Contribution of

Sports to the
Development of
the Caribbean
A Presentation by: Saidee Ali,
Hazika John, Javid Ramjass &
Elysha Williams
 Sport and Development

Due to its emphasis on professional athletes and competitive events, sport has generally been
excluded from national discussions about growth. These constrained notions about sport's
contribution to national development are now being challenged as talks about development
become more focused on human development and a more inclusive concept of development.
Sport, leisure, and recreation all have a connection to one another and offer a way for citizens of a
nation to improve equity, productivity, and empowerment.
 How Does Sport Generate Income?
Sport can generate income for the region through several avenues:
1. Taxes
2. Employment and Earnings
3. Advertising
4. Sports Tourism

●Taxes
Sport in the Caribbean and worldwide is a multibillion dollar industry. Sporting goods and other sport equipment
are often taxed upon entry into many Caribbean countries through the collection of tariffs and other customs-
taxes.

Sporting professionals and athletes are taxed through their income earnings via Pay as You Earn (PAYE) or other
forms of income taxes. The taxes received by these sporting professionals go towards government coffers, the
money that an organization has in its bank accounts and available to spend, which in turn is able to aid the
economic and infrastructural development of the Caribbean
 How Does Sport Generate Income?
●Employment and Earnings
Sport has been a source of income and employment for many people in the region due to the growth of the sport,
including coaching staff, nutritionists, medical professionals, and other support staff. Professional sports and organised
athletic associations can help the region flourish by marketing their events to attract more customers and raise revenue.
This boosts economic activity and makes it possible for a specific sport to be financially independent In addition to
receiving wages from clubs and regional organisations like the West Indian Cricket Board (WICB), athletes are also
permitted to earn money through endorsement deals. Recently the University of the West Indies added a Physiotherapy
degree programme to their curriculum, possibly due to how highly sought-out the profession has become.
.

Additionally, package arrangements (airline, hotel, and game tickets) can be made available to promote sports tourism,
creating many jobs in the tourism industry. Sports facilities also generate income for governments and private owners
as they must be booked and rented beforehand to be used for events. The Hasely Crawford Stadium and the Queen's
Park Oval in Trinidad and Tobago, Kensington Oval in Barbados and Sabina Park in Jamaica, to name a few, have all
been continuously used for sporting activities.
 How Does Sport Generate Income?
● Advertising
The relationship between sport's economic success and information and communication technologies is
crucial (ICT). The mainstream media heavily influences how professional sporting events are portrayed and
even have an impact on how successful those events are. The mass media publicise events in the area, and
there is competition among media outlets to purchase the rights to record and broadcast live and recorded
broadcasts of sporting events.

Merchandise and endorsements also generate income for athletes, sometimes more than what they make at
a sporting event. Some athletes such as Shelly-Ann Fraiser-Price and Usain Bolt are signed to major
sporting companies as a reflection of that brand’s image and motto.

These profits can be used to stage more athletic events, hire better coaches and technical know-how, pay
players more, improve prize money and incentives, and train amateurs and young enthusiasts through
clinics and sporting camps. They can also be used to reinvest in the sport to help it grow and develop the
sector
 How Does Sport Generate Income?

●Sports Tourism
Sports tourism is rather popular in the Caribbean as persons far and wide from abroad
visit the Caribbean during the various sporting seasons which directly invest their money
in the region. These spectators are able to interact with vendors and purchase tickets for
sporting activities that aid in the return of funds to the Caribbean. Some sports-
enthusiasts may also search for niche-packages surrounding other sporting activities such
as hiking or water sports to pass time in between sporting events or simply for their own
leisure.
 Types of sporting activities in the Caribbean
● Cricket
The West Indies is a world cricket powerhouse. The sport became a big deal throughout the former
British colonies and even current members of the commonwealth. Brian Lara, a former trinidadian cricket
player holds the record for the most individual cricket scoring record of 501 runs in a match. The biggest
holiday celebrated in the island of Bermuda is in honor of a cricket match, which shows how impactful
the sport means to some Caribbean nations. The regional cricket team known as the West Indies cricket
team play in the IPL against 1st world countries.

