By Paul Nicholson in Grand Cayman
October 22 – CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb has called on his federations to maximise their potential and drive the region into a new era by taking opportunities for development into their own hands.
Opening the second day of the confederation’s landmark Sport Summit attended by a raft of the game’s influential administrators, Webb told delegates: “The overarching objective of this inaugural summit is to enhance partnership between government and football federations”
“We are here today in order to collaborate towards the goal of development of the sport in the region. This will provide new opportunities and enhance sports tourism, social and economic development.”
Ever since being appointed to lead the confederation that covers north and central America and the Caribbean, Webb has made every effort to improve Concacaf’s image after its recent tainted past.
“As part of the new chapter in the life of CONCACAF we are gathered here today to foster vital dialogue,” he said. “The future development and growth of our region is in our hands and millions around the region will share from this new vision.”
For Webb the focus of the inaugural Sports Summit was to empower all his 41 federations to “establish strong foundations that will build a sport from grass roots to world class competitions.”
“CONCACAF is in a new phase, a new era, poised for expansion and we want you to be a part of this new era,” he told members.
Webb caveated his remarks by acknowledging the challenges his members face. “Eighty percent of the nations that make up CONCACAF do not have a professional league,” he said. “The business environment of our regions is in billions yet 80 percent of the football revenue in our region is generated by less than 20 percent of our members.”
These challenges will not be overcome easily but Webb accentuated the positive.
“There are 300 million footballers around the world. There are 43 million in CONCACAF. We are the region with the most female football players per capita anywhere in the world. Twenty-three percent of the 26 million women football players around the world are in our region. There are 5.2 million youth in our countries. Only Europe is better.”
There are also positives on the professional side with Mexico’s Liga MX recording the fourth average attendance of any professional league in the world with average crowds of 26,000. The MLS is also amongst the top ten with an average of 18,000.
“One of the main goals of the Caribbean has to be to develop a sustainable professional league. It is time for us to make this happen,” said Webb.
CONCACAF has put a war chest together for these challenges and has mandated 76 percent of its budget in the current financial cycle for the development of tournaments. The Gold Cup this year was the most profitable for the confederation so far.
Since 1999 FIFA has invested $2 billion in investment funds and $260 million in the CONCACAF region. Within its current development cycle FIFA has budgeted $800 million to be spent globally on the development of the game. “Investment in football is investment in human capital,” said Webb.
“Our aim is to provide a fertile environment of co-operation that over time will build strong relations… Football seems like a natural vehicle to promote basic core values of integrity competence, discipline fair play. Football should also endorse messages of health, education and crime prevention.”
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