Soccerex kicks off in Johannesburg

Soccerex 2008, the biggest inter-business exhibition in the world focussing on the business side of the game, kicked off on Monday in Johannesburg, South Africa with over 4 000 delegates from 95 countries attending the expo.

Welcoming local and international football industry leaders to the exhibition this week, Chairman of Soccerex Tony Martin said: "several hundreds of exhibitors are here with the latest services, products and technologies that the football world has to offer.

The Gauteng province hosted the prestigious inter-business exhibition in 2007, and will again host the exhibition next year coinciding with South Africa's hosting of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, which is now a mere 6 months away.

The world economy, said the Soccerex chairman, is in turmoil and the collapse of the world's banking systems due to overzealous trading is going to have an immense impact on the business of football around the world.

The exhibition, he said, would give the industry an opportunity to review the costs and capital structure within the industry and try to quantify the scale of economic burden on the football industry.

"Football has a massive social impact and helps to set standards of morality and companionship throughout the world.

"Professional football is also one of the biggest industries in the world with an audience of over 1 billion viewers," the Soccerex chairman said.

Chairman of the 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC) Dr Irvin Khoza told delegates at the opening of the exhibition that the business of football is a global phenomenon.

Soccerex back in 1998 was the launch pad for South Africa's campaign bid to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, said the LOC chairman.

"Back at Soccerex in 1998 [in England] was where we launch out first stand and we talked, and we talked, and we talked to the right people.

"The hosting of this event is another milestone for South Africa on the road to the World Cup," Dr Khoza said.

Gauteng Premier Paul Mashatile highlighted that building on the success of last years Soccerex; he promised that this year's exhibition would be bigger and better still.

The premier also noted with satisfaction that more and more African countries were registering to be a part of Soccerex showing a renewed vigour with which Africans were trying to get into the business of football ahead of the world cup.

"Soccerex is an ideal opportunity for decision makers within football to network and do business.

"We will use Soccerex to further the experience of Gauteng in the hosting of major events leading up to other events like the A1 Grand Prix in February 2009, and the international super bikes race in May next year," Mr Mashatile said.

Source: BuaNews