When the last out falls, the 64th edition of the National Baseball Series will be remembered, among other things, for the scandal of the confiscated games, the controversy surrounding the marathon of recovery matches or the debut in these tournaments of the advertising in the stadiums.
This latest development came with the postseason and was protected by a Resolution from the President of Inder, waiting for The recently approved Law of the Cuban Sports System comes into forcein whose body appear the guidelines that will govern advertising and sponsorship within this sphere.
Namely, it has been the foreign company BDC International SA, with a presence in the country for more than three decades, that has been the pioneer in the modality, with advertising posters installed in the stadiums of the teams that are still fighting for the throne, mainly in the most visible areas during television broadcasts.
Thus, a long demand from specialists and fans begins to make its way as a way to rescue a show in low hours, although for now it is just a sample within a broader horizon of opportunities.
Among the advantages in sight are the acquisition through this means of resources for the repair of facilities, or to finance the organization of events in areas such as transportation and food for the participants.
The possibilities can even extend to improving living conditions and facilities for athletes, guaranteeing access to competitions and preparation bases, or providing essential equipment for the development of grassroots sport to high performance.
new winds
It is a fact that the new Social Communication Law cleared a good part of the way for the fit of advertising and sponsorship in sport, something that had been done in isolation on previous occasions.
Banished from Cuban society shortly after the revolutionary triumph of 1959, advertising linked to sports had some specific skirmishes at the end of the 20th century.
As part of the commitments assumed for its organization, some brands were promoted in the facilities that hosted the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana, and others, in exchange for screen viewing, contributed to paying for television broadcasts of important international events.
However, those experiences were carried out without the support of a legal body capable of organizing their implementation in accordance with the best experiences in sports marketing, so vital for the development of this sphere in current times.
Open door for everyone
The fact that it was a non-state sector company with foreign capital that was in charge of breaking the ice of advertising in Cuban baseball can serve as inspiration to the rest of the actors operating in the Cuban economy.
The current circumstances do not seem the most conducive to multiplying these actions, but at least the government’s willingness to explore new formulas seems to be moving in the right direction, in addition to the need to adjust the mechanisms on the fly according to experiences.
Cuban sports continue to wait for the “lifesaver” of advertising and sponsorship
“Everyone can request the execution of advertising and sponsorship actions in the Cuban sports system,” recently declared Karel Luis Pachot, legal director of Inder, alluding to the scope of the new legislation on the subject.
In the design of attractive and differentiated offers to promote advertising in sports, which take into account the diversity and scope of the private and state sectors of the economy, may be the key for more companies to join the new experience, convinced that it can be an effective way to satisfy their promotional needs.
Sponsorship also on the table
A great media stir was recently generated by the proposal of a fan from Holguin, who with his own resources deployed a strategy to stimulate the performance of Holguín baseball players in the current baseball campaign.
There are many who consider that the initiative of this private entrepreneur, who allocated up to 300 thousand CUP per month to reward the most outstanding players, has been fundamental for the Cubs to have managed to advance to the postseason.
Private entrepreneur behind the “miracle” of the Holguín Cubs in the National Series
However, the good intentions generated misgivings from Inder, although its authorities stated that they would try to channel this type of support without violating the current regulations for holding sporting events within the country.
According to Pachot, the new regulations include the real possibility that a private businessman can sponsor a National Series team, but through a project that must go from the provincial to the national level to be approved.
In addition, he confirmed that in all sports, but specifically in the case of baseball, team uniforms can be a support for the advertising of these sponsors, as has begun to happen with stadium spaces.
It remains to be seen if, at least in baseball, the new air brought by advertising and sponsorship transcends a simple touch of the ball, to become the long-range hit that Cuban sport needs right now to recover its brilliance.