● Football
Caribbean teams play under the Scotiabank CONCACAF federation every year. Regional teams
challenge for the CONCACAF Gold cup and the Digicel Caribbean cup. Groups such as the Soca
Warriors,Trinidad and Tobago and the Reggae Boys, Jamaica are only 2 of the several football teams
which call the Caribbean region home.
 Types of sporting activities in the Caribbean

● Baseball
The Dominican Republic and Cuba are known to have a drive for baseball. Several players were sent to
the major leagues, for example Andrum Jones and Xander Boegerts of the 2013 world series champion
Boston Red Sox. Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Mexico too indulge in the sport.

● Horse Racing
Although not directly associated with the Caribbean states, horse races or also known as the sport of
kings are recognised in Barbados, dominican republic, nevis, jamaica, trinidad and tobago and many
more. The Barbados Turf Club at Garrison Savannah runs 3 annual meets with vibrant Caribbean flavor
mixed with British charm.The Nevis Turf and Jockey Club holds monthly meets at the Indian Castle race
track and in Martinique; the Hippodrome de Carrere in Lamentin.
 Types of sporting activities in the Caribbean

● Polo
Polo is popular in Barbados, Jamaica and Dominican Republic. Public matches in Barbados at Holders in
St. James

● Auto racing
The Aruba International Raceway Park features drag racing, street legal races, motorcycle races etc. A
drag strip is far from uncommon in this little country. Curacao, another racing hot pocket, is home to the
Curacao International Raceway. In addition to Waller Field, TnT and Pearls airstrip in Grenada
 Types of sporting activities in the Caribbean
● Goat and Crab racing
Tobago's Buccoo village is home to a uniquely Trini tradition and a poor-man's alternative to horse
racing: goat races. Since 1925, goats and their "jockeys" have been competing on a 100-yard track during
the Buccoo Goat Race Festival. The competition, held on the Tuesday after Easter, includes jockeys who
run barefoot behind their goats and use twigs to whip them into motion. There's plenty of drinking and
gambling, with all of the trappings of a "real" race course, including stables, trainers, and even a post
parade. Buccoo is also home to another great local competition: crab racing, in which blue crabs are
guided with string and bamboo poles towards the finish line in an event that's both more serious and more
fun than it might sound.
 Types of sporting activities in the Caribbean
● Cockfighting
Cockfighting is part of the local culture in some parts of the Caribbean, notably Puerto Rico, where the
sport remains extremely popular and generates hundreds of millions of dollars in betting annually. If you
want a taste of the passion and excitement surrounding this sport -- in which two roosters fight,
sometimes to the death -- the best place to do so is in San Juan. Vieques has well-regarded "gayelles," or
cockfighting pits, as well. Cockfighting is also popular in the Dominican Republic, home to 1,500
certified cockfighting venues, and Cuba, and Haiti
 Types of sporting activities in the Caribbean
● Bullfighting

