Forget Brazil,Uganda Shall Win The World Cup

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Dennis Onyango didn’t fly to Russia.This much I know.And yet ,on a cursory examination and in my view,the Ugandan and Mamelodi Sundowns skipper is a safer pair of hands than a handful of those between the sticks in Moscow.

Whereas this assumption may not drag the Cranes to any of the groups in Russia,I won’t hesitate  to predict that Uganda shall win this World Cup.Don’t be carried away with my rather ridiculous prediction.Am very sane.My interest is only  geared to how Ugandans can reap off from the football value chain that this prestigious tournament comes with.

Lets begin with focusing on the fact that football has crowded out all other activities,from down town Kampala to rural Moroto and over to Moscow. There’s a common belief that sports stores,bars,video halls and hotels will be crowded and a bit expensive during the World Cup. Many football fans are running to the sports stores to buy their favorite team jersey.Fully branded and personalized to suit preferences.Electronic stores are having a share of the football proceeds as every household rushes to buy a Television set and not miss out on the knockout rounds.Sports Betting companies couldn’t have asked for more this time round ,as thousands of youths sleep,eat and walk betting odds.And from the results thus far,there can only be one winner.

Mark Namanya(Uganda)enjoying the Mexican wave in Russia:Phot Credit-Mark Namanya

Telecommunication companies cannot be left out,and with all these digitized avenues of streaming live games ,previews and reviews,they must be headed to  posting positives on their  P&L ,considering the costs of data and the Internet of Things.Not forgetting the government,that shall have its tax base expanded from all football transnational costs.Put bluntly ,Ugandans are switching  their spending to Cup-related expenditures.

There is also this group of Ugandans that are lucky and are watching the proceedings from Russia.Talk of the Football federation delegation led by FUFA president Moses Magogo,the Ugandan journalists covering the games for their media houses and the lucky winners from the many company promotional activities prior to the world cup start.The selfies being shared with Ugandan Football jerseys amidst Croatian ones and Mexican ones is good networking and branding for the nation.Its a chance of a lifetime.And yet,also a life changing chance,if the networking buttons are switched on rightly.

From every corner of the Country,there is that  “free and relaxed atmosphere during the World Cup, or increased topics of conversation” which is making citizens happier and prouder than they might otherwise be, and thus more willing to consume . There is a sense of  increased purchasing power, measured as willingness-to-pay (WTP),as the Messi-Ronaldo argument takes centre stage. There is a sense of belongingness,all following one brand-and that is Football.
Russia may brag about its potential to reap big from the ongoing world cup,Uganda as its affiliate viewing nation,could have its people swim to the bank from the events value chain.

So whether you tick Brazil as your favorites to win the trophy,mine is ..........,you guessed right-Uganda.

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