Caribbean Sports – Caribbean Should Cash In On High Profile Athletes

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. May 4, 2018: The Caribbean needs to find a way to cash in on its high-profile athletes.

That’s the word from University of the West Indies Vice-Chancellor, Sir Hilary Beckles.

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Sir Hilary, according to Digicel Sports Max, says while the Caribbean ranked in the top three among Commonwealth countries in the area of athletics, the region’s coffers had very little to show for it.

“Where is our sports manufacturing taking place? Vietnam, South Korea. Where are the plants, the factories that are making all the gears and equipment, creating employment, venture capitals and entrepreneurs, where is the business of sports? It is not in the Caribbean. The Caribbean is seen as performers, we must perform for the world but we must not make money off of it,” said Sir Hilary.

The UWI VC looked, in particular, at the case of the recently retired, Usain Bolt and the way Puma grew because of their association with him.

Despite that growth, Jamaica, Sir Hilary opined, benefitted very little from the global stardom of Bolt.