Building alignment and trust through data, digital tools, and emotional intelligence has been identified as a key strategy for sporting bodies seeking to ramp up funding for their programmes.

National sporting organisations continue to grapple with limited resources to support athlete development, competition, and daily operations — often competing for the same sponsorship dollar. According to sports-marketing specialist Carole Beckford, this reality demands a shift from simply asking for “handouts” to forging partnerships that deliver measurable returns for sponsors.

A veteran with more than 30 years’ experience in sport as a journalist and marketer, Beckford shared insights into “the real world of marketing” during a master class featuring executives of national sporting associations and corporate stakeholders responsible for sponsorships and marketing.