Kenya stands to learn from UAE and IPL tourney

Indian Bollywood personality Amitabh Bachchan performs during the Indian Premier League ( IPL) 2012 opening night function and concert held at the YMCA College of Physical Education Grounds, Nandanam, Chennai on April 3, 2012.The players and officials of the Indian Premier League are so far not regretting holding the first leg of the Pepsi-sponsored Twenty20 tournament in the United Arab Emirates which was not even in their radar when the lucrative cricketing spectacle started seven years ago. PHOTO/AFP/FILE

What you need to know:

  • Of course international cricketers are not a rarity in the UAE, considering that for over five years, Pakistan has been playing its “home” matches there. But the IPL is in a league of its own and any country would love to play host to such a galaxy of cricket stars who are auctioned and bought for millions of dollars.

The players and officials of the Indian Premier League are so far not regretting holding the first leg of the Pepsi-sponsored Twenty20 tournament in the United Arab Emirates which was not even in their radar when the lucrative cricketing spectacle started seven years ago.

As this year’s tournament enters its first week, cricket fans in the UAE have not been disappointed and they have not been disappointing either as they have filled the grounds to capacity.

Of course international cricketers are not a rarity in the UAE, considering that for over five years, Pakistan has been playing its “home” matches there. But the IPL is in a league of its own and any country would love to play host to such a galaxy of cricket stars who are auctioned and bought for millions of dollars.

There is no gainsaying that it is not just cricket fans who are enjoying, but the IPL has done a great deal of good to UAE’s tourism industry which has been boosted over time by other international sports events too.

Organisers of these events could not have chosen UAE if its sporting facilities were below par and for that, credit has to be given those marketing gurus who saw this niche and decided to exploit it fully because their efforts are bearing fruits.

Of course many countries, Kenya included, only look  at the big tournaments that need no introduction and always bid for them, but even without bidding to host such major events, UAE has become a destination for sports tourism. As it seems, UAE looked at the bigger picture and did not just build sports facilities with an eye for one big sporting event, but built an array of facilities which might have seemed like white elephants to many, but which in the long run have put it in good stead.

Kenya could follow UAE’s example and have such facilities at the ready — after all just like money, it is better to have them and don’t need them than need them and not have them.