for tourism to draw inspiration from the world of sports, there are also instances where sports can learn from tourism.
As Jeff Dodds, CEO of Formula E, discussed in a recent appearance on the Sports Pundit Podcast,
βTrying to attract a new fan base, a younger, more mixed gender fan base, is easier to be done around the city centre where you can expose the product to more casual fans."
For Formula E's recent E-Prix in Tokyo, for example, the race coincided with a government-hosted conference on zero-emission vehicles, allowing the event to tap into an existing audience interested in sustainable transportation.
Formula E is not the only sport exploring this intersection between sports and tourism.
Squash, a sport often overlooked in discussions around the sports industry despite its recent introduction to the Olympics, has a rich history of leveraging unconventional venues to attract audiences.
Alex Gough, CEO of the Professional Squash Association, highlighted this during his recent interview on the Sports Pundit Podcast.
"Because of the technology of the glass court and because of the portable nature of it, we've always been able to put it in some weird and wonderful places,β he explained.
Gough pointed to the iconic Al Ahram International tournaments of the 1990s, held in a glass court in front of the Great Pyramid of Giza, as a prime example of squash's ability to captivate audiences in unique settings.
The event played a pivotal role in inspiring a generation of Egyptians to embrace the sport, leading to the country's dominance in the world rankings.
While the Egyptian Open has occasionally moved around Cairo to avoid overexposure in recent years, Gough expressed the PSA's eagerness to return the event to this iconic venue in the next season or two.
"It's mainly around the exposure that [it] gives you," Gough remarked. "It's that front-page picture because everyone recognises the pyramids. It's able to really drive interest from businesses in Egypt and sponsors because they want to be associated with something like that."
Another noteworthy example in the squash calendar is the Tournament of Champions, held in New York City's Grand Central Station. The event attracts a significant influx of spectators passing through the bustling transit hub, underscoring the sport's ability to tap into increased viewership in unexpected spots.
βYou get this incredible footfall through that station because it's obviously so busy and people will stand and watch for 10, 20 minutes. Sometimes [they] just watch whole matches instead of carrying on to their train.β
Leveraging tourism to drive viewership of a sport is not limited to squash or Formula E, of course. There are many picturesque stadiums, courts, and courses around the world β too many for me to possibly list.
Among the major sports leagues, The National Hockey League (NHL) has perhaps embraced this concept most fervently, committing to at least one outdoor game per season since 2008. Notably, the league shifted its focus to the scenic backdrop of Lake Tahoe during the pandemic, showcasing the sport against breath-taking natural vistas.
However, for sports like squash, which may not attract large stadium crowds, hosting events in either scenic locales or places with heavy footfall represents a savvy strategy worth studying for other challenger sports.
Ultimately, the physical world mirrors the the digital world, in that you need to position yourself to be where the βeyeballsβ are.
Furthermore, in an age dominated by social media, these stunning settings also now offer immense opportunity for capturing viral moments that amplify the sport's visibility and appeal to sponsors even further.
Sports, tourism, and the evolving landscape of audience engagement have never been as interconnected as they are today.
PODCAST
Want to hear more from my conversation with Alex?
We discuss Alexβs journey into his current role as CEO of the PSA, transitioning from player to a governance/ executive role in sport, implementing equal prize money, Egypt's dominance in producing top-quality squash players, the popularity of Pickleball and Padel, aspirations and ambitions for the PSA leading up to LA 2028 and much, much more.
Listen to the full podcast via the link below - and Iβd love to hear what you think! π
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The Big Idea is brought to you by the Global Institute of Sport!
The Global Institute of Sport is the leading destination for Master's degrees, executive education and professional qualifications in sport around the world.
They count world-famous stadiums and surrounding venues among their state-of-the-art campus facilities across the globe, including London's Wembley Stadium, Miami's DRV PNK Stadium and Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Ready to master the global sports industry? Enquire today about their in-person and online courses.