Coronavirus pandemic

Coronavirus: Sports enterprises get $3m digital lift

MCCY Minister Fu announces SportSG grant to support businesses' push for technology

A football match between Singapore Premier League teams Geylang International (in green) and Tanjong Pagar United (in red) at Jurong West Stadium on Feb 8, 2020. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

As those in the fitness and sports industry eagerly await the time when they will be allowed to reopen their businesses, they will be given support in the form of a $3 million Enterprise, Innovation and Capability grant by national sport agency Sport Singapore (SportSG).

This was announced by Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu, who delivered the keynote address at ExPro, a virtual fitness conference, yesterday.

The grant is aimed at helping more than 20 sports enterprises capture growth opportunities in the digital economy, which include the development and application of technology for training sports professionals and upgrading their skills.

Those eligible for this grant include gyms, health and fitness studios, sports event organisers, event management companies, sports facility operators and private sports academies and clubs.

The grant will also help them build stronger digital capabilities, which have been in the spotlight during the coronavirus pandemic.

The social distancing requirements because of the Covid-19 disease have resulted in the closure of fitness facilities and programmes, forcing many operators to turn to the Internet to get their classes, products and routines across.

Wong Wei Long, founder of Scholar Basketball Academy and who has not conducted lessons for the past two months, sees this as an opportunity to come up with creative solutions for his centre.

He said: "In this situation, many companies are suffering but you have to get out of your comfort zone. If there's a grant, I will try to apply for it and see what's best for the company by thinking of creative ways to take it to the next level."

Ms Fu revealed that SportSG, in collaboration with national sports associations (NSAs), will also expand training opportunities for the sports fraternity. More than 3,000 training courses, including coaching theory, sports technology and sports science, will be rolled out by the end of the year.

It is also working to get these courses recognised for SkillsFuture credits, and to allow participants to be eligible for training allowances.

On the initiatives, SportSG chief executive officer Lim Teck Yin said: "Developing strong digital capabilities will enable the industry to enhance engagement of customers and harness the insights from data to better meet their needs and interests."

All these programmes, added Ms Fu, are in addition to the $400 million that goes towards the funding of sport locally, including support towards NSAs, academies and clubs, and other programmes that support the ecosystem.

Addressing the 1,000-strong audience, which consisted of professionals and business owners, she acknowledged that "many of you are anxious to resume business operations as soon as possible", and gave the assurance that "we will continue to do what we can to support you and your business".

SportSG has already come up with efforts to help members of the sports and fitness industry who have been impacted by the pandemic. Last month, it launched the ActiveSG Circle, a virtual platform that connects private fitness instructors and freelancers with its 1.6 million ActiveSG members.

It also created 500 temporary jobs to help those whose livelihoods have been affected by the circuit breaker situation. About 80 per cent of these vacancies have been filled.

There is also the Active Enabler Programme, where sports enterprises and fitness instructors are funded for projects that get Singaporeans to be physically active through digital platforms. Some 230 applications were approved and $2 million has been set aside for this initiative.

Ms Fu pointed out that the Government had supported the broader economy too, spending nearly $100 billion on the Unity, Resilience, Solidarity and Fortitude budgets to help Singaporeans in the battle against Covid-19.

Noting that "the road ahead may be long and uncertain", she reiterated her call to those involved in the sports and fitness landscape to "take this time to become stronger, faster, better and more flexible".

She urged them to plan ahead, especially for the "new norm", when measures are needed to be put in place to keep everyone safe.

She also advised them to be "nimble and adaptable to changing market conditions" and emerge stronger from the challenges.

SportSG also announced that Ms Fu would hold an engagement session with industry players via Facebook Live tomorrow at 8pm.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 29, 2020, with the headline Coronavirus: Sports enterprises get $3m digital lift. Subscribe