Industry Chatter: This week in New York, the New York Liberty received their WNBA Championship rings and more importantly raised capital at a $450 million valuation - a x30 on the initial investment by Joe and Clara Wu Tsai in 2019 and more than double the valuation of the team last season. This new record for women’s sports sets the tone for the years to come: developing women’s sports is no longer just about sponsoring gender empowerment activities for social impact but a smart investment for the future. We will soon begin releasing a series of case studies focused on African women’s football, highlighting why this segment offers some of the most opportunities for return on investment.

Our report, the 2025 Africa Global Outlook in partnership with our good friends at the World Football Summit, is finally out. 

Download here

THE 3-POINTER

It’s that time of the year again where there’s too much basketball for one’s eyeballs (there’s never too much basketball). Between the NBA Eastern and Western Conference finals, the WNBA season openers and the BAL’s Nile conference, basketball fans are pleased. Those very fans - in South Africa - are the object of a detailed study from Nielsen SA. It’s no secret that South Africa boasts the most developed sports industry across the continent namely through rugby, cricket and football. The Nielsen SA study sheds light as to how South African basketball may best carve out its place and find commercial relevance in this highly competitive and mature market.

“From a viewership perspective, the recent surge in total basketball viewership in South Africa across all the available broadcasts on SuperSport, SABC, ESPN and SuperSport Schools shows a remarkable 10.7 million total unique viewers, of all forms of basketball in 2024.  This underscores a growing national appetite for the sport. With the SABC consistently driving massive reach and SuperSport demonstrating explosive growth in viewership with multiple secondary broadcasts, there's a clear and present opportunity for increased and engaged viewership in our country, provided broadcast deals continue to facilitate access on our South African free-to-air and pay-TV broadcasters,” Managing Director for Nielsen Sports SA , Tumelo Selikane commented.

1. Engage Youthful, Diverse, and Lifestyle-Driven Digital Natives

South Africa’s basketball fans are young, diverse, and deeply embedded in urban culture, with high participation in music, festivals, and digital content. Brands and organizations have a unique opportunity to reach this vibrant audience by integrating basketball with lifestyle experiences—such as live events, music partnerships, and digital campaigns—tailored to their interests and digital consumption habits. This approach can drive brand affinity and engagement far beyond traditional sports marketing.

2. Leverage Strong Purchase Intentions and Spending Power

With a quarter of basketball fans earning between R10,000 and R20,000 per month (x2 to x4 minimum wage), there is significant commercial potential within this segment. Automotive brands, financial services, and consumer goods companies can tailor their messaging and offers to this upwardly mobile audience, capitalizing on their readiness to invest in big-ticket items and premium experiences.

3. Activate Digital Services and Sports Betting Partnerships

Basketball fans in South Africa are heavy users of digital services, with 72% planning to purchase mobile data weekly and 43% expecting to use sports betting apps in the next month1. Telecom providers, fintech firms, and betting companies can develop targeted campaigns, exclusive digital content, and integrated offers to capture this tech-savvy, always-connected audience, setting themselves apart in a competitive digital marketplace.

Sindiswa’s Corner Kick

FANS AS STAKEHOLDERS: NAIROBI CITY THUNDER’S RECIPE.

Hi, I'm Sindiswa! I'm excited to carve out this corner of the newsletter to share what I've been learning, who I've been speaking to, and everything happening in the vibrant world of African sports. This week I am in Kigali attending the Basketball Africa League’s Nile Conference. You can watch the games here.

In today’s attention economy, sports teams are no longer just after winning titles to ensure their economic wellbeing: winning fans and building a community around them is just as important. Twende Sports, led by Colin Rasmussen and Stephen Domingo, which acquired Nairobi City Thunder (NCT) in 2023 understands this better than most. Their historic entry into the Basketball Africa League (BAL) put a spotlight on their biggest asset: fan engagement. In just over a year, the team's digital following skyrocketed from under 2,000 to nearly 100,000. Twende invested heavily in content creation, bringing on two full content team members and collaborating with content creators to deepen their story telling efforts. In his conversation with #AfricaScores, Colin Rasmussen shared exclusively that Nairobi City Thunder had onboarded two content creators to capture footage for a documentary.

Thunder's strategy extends beyond digital platforms. Their robust online presence now supports essential commercial activities, including the sale of official merchandise and visibility for brand partners like M-Kopa, Winko Solar, and Afrospor - an Afro Norwegian sportswear brand. “We expect merchandising to represent close to 10% of our revenues,” said Rasmussen. During the BAL's current Nile conference, Twende Sports organized daily watch parties and sponsored a trip to Kigali for fans to attend BAL games at BK Arena. Additionally, the Nairobi City Thunder fan club, which already counts over 500 members, provides members with early access to merchandise and club updates, serves as an effective way to transform casual supporters into repeat consumers and brand ambassadors.

By turning fans into stakeholders, Nairobi City Thunder is creating a blueprint for how African basketball clubs can monetize passion within an increasingly globalized sports economy. Their playbook shows that when fan engagement aligns with strategic business goals, it becomes a powerful driver for sustainable growth.

A Final Note

SCORE WITH US

#AfricaScores is growing ! We are open to receiving more contributions and provide a platform for African voices of the sports industry. Write to us here: [email protected]

If you are a corporation and would like us to explore an opportunity to collaborate on a knowledge product, please write to us at [email protected]

Until Friday after next,