The Spanish tried without much success to introduce bullfighting in their Caribbean colonies, including
Cuba, but the only place in the region you'll find this sport is in Mexico. In the Mexican Caribbean,
Cancun is home to a small bullring, the Plaza de Toros, where bullfights take place on Wednesday
afternoons Jan.-April. Expect to see traditional dancers perform, followed by a riding exhibition by
Mexican charros (cowboys) and finally a bullfight.
How Does Sport Develop
our Caribbean Identity?
● The Caribbean has become an epicenter for sporting talent, more particularly in
areas of track and field, cricket, football and in recent times, swimming. Thus,
the Caribbean has gained international recognition thanks to our athletes who
have excelled in their sport; athletes such as Usain Bolt, an Olympic record
holder in sprints, and swimmers like George Bovell III, Olympic bronze-
medalist and also a world record holder.
● Caribbean natives feel a sense of patriotism and unity when witnessing
Caribbean athletes conquer the world stage. The West Indies Cricket team is a
good example of Caribbean unity and cooperation to aim for the greater good.
Cricket is still considered to be the sporting identity of the Caribbean to a certain
extent.
How Does Sport Develop Our
Caribbean Identity?
● Some Caribbean countries identify and associate
themselves with certain sports because of the
continued success that they experience in that field.
Jamaica is known for its track and field athletes,
Cuba for its boxing and Trinidad and Tobago for its
footballers and cricketers.
● Cricket is seen as a way to unite the Caribbean and
their people, but is closely associated with British
rule and colonialism. Philosopher,C.L.R James, sees
the Caribbean person as having made a commitment
to things British, so cricket is embraced as 'West
Indianised'. Besting the British at their own beloved
sport has been an important part of decolonization.
Educational Opportunities Produced by Sport
1.
Excellence in a particular sport can provide doors to
higher education for Caribbean kids. If qualified,
they can advance socially, increase their salary, and
use their skills to improve conditions in whichever
field they end up working in when they return home.
The US sports scholarship has evolved in recent
years as a different route for establishing a more
prestigious connection between the scholarship and
US colleges than local alternatives. To this purpose,
the most gifted secondary school athletes often take
the SATs in order to be admitted to US institutions
and place as highly as possible in competitions
where college recruiters may be present.
2. Thousands of Caribbean students are
currently attending foreign institutions on full
or partial athletic scholarships.
3. Even in the Caribbean, sport has paved the
way for new educational opportunities in
many fields as a result of its growing
popularity. The University of the West Indies
offers many degree programmes and courses
that focus on sport development. Degrees
such as Bachelors in Sport Sciences, Sport
Kinetics and Sport Coaching and
Graduate/Master degrees in Sports Medicine
and Sports Business Management to name a
few.
 Relevance of Sport and Fitness to Development
● Partaking in sporting activities
whether it be either walking,
swimming, riding etc all help
to reduce the risk of attracting
lifestyle diseases (cholesterol,
diabetes, heart conditions).
These health problems can
cause adverse effects on the
economic and productivity
growth of a nation.
● Any form of lifestyle
diseases put strain on
the health sector as the
cost of treatment drains
the health ministry’s
budget to obtain
effective and expensive
equipment.
● It creates job opportunities for
individuals, in turn pushes
more money back into the
economy
 Discipline and Morale
● Sport inspires discipline and drive from athletes to commit to diets, continuous
and deep training to become the best at what they do.
● It is a character building activity especially for the youth, the discipline and
respect demanded steadies and focus the racing minds of children. It allows an
outlet from stress and can keep individuals ‘off the streets’ and away from crime,
drugs and violence.
● “Teamwork makes the dream work”. In sport this is an important value learned.
It teaches respect for rules while competing and an understanding and awareness
of teammates. This would also prepare for the working world. Private business
sectors in Jamaica encourage employees to compete in teams to build and boost
staff morale to promote teamwork.
● In the business world, introduction of team friendly competitions shows the
importance of commitment, team work, health and fitness in turn having an
overall positive effect on productivity.
Importance of Sports Tourism

● Sport tourism generates an increased amount of income for the

Caribbean region. Events such as test matches in cricket or even
the local CPL games attract spectators around the globe which
generates revenue to boost the tourism industry.
● The 2008 Beijing Olympic games threw Caribbean athletes in
extension Caribbean nations into the eyesight of other countries.
Inspirational sportsmen such as Usain Bolt of Jamaica lured
tourists and athletes to train at Caribbean facilities in hopes of
being just as successful as him.
 Thank you!
We appreciate your attention and focus during
our presentation and we hope you have gained
some insight on Sport in the Caribbean ;)

Do you have any questions?

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