Showjumping has been a regular fixture in South African sporting circles for decades with television broadcasts, articles in local magazines, and spectators coming from far and wide to bear witness to athletes competing at the top echelons of the sport. In recent times however, the tough economic climate has meant that TV broadcasting has become unaffordable and with that, regular, non-horsey people are no longer aware of the goings-on in the equestrian disciplines outside of racing. Not all is lost, however, as the digital age has brought a new way of taking the sport to the masses: live streaming.
With equestrian sports falling out of the public eye, major showjumping events have seen a steady drop in attendance from spectators outside of the immediate equestrian environment. This, in turn, has negative knock-ons for the sport, reducing its ability to attract new sponsors who are prepared to commit to the levels of finance required to run our sport at the top levels successfully. As many riders are well aware, a show without sponsorship not only lacks any decent prize money, but also leaves the organisers in a position of having to raise costs elsewhere to ensure the effective running of the competition. And so the sport becomes more elitist by the day.
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If the sport is to succeed and progress to new levels, a new means of targeting sponsors is required. This is where digital live streaming comes into effect. For a mere fraction of the cost of a TV broadcast, a top-class production can be aired online, streaming straight to mobile phones and TVs, not just across the country, but globally, giving our little corner of Africa global reach and recognition. By expanding the pool of potential viewers, we present potential sponsors with a greater return on investment, luring new blood into the sport and creating growth that benefits the entire industry.
For years, the industry has relied upon the same sponsors to repeatedly put forth prizes and money towards the sport, and while we greatly appreciate the continued support of those within the industry, it’s not fair to run these taps dry without granting them the full exposure they deserve for their years of service. Our current line of sponsors have been invaluable up to now and although we have no intention of turning our backs on them, new sponsors might step in to alleviate the burden that our current sponsors feel.
The live stream has already proven to be a success, first with the 2019 South African Derby providing unparalleled coverage and exposure to more than 20,000 spectators, and subsequently with events like the 2020 Reonet Cup and 2020 Gauteng Showjumping Champs yielding thousands of viewers on their single-day broadcasts. In current times when COVID-19 has placed further hindrances on the sport, not being allowed to have spectators at live sporting events, the live stream has opened doors wider than ever before, allowing spectators from across the country to be a part of the action.
We asked a few viewers how they feel about the ability to stay at home, especially during the global pandemic, and still be able to watch all the live action of the show:
Kym Wright, experienced show official and announcer at popular venues such as Revil Stables and Burlington, said, “I’ve loved the recent streaming of the Reonet cup and Gauteng Champs events from KEP. It’s great to still be able to watch our sport during these times when we cannot physically attend events due to COVID. In the future I will still watch the bigger events if they are streamed because you get a great view of the whole round over every fence and you have the convenience of being comfortable in your own home whilst doing it.”
The opportunities of having a livestream for the main days of all the major shows year round are endless. Viewers from all over the country as well as the world are able to watch our events and perhaps decide to attend, in person, the next show. There are no restrictions on how many viewers a stream can attract, whereas venues have physical limitations in terms of the number of spectators that can attend. For every one viewer you have in the stands, another three can be enjoying the action via livestream, sharing the action across multiple platforms including various social media channels – an increasingly more important aspect of our social lives. Furthermore, these streams stay online indefinitely after the event, granting lasting exposure to all the involved sponsors and meaning that a one-time sponsorship yields long-lasting results.
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The possibility for growth in spectators is amplified by the live streaming and by extension, possible new sponsors will be on the receiving end of greater exposure and brand awareness and be more willing to climb on board. The live streaming has the capabilities of returning our sport to its former glory where top athletes like Gonda Betrix became household names for non-equestrian-related families and sponsors such as Marlboro, Dunhill, Nissan, Porsche, and Avis – massive corporate companies and brands – were regularly on board to support our greatest athletes.
The future is digital, and with the capacity to livestream the sport, showjumping could once again reclaim the limelight and reach a broader audience than ever before. It’s exciting times ahead for the sport of showjumping, and with every clear round, inside turn, and dropped stride in a jump off, sponsors and early adopters are gaining lasting exposure. If you too would like to be involved with the sponsorship of live streams and showjumping events, there has never been a better time to do so than now.
-The JumpOff-
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