Significant Impacts of Sports on New Zealand’s Economy

Many economies globally have benefited tremendously from sporting activities, and New Zealand is not an exception. A lot of people love participating in sports in various ways, from playing to spectating and gambling. However, in all the ideas, positive energy is directed to the activities. The primary purpose of participating in sports is staying healthy and keeping fit. This ensures that a country’s population maintains high health standards and hence, high productivity. However, besides health, there are other benefits that states gain as a result of their support for sports. With New Zealand being a hub of various major sports activities such as soccer and rugby, it manages to reap a lot of benefits that accrue from the vast fan base for these events.  Below are some of the social-economic benefits of sports Sports on New Zealand’s Economy

Employment Opportunities

In the recent past, sports have ceased to be seen as merely entertainment activities. A lot of young people earn a living from various sporting disciplines. Valuable players earn humongous salaries, which positively impact the economy. In New Zealand, Rugby occupies a special place in the hearts of the fans. Its players are competent and hence have gained popularity globally. This has helped them to secure great marketing deals that supplement their salaries. On the other hand, every sport requires facilities and personnel to manage them. This creates job opportunities for the general public, who, in return, contribute to the country’s economic development.

Source of Government Revenue

In many countries, governments invest in sports through the provision of sporting facilities such as stadiums and equipment. This enables the sports-persons to sharpen their skills and talents through training. In return, the government benefits from the fees charged whenever events are held in these facilities.

A lot of organizations like to associate themselves with famous personalities whose stars have shone through sporting activities. They enter into advertisement contracts with these individuals or teams, aiming at leveraging the vast support base of their fans. Consequently, the revenues for these brands skyrocket. In return, the government benefits from increased corporate taxes collected from these companies.
Enhanced Youth Productivity

Sports on New Zealand’s Economy

Generally, a community whose youth is disengaged faces high levels of crime. However, this is different in New Zealand. Here, young people enroll in various sporting activities such as rugby, soccer, and cricket. These activities keep them focused, and hence they are less likely to engage in crime. As the old saying goes— “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” When young individuals in the community stay idle during their free time, they are likely to get tempted to indulge in drug abuse. Eventually, they end up in criminal activities, which inhibits economic development. New Zealand has adequately tackled this challenge by nurturing a wide variety of sports.

The benefits of sports in society cannot be emphasized enough— from the impacts on individual health to those on the general economy. Given sufficient support from both individuals and the government, sports can develop to become one of the most significant contributors to the global economy.