Sports Creator Summit: Digital storytelling descends on Soweto

Content creation is becoming expansive, and this time around, it has made it to Soweto's doorstep with the Sports Creator Summit.

The summit, which is Africa Creator Festival (ACF)’s first-ever brainchild, recognised the expanding role of athletes as digital storytellers.

On Thursday, the Nike Sports Centre in Soweto hosted some SA’s athletes, creators, brands and industry leaders to explore how digital storytelling is transforming the sports industry.

The head of NBA South Africa Zeph Masote, who graced the gathering, highlighted the significance of the summit and the organisation’s involvement.

He pointed to the NBA’s expansion strategy and the “all-star effect” on local talent, noting how the league has created platforms for African players to reach global audiences.

"It gives us an opportunity to share with the ecosystem as well as aspiring creators, for them to understand a how a league like ourselves work with creators, but also for talent, which is in our case are the basketball players. How they get involved in building the sport and also creating communities around them, that ultimately help to build the game of basketball," said Masote.

The Sports Creator Summit, is part of the build-up ahead of the ACF, which is scheduled to place on 4th and 5th September in Johannesburg.

Earlier this month during a media launch, the founder of the ACF, Jolene Roelofse announced that two additional standalone events will be added to the festival to focus on key high-growth sectors: travel and sport.

The addition of sector-focused events like the Sports Creator Summit underscores ACF’s role as a driving force behind Africa’s creator economy.

Speaking to Eyewitness News, Roelofse said that the reason they launched the summit was inspired by South Africa’s abundance of untold sports stories.

“The timing aligns with major sporting moments, such as Bafana Bafana going to the World Cup, which that creates an opportunity to spotlight sport people and them sharing their stories ahead of the key events,” she said.

As the lines between sport, media and entertainment continue to blur, one thing is clear: the future of sport will not just be played on the field but told through the stories that captivate audiences around the world